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AARP Arizona Wants State To Be More Transparent About Nursing Homes

The organization that represents nearly a million older adults has sent Gov. Doug Ducey another letter calling on his office to be more transparent about what’s happening inside Arizona’s long-term care facilities. 

In her letter to Gov. Ducey, AARP Arizona Director Dana Marie Kennedy expressed concerns about the lack of oversight inside long-term care facilities.

She went on to say that long-term care ombudsmen have not been allowed inside facilities to identify, investigate and resolve complaints made by or on behalf of residents. She also addressed the fact that families are still not able to enter most facilities.

Kennedy called on Ducey to take advantage of federal dollars to put more inspectors inside long-term care. She also asked that he provide funding for assisted living facilities, which do not receive federal funding.

Kennedy has yet to hear from the Governor's Office.

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KJZZ senior field correspondent Kathy Ritchie has 20 years of experience reporting and writing stories for national and local media outlets — nearly a decade of it has been spent in public media.