WHEREAS, in Colorado more than 70,000 people receive long-term services and supports in their homes, host homes, group homes, assisted living residences, and nursing homes; and
WHEREAS, the long-term services and supports workforce includes: certified nurse aides, personal care workers, nurses, food services staff, housekeepers and homemakers, laundry, maintenance workers, administrators, social services staff, activities staff, marketing and admissions staff, and administrative support personnel; and
WHEREAS, the long-term services and supports workers have been serving older adults and people with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, the long-term services and supports workforce was already in high demand all across Colorado before the pandemic of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, long-term services and supports workers have been responsible for providing care to older adults and people with disabilities in this challenging pandemic of COVID-19 despite limited personal protective equipment (PPE) and the need for ongoing infection control training in an ever-changing landscape; and
WHEREAS, long-term services and supports workers have come together as a team to provide physical, emotional, and behavioral health services during this pandemic of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, the long-term services and supports workers have helped those they provide care to maintain family and community contacts in this time of isolation and quarantine during the pandemic of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, the long-term services and supports workers have continued to support those they care for, even when the caregivers themselves risk becoming ill doing their jobs, have lost loved ones, and grieved over the loss of those they provided care to during this pandemic of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, long-term services and supports workers have taken important and often difficult steps to minimize the spread of COVID-19, thereby reducing the infection, hospitalization, and death rates in residential care settings; and
WHEREAS, the State of Colorado has greatly benefited from the personal commitments that have been made by these extraordinary long-term services and supports workers who have worked throughout the pandemic of COVID-19 despite great risk to themselves and to their families and other contacts;
THEREFORE, I, Jared Polis, Governor of the State of Colorado, do hereby proclaim the period of time between September 6, 2020 to September 12, 2020 as LONG-TERM CARE WORKER APPRECIATION WEEK.