A skilled nursing facility gave me my life back — twice. At 78 years old, recovering from one major surgery is difficult; recovering from two in such a short time would have been impossible without the compassionate, comprehensive medical care I received there.
Last December, after back surgery, I was too weak to safely return home and needed rehabilitation. I was discharged to a skilled nursing facility on the Monterey Peninsula, where I received round-the-clock medical care, including physical therapy. Within weeks, I regained my strength and independence when I was able to return home.
But just a few months later, my 18-year-old hip replacement failed unexpectedly, and what should have been a routine revision became a grueling four-hour surgery with serious complications. I couldn’t walk and my pain was off the charts. There was no way I could return home. My husband could not provide the medical care I needed, and the cost of 24-hour, around-the-clock, in-home care is way beyond what most patients can afford. There was no question where I needed to go — I was discharged back to the skilled nursing facility that I had already been. Without a skilled nursing facility, I don’t know how I would have recovered.
When I arrived, my pain was so intense I could barely function. The team of nurses, certified nursing assistants and rehabilitation therapists quickly developed a care plan tailored to my needs. They worked closely with me to manage my pain. Physical therapists worked with me daily, listening, encouraging and pushing me to rebuild my strength and mobility. Step by step, I improved and was soon walking with a walker. Without this coordinated hands-on care, I would not have regained my mobility or independence.
Today, I’m back home and looking forward to riding my electric tricycle around Monterey with my husband once again.
Across California, more than 1,000 skilled nursing facilities provide critical medical care to nearly half a million patients each year, including seniors, veterans, people with disabilities and those recovering from strokes, serious injuries or surgeries like me.
But skilled nursing facilities across the state are facing new pressures. In July 2025, the state budget cut the Workforce and Quality Incentive Program (WQIP), eliminating approximately $300 million in state and federal funding for skilled nursing facilities. These cuts eliminated critical resources used to recruit and retain staff, invest in workforce training and improve facility operations.
For patients like me, the consequences of state budget cuts are not just numbers on a spreadsheet, they affect the most vulnerable when care is so important.
High quality care does not happen by accident. It depends on a strong, supported workforce. WQIP funding helps recruit, train and retain the caregivers that patients depend on every day, while also supporting essential facility improvements.
At 78 years old, I was able to recover because of a skilled nursing facility and the dedicated workforce behind it. Others may not be as fortunate if this funding is not restored.
I ask Gov. Gavin Newsom, state Sen. John Laird, Assemblymember Dawn Addis and the Legislature to restore WQIP funding in the 2026-27 state budget to protect access to care and ensure the workforce that makes recovery possible remains strong.