MANCHESTER – On Friday, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) visited Hanover Hill Health Care Center, a nursing home located in Manchester, to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nursing homes throughout the state. In New Hampshire, the pandemic has had a severe and disproportionate impact on nursing homes, with 81% of all COVID-related deaths in the state occurring among residents of these facilities. During her visit, Shaheen met with the facility’s leadership, Brendan Williams, President and CEO of the New Hampshire Health Care Association and representatives from the New Hampshire Association of Residential Care Homes and Catholic Charities and heard more on the challenges these facilities have faced amid the public health crisis. Shaheen underscored the need for more federal support for nursing homes to ensure that they are able to hire and train staff and purchase PPE and COVID-19 testing that will help protect the health and well-being of residents and caregivers.

Shaheen has fought to provide resources and support for Granite State nursing homes during the pandemic. Last month, she questioned top Trump administration officials on the administration’s failure to fully distribute relief funds meant to help COVID-19 mitigation efforts at long-term care facilities. She also helped to introduce new legislation with Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) to provide more funding for nursing homes to help them protect residents and contain the spread of COVID-19. In addition, Shaheen has repeatedly stated that any relief package passed by Congress must include more assistance for nursing homes and health care providers, among other priorities that address the challenges New Hampshire and the nation face.

“The pandemic has had a devastating and heartbreaking impact on New Hampshire nursing homes, which have suffered from outbreaks that have led to eighty-one percent of all COVID-related deaths in the state. This is a shocking statistic that makes it painfully clear that our nursing homes are in dire need of additional federal support,” said Shaheen. “As I heard from nursing home representatives from across New Hampshire this morning, Hanover Hill and other facilities face immense challenges on the frontlines of this crisis. That’s why I will not let up in fighting for COVID-19 relief legislation that meets the urgent need of nursing homes and helps them protect the lives of residents and caretakers.”

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