McKnight Senior Living

Argentum is expressing “outrage” over a COVID-related $55 billion aid package for bars, bakeries and baseball that leaves out assisted living communities once again.

The senior living association said that passage of a federal COVID-19 relief package in the House of Representatives for restaurants, bars, gyms and sports teams while ignoring the frontline caregivers in assisted living communities is “like a bad skit for Saturday Night Live.”

The $55 billion aid package, passed in the House on Thursday, now heads to the Senate, where a rival package is under consideration.

he House bill would provide $42 billion to replenish an initial $28.6 billion fund for restaurants, food trucks, bars, caterers, brewpubs, bakeries and others affected by the pandemic. Another $13 billion would go to small businesses — regardless of industry — that lost at least 40% of their revenues during the pandemic, with grants capped at $1 million each, according to Roll Call.

“It is outrageous that the House takes this action and leaves seniors and their caregivers in assisted living behind yet again,” Argentum President and CEO James Balda said. “We are urging our member communities to rise up and urge the Senate to reject this legislation unless targeted billions are also found to help senior living providers recover from their own deep COVID-19 losses”

Just last week, Balda wrote to Senate and House leaders, outlining an argument for support and relief of the senior living industry.

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