1199 member Aja Dunham headed to Camden, NJ on March 19 to testify in front of the Assembly Budget Committee about the state budget that will take effect on July 1. Aja has worked as a CNA at the Voorhees Center Nursing Home in Voorhees, NJ for the past 8 years.

She knows first-hand how important it is to make sure that New Jersey's nursing homes are well-funded so that residents get the quality one-on-one care they need. As a frontline caregiver who is responsible for providing physical and emotional support to nursing home residents, she is an expert on the challenges that exist in providing critical care to the elderly and disabled.

That's why she decided to make her voice heard after Gov. Chris Christie proposed a budget for the upcoming fiscal year that does not include any additional money for nursing homes, which rely primarily on Medicaid dollars from the state to stay in operation. The average cost to provide care to each New Jersey nursing home resident grew more than six percent last year alone, so it is necessary for the state to increase funding so that patient care is not jeopardized.

“As a CNA working full time in a nursing home, I strive to provide quality care to my residents,” Aja testified at the hearing. “Aside from performing the essential tasks of bathing, dressing, and feeding, it is most important to build a relationship with them based upon dependability. With acuity in facilities constantly rising, it is imperative that nursing home funding increases as well.”

Aja spoke convincingly in front of an audience which included some of New Jersey’s most influential policymakers. In the coming months, she and other 1199 members will continue advocating for more funding for New Jersey’s nursing homes so that the thousands of people who rely on Medicaid for the round-the-clock care they need are able to live in safe, comfortable, and well-staffed facilities.