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August 13, 2020

ABA Special Report e-journal highlights systemic failures in nursing homes during COVID-19 pandemic

WASHINGTON, Aug. 13, 2020 —The American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging has released its July-August 2020 issue of BIFOCAL, a special report called “Is This a 9/11 Moment for Long-Term Care?” which features articles and resources to support the elder law community in these unprecedented times. Articles include information about states protecting nursing facilities from liability in deaths from COVID-19, defunding nursing homes, reimagining elder care, and a look at how Canada handled COVID-19 in its long-term care facilities.

The issue is a collection of articles written by some of the country’s foremost law and aging experts, who are available for interviews to media outlets. Experts and their articles include:

  • States Move to Shield Nursing Homes from Liability in COVID-19 Deaths, by Samuel Brooks, project manager at the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care; Robyn Grant, director of public policy and advocacy at the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care; and Michael F. Bonamarte, partner at Levin & Perconti, Chicago
  • It’s Time to Defund Nursing Homes, by Charles Sabatino, director of the ABA Commission on Law and Aging
  • Reimagining Elder Care: A Conversation with the Green House Project, an interview with Susan Ryan, senior director at the Green House Project, by the ABA Commission on Law and Aging
  • Examining Systemic Deficiencies, Tragic Outcomes in LTC Facilities, by Marianne Udow-Phillips, founding executive director of the Center for Health and Research Transformation (CHRT) at the University of Michigan; and Robyn Rontal, director of data analytics for CHRT
  • Canada’s Coronavirus Chaos, by Laura Tamblyn Watts, CEO of CanAge, Canada’s national seniors’ advocacy organization

To view BIFOCAL, click here.  

The ABA can refer reporters to legal experts available to speak about BIFOCAL e-journal articles related to this special issue and more. Reporters seeking comment and analysis on these topics may contact Betsy Adeboyejo at 202-662-1039 or at [email protected] for more information.

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