KOLKHORST NAMED LONG TERM CARE CHAMPION BY TEXAS HEALTH CARE ASSOCIATION
(courtesy Office of Lois Kolkhorst)
State Senator Lois Kolkhorst has been recognized for her efforts to support and improve Texas nursing homes during the 86th Legislature.
Kolkhorst received the Long Term Champion award Friday at a ceremony at High Hope Care Center in Brenham. The award is presented to a chosen lawmaker after legislative session, and is chosen by the Texas Health Care Association (THCA), the state’s largest long term care association which advocates for long term care.
THCA President and CEO Kevin Warren praised Kolkhorst for her work to support long term care this past legislative session, including the passage of a bill to establish a Long Term Care Council that will deal with crucial issues facing Texas facilities. He also said she stood up for efforts that would incentivize quality and avoid unnecessary regulation on providers with a good track record.
Warren said Kolkhorst, as the Chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and a member of the Senate Finance Committee, is “a respected voice in the Legislature”. He said Texas is “blessed that she uses that voice to speak for the most vulnerable in our society and those who care for them”.
Kolkhorst said making sure senior Texans receive quality care will always be a priority for her, saying they deserve the very best that can be given. She said a debt of gratitude is owed to the aging population, because Texas seniors “made this state what it is today”. She also said the hard work of those who care for senior citizens cannot be forgotten.