Congressman Anthony Brown Visits Local Residential Care Center, Emphasizes Need To Invest In The Care Economy
Press Release
Congressman Anthony G. Brown (MD-04) visited the FutureCare Capital Region Senior Care Facility in Landover, Maryland today to highlight the importance of the "Care Economy" as Maryland and the rest country continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of the American Jobs and Families Plans, President Biden has called for historic investments in caregiving, for children, seniors, and our most vulnerable neighbors. Investing in caregiving is critical to getting our economy moving again. Parents and caregivers cannot go back to work, grow our economy, and build better lives for their families unless they know their children, parents and loved ones are safe and cared for.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated workforce issues in senior care. A recent labor report revealed a drop of 19,500 nursing and residential care facility jobs. With a rapidly-growing elderly population and an expected increase in demand for long-term care services, urgent action is needed.
"Residential facilities and the dedicated professionals providing care and support for our loved ones were on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. They put in long hours and many sleepless nights to keep residents safe and connected. Our seniors and most vulnerable residents deserve dignity and quality care, no matter their zip code, and their families deserve the peace of mind that their loved ones are being looked after," said Congressman Brown. "Supporting caregivers is essential to showing our thanks and building an economy that works for working families."
"Nursing homes and assisted living communities have long faced workforce challenges and the pandemic has only made these challenges worse," said Joseph DeMattos, President and CEO of the Health Facilities Association of Maryland. "The long-term and post-acute sector looks forward to our continued work with Congressman Brown and other leaders to support and strengthen the workforce to ensure Marylanders in need continue to receive the highest level of quality care."
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