Florida Governor Voldemort just fired Brian Lee, the director of the Florida Long-term Care Ombudsman Program, after seven years of holding nursing home operators’ feet to the fire.
What did Brian Lee do to deserve summary dismissal? Here are some hints from the Herald article:
- He recently requested “that the state’s 677 nursing homes reveal detailed information on ownership stakes. The request, authorized under new federal healthcare legislation, was designed to provide greater transparency and accountability.”
- “At a meeting less than two weeks ago with [the Florida Assisted Living Association] FALA, industry leaders wagged their fingers at him and screamed, he said, saying he lacked the authority to insist on sweeping improvements of retirement homes during his group’s inspections of the facilities. Specifically, [Lee] said, FALA officials were upset he was asking owners to prove they had enough food and water on hand in case of an emergency, such as a hurricane.”
via Miami Herald, State’s top elderly advocate removed from job.
This comes on the same day that Gov. Scott announced that public schools — which have been facing cut after cut for years now — will just have to do with $4 billion less. But have no fear, Gov. Voldemort plans to cut corporate taxes, so everything will be fine soon.
My wife is a social worker and deals primarily with elderly people in assisted living facilities (ALF’s). The conditions in many of these places are appalling. This news is troubling in light of what I hear from my wife.