Oct 21, 2020
This week, Susan Ryan sits down with Lori Smetanka, executive director of the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, the leading national nonprofit advocacy organization representing consumers receiving long-term care in nursing homes, assisted living communities, and home and community-based settings.
Lori’s passion and expertise have served her and the mission of
Consumer Voice well. In this episode, she provides the history of
nursing home reform and the formation of her organization. This
rich history offers insights into the high value of
collaborative
partnerships and the critical importance of having the resident and
family voices represented in the creation of policies.
Lori also dives into the devastation that COVID has left in
long-term care communities across the country and how it has
highlighted and the numerous challenges that have
long existed, including the exacerbation of loneliness and social
isolation.
Find more about the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care here: https://theconsumervoice.org/
Connect with Lori Smetanka here on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lori-owen-smetanka-0184664