Nearly half of the COVID-19 deaths in Indiana have been in nursing homes. That’s why Sarah Waddle, state director at AARP Indiana, says Hoosiers must advocate for their loved ones who have to go into nursing homes or long-term care facilities.

“Indiana’s had more than 6,000 nursing home residents and staff that have passed away from COVID-19,” said Waddle. “That’s about 48 percent of all the COVID deaths in the state.”

She said that while the state has done a good job at ensuring outbreaks and other critical COVID data from nursing homes are reported via the Dept. of Health COVID dashboard, people who are dealing directly with nursing homes should ask questions.

“I think you want to make sure that these facilities have adequate staffing and personal protective equipment,” she said. “Surely we have enough resources from all the federal influx of dollars that we can make sure that these facilities have the basic needs to take care of our loves ones.”

Waddle said that while a federal program was meant to make sure all nursing home residents and staff were vaccinated, turnover is heavy and new residents are coming in all the time.

“You’re gonna want to ask the facility what they’re doing to ensure that anyone new to the facility and how they’re getting vaccinated [sic].”

Waddle said visitation is necessary for the health of people in nursing homes, and through the pandemic the facilities have made accommodations, like virtual visits, and eventual limited in-person visitation. But, she said you should also ask for a clear explanation of their visitation policy.

She stressed that transparency is the on-going responsibility of the state, and that the legislature made the dashboard on the Dept. of Health website law through 2022.