Almost every nursing home placement involves a family in crisis, emotionally, medically, and financially. With a monthly price tag of more than $10,000, long-term care costs are financially devastating to many families. On top of that, families and residents then face the grim fact that providers are failing to meet basic standards of care (“Fast-track nursing home oversight,’’ Editorial, Feb. 13).

We strongly support the initiative of Dr. Monica Bharel, state commissioner of public health, to improve nursing home oversight, focusing on safety, quality, and transparency. As elder advocates who guide families through this process every day, we encourage the Department of Public Health to adequately fund this initiative and to consider the voices of all stakeholders — advocates, hands-on caregivers, providers, families, and residents themselves — in implementing these much-needed improvements.

Rebecca J. Benson, Boston

The writer chairs the long-term care residents rights committee of the Massachusetts chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.