Letters: Support a ‘Choose Home’ option for seniors; Thankful for PA educators, support staff

Support a ‘Choose Home’ option for seniors

Lawmakers in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate have introduced legislation that would expand home-based care options for seniors in our community. This legislation, the Choose Home Care Act, would establish an additional patient-centered home health option called Choose Home to help meet seniors’ comprehensive care needs.

Choose Home would offer extended care services in the comfort and convenience of a patient’s home after hospitalization versus a skilled nursing facility. It would also provide support, training, and education for family caregivers.

This effort is receiving broad support: A recent poll found that 94% of Medicare beneficiaries would prefer to receive post-hospital short-term health care at home, and 85% of adults say it should be a high priority for the federal government to expand Medicare coverage for home health care.

I urge our states’ lawmakers in Congress to support this important legislation.

Thankful for PA educators, support staff

With American Education Week upon us, I want to take a moment to recognize everyone who makes Pennsylvania’s public schools terrific.

That includes the educators and support professionals in our schools as well as the parents, guardians, and community leaders who partner with them. When it comes to educating the next generation of Pennsylvanians, we’re all in it together — and we all have a role to play.

The wonderful thing about our public schools is that every day the door is open to children of all backgrounds, abilities, and incomes. Dedicated professionals are there ready to help those students tackle tough challenges and succeed.

Over the past 20 months, educators have also partnered with school counselors, nurses, psychologists, and social workers to address the mental health needs of students who have struggled as a result of the pandemic.

Please join me during American Education Week Nov. 15-19 in saying thank you to the educators and support staff in your community schools.

And let me say thank you for supporting Pennsylvania’s schools and educators, especially during these challenging times. Our schools couldn’t do all that they do without your support.

GOP ‘shenanigans’ have no place in public health

The continuing complaints (e.g. the Capitol Plaza demonstration last weekend in Harrisburg) about (Democratic) government officials limiting our freedoms with regard to COVID-19 abatement is silly at best and vicious at worst.

Silly: There exists a public health emergency. If the Wolf administration had done nothing, these same individuals would be on the front lines railing against a do-nothing government. Restraint of liberty is only a catch-point on which to make a fuss. Ultimately, this strategy is ridiculous: If one really wants to understand what it means to have liberty removed, then visit Nicaragua or Hungary. In those places one will find much more to complain about than the mitigation of a pandemic.

Vicious: Let’s face it. This all is really a thinly disguised effort to embarrass Pennsylvania’s Democratic state administration. If Republicans must do that they should pick an area other than public health. Lives are endangered or lost due to such thoughtless and shameful shenanigans.