Safeguarding Elderly Needs for Infrastructure and Occupational Resources Act of 2022 or the SENIOR Act of 2022
This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants to assisted living facilities for health care expenses and lost revenue attributable to COVID-19 and other purposes. It also addresses matters related to the senior caregiver workforce.
To receive a grant, an assisted living facility must demonstrate that it had uncompensated losses due to COVID-19 and consistently maintained operations from March 13, 2020, to December 31, 2020. A facility must also certify that the grant is necessary for its ongoing operations.
HHS must also award grants to assisted living facilities for broadband connectivity and telehealth support and other operation and maintenance costs.
The Government Accountability Office must report on the efficacy of these grants.
With respect to the senior caregiver workforce, the bill authorizes grants for assisted living facilities to establish or expand workforce training and recruitment programs. The National Health Care Workforce Commission must also designate the workforce needs of assisted living and other senior care populations as a high priority area and report on those needs.