FICPRO: Contributions of long-term care centers often go unrecognized.

Jonathan Morales Adorno, president of the Federation of Long-Term Care Institutions

By THE STAR STAFF

“Long-term care facilities in Puerto Rico are not a problem. They are part of the solution for thousands of families in Puerto Rico who need a safe and dignified place for their elderly relatives,” stated Jonathan Morales Adorno, president of the Federation of Long-Term Care Institutions (FICPRO by its acronym in Spanish).

Morales Adorno’s remarks came in response to a resolution filed in the island House of Representatives to investigate the cost structure and fees imposed by daycare centers and long-term care facilities in Puerto Rico.

“Before discussing exorbitant rates, it’s important to recognize that households are sustaining a system that the government itself has often neglected,” Morales Adorno said. “We are addressing the neglect and lack of protection for senior citizens in Puerto Rico.”

He reiterated that FICPRO favors transparency and dialogue and is available to participate in any legislative process or public hearing, provided that all parties are heard and the full reality of the long-term care system is analyzed.

“For years, long-term care homes have assumed a responsibility that the state itself has often failed to meet,” Morales Adorno said. “They have been the answer to abandonment, lack of family support, and the vulnerability of thousands of senior citizens. We solve a social problem every day, but unfortunately, we are often singled out without recognition of the essential service we provide.”

The FICPRO president noted that long-term care homes provide services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including full board; continuous supervision; medication administration; assistance with daily activities; care for bedridden residents or those with chronic conditions; security; maintenance; and regulatory compliance. Providers include nurses, therapists, caregivers, cooks, maintenance staff, physicians, and security personnel, among many other roles, he said.

Morales Adorno stressed that long-term care centers routinely “step in” when “a family can no longer care for their elderly relative or when someone is abandoned.”

“This includes providing clothing and essential items without receiving payment from the government or their families,” he said. “However, the government rarely takes into account the effort, the real costs, and the responsibility we assume.”