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CHICAGO, May 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (BCBSIL) today announced the recipients who will receive a portion of $550,000 in total funding to help deliver critical COVID-19 resources to those most impacted by the pandemic. These grants are part of BCBSIL #VaccTogether Month – an initiative connecting communities with vaccines and bolstering local outreach and education efforts ahead of the summer months.
As part of BCBSIL s collaborative approach to help Illinois residents recover from COVID-19, the awarded funds empower 16 community-based organizations across the state to expand access to COVID-19 vaccinations, testing and education.
Black and Hispanic residents of Illinois-based nursing homes died from COVID-19 by 40% more than other residents, based on a report from the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services.
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Protected by Google ReCAPTCHA. John Kelly News A state senator wants legislative hearings about a report from the state watchdog examining the handling of the COVID-19 outbreak at the LaSalle Veterans Home that left dozens of veterans dead.
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Elder care advocates are urging state lawmakers to reduce the number of Illinoisans receiving long-term care at nursing homes after a study showing many of Illinois’ early COVID-19 deaths occurred at facilities that were both overcrowded and understaffed.
According to 2017 data reported by the AARP, 10% of residents living in Illinois nursing homes have “low care needs”, which is higher than the 8.9% national average.
Nursing home critics say because a number of facilities struggled to control viral transmissions among residents during the pandemic, the state should prioritize at-home and community-based care services.
“For too long, our state has relied on institutional settings such as nursing homes to meet the needs of seniors and people with disabilities. This needs to change,” Services Employees International Union Executive Vice President Erica Bland-Durosinmi told lawmakers at a hearing last week. “We need to look at expanding home and