![Visitations Committee Chair Felicia Miller addresses the task force. [Lisa Ryan / ideastream]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/edaa321/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3000x2250+0+0/resize/840x630!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F1%2F21%2FFeliciaMiller.jpg)
The Summit County Nursing Homes and Facilities Task Force met Tuesday.
County Council president Jeff Wilhite created the group after officials found problematic conditions at five nursing homes throughout the state, including one in Summit County.
One of those nursing homes was Fairlawn Rehab and Nursing Center near Akron. The facility is now closed.
Felicia Miller joined the task force because her mom was a resident of Fairlawn, and other nursing homes, where Miller says her 90-year-old mother received inadequate care.
Miller now takes care of her mom on her own, but she didn’t learn about the issues until her mom was out of the nursing home.
“It’s because she was afraid that I would come in and make a scene and then make it worse for her when I left,” Miller said.
The task force is now focused on understanding current conditions in nursing homes, including visiting 5-star and 1-star rated nursing homes. But Miller says they’ve been having issues getting into the facilities. There is also concern that if members of the Visitations Committee receive a tour, they are only seeing what building administrators want them to see.
The group also discussed staffing issues and potential legislation to improve nursing homes in Summit County and the state. They plan to make recommendations for improvements in their spring report.
