We all need to think about the power our legislators have as they haggle over the budget.

How important is it to you that your family or friends that may need care in a nursing home are well taken care of? Our state has chronically underfunded nursing homes, which leads to inadequate care for nursing home residents. Shouldn't quality of life for our most vulnerable citizens be a priority? And, who takes care of Washington state's nursing home staff when they need care? Nursing home workers earn low wages and most lack health benefits. Turnover is high and it's hard to find enough staff to provide quality care.

Nursing homes don't have the funds they need to hire more staff to ensure quality care for residents. Nurse aides often have to take care of 14-15 residents at a time, which doesn't give them the time to provide the care or attention that vulnerable residents need and deserve.

In order for nursing homes to keep up with the rising cost of care, and be able to improve wages and benefits and hire more staff, we need to increase nursing home funding by $60 million. That's only 3 percent of the state's budget surplus.

I urge you to contact your legislator and let them know how important nursing home funding is to you and your family. Who is going to take care of you when you need it?

Heather Wiker

High Point