Letters to the editor: Senior care remains on the front pages — for the wrong reasons

Every day, we come across Iowa stories depicting instances of elder neglect or abuse: cases where gangrene leads to amputations, narratives of individuals choking on their saliva, and accounts of people left freezing in the winter of 2023.  A federal report shows Iowa as 49th with a ratio of nursing home inspectors to care facilities.  The new year should start with Iowa public officials taking necessary, strong action on elder care. 

Iowans value and respect older Iowans. Our Governor needs to invest in recruitment and retention of quality staff and dramatically improve oversight.  The Governor and the legislature have the means to address elder care, by immediately creating a non-partisan task force and setting aside surplus dollars for elder care.  Ask them to do this before any tax cut debate. 

Senate Democrats asked Senator Amy Sinclair, Republican chair of the oversight committee, to hold hearings on the crisis of care in our nursing homes. The press release response stated these hearings were “unnecessary.”   Not surprising, as the Iowa Capital Dispatch documented “the flow of money from state-regulated care facilities, through a political action committee and into the campaign coffers of state lawmakers who have advanced bills to protect nursing homes while scuttling legislation intended to help elderly Iowans.”   

It is time to remind your elected officials that Iowans believe quality care of our seniors is necessary and carries more importance than any amount of PAC contributions.

Mary Weaver, Rippey

Presidential candidate pledge to We The People

We the People of The United States face a world of increasing danger and chaos. The steady hand of experience and stable leadership can bring us back to a place of power and strength. I will unify the diverse and hardworking people of our nation around our common ground and shared values.

I will lead a performance and results driven Turn-Around team that solves problems rather than suggests edits to our pressing issues like immigration, our faltering national security, a flailing economy, and broken health care and education systems. I will lead America with unity, integrity, faith, and youthful strength and stamina.

I will reform our nation’s government, so that you are served and helped — not harmed. I will never apologize or show weakness to America's enemies and tyrants. I will water opportunity and economic growth by lowering regulations, inflation, and our taxes.

I will return concentrated federal power to the states. And I will defend the Constitution of the United States against all our enemies both foreign and domestic. I will not fail you or my family. I’m one of us, running for all of us.

This is our moment — we can BE UNITED!

Jim Lint, Assistant to Dr. David Stuckenberg