April 11, 2020 Washington D.C. — Statement from Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO, LeadingAge, the association of nonprofit providers of aging services, including nursing homes:

“As reported cases of COVID-19 continue to increase, good data is more important than ever before in this pandemic,” said Katie Smith Sloan, president and CEO of LeadingAge, the association of nonprofit providers of aging services. “We underscore our earlier recommendation to our nursing home members that reporting COVID-19 positive cases to their local health departments is paramount. With supplies of personal protective equipment and testing resources in extremely short supply nationwide, case numbers are a critical piece of information to help determine supply prioritization. We expect that consistent reporting of cases will lead to adequate and timely access to PPE and testing.

“Additionally, because COVID-19 impacts the people we serve, it is crucial that our members maintain transparent communication about positive cases with staff, residents, and families. Our members are on the front line caring for a vulnerable population.

“Finally, we are committed to continued collaboration with all of our partners in public health—from local health departments to national organizations such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Federal Emergency Management Association, and others— in our shared effort to flatten the curve and keep older adults in this country safe.”

We represent more than 5,000 aging-focused organizations that touch millions of lives every day. Alongside our members and 38 state partners, we address critical issues by blending applied research, advocacy, education, and community-building. We bring together the most inventive minds in our field to support older adults as they age wherever they call home. We make America a better place to grow old. For more information: www.leadingage.org