Long-Term Care Facilities Do a Professional Job

* I sympathize with Judith Jacovitz’s account of her recent stay in a long-term care facility (“A Place You Want to Avoid,” Aug. 1). However, I believe her experience was not the norm.

Long-term care facilities are staffed by dedicated professionals committed to providing the best health care possible. Nursing facilities are working hard to respond to consumer demand for more personalized care while adding staff and services to meet the needs of a much sicker patient population.

Over the past several years, there has been a great effort to enhance staff education, promote the use of alternative interventions, and increase participation by residents and their families in the care process. We have made great strides while operating under limited state funding.

The fastest-growing occupations this decade will be in the health care industry, including registered nurses and nurses’ aides.

Not only the number but also training and skill levels are constantly being upgraded as nursing facilities respond to the needs of more severely ill residents and increased government regulations.

In fact, no other health service provider is as highly regulated as long-term care facilities.

JERI-ANNE SHELTON

Palmdale

Jeri-Anne Shelton is administrator of the Autumn Hills Health Care Center in Glendale and president of the San Fernando Valley chapter of the California Assn. of Health Facilities.