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Tyler Richard, (402) 476-8091 x104, trichard@aclunebraska.org

September 20, 2016

According to his daughter, John Shelor died after being in a nursing home hours away from his family because of discrimination

LINCOLN, Neb – Today the ACLU of Nebraska sent a letter to several nursing home facilities in Nebraska on behalf of Courtney Shelor, whose father John Shelor passed away on July 31. According to Ms. Shelor, six nursing home facilities near the family’s home in Bertrand denied admittance to Mr. Shelor because he was living with HIV. Eventually, the family was able to place Mr. Shelor in the Golden Living Center in Broken Bow. According to Ms. Shelor, in spite of the fact that the Golden Living Center had not previously worked with a resident who was living with HIV, they were able to provide him with excellent care.

“I saw my dad care for my mother and after she died when I was 13, he cared for me,” said Ms. Shelor. “I just wanted to make sure he had the care that he gave to others. When I finally decided that he needed care I couldn’t provide, I was shocked that so many facilities weren’t willing to care for him after they learned he was living with HIV. The facilities took no time to understand his specific needs and treatment plan. My dad’s HIV was under control. It was his Alzheimer’s and Dementia that were the pressing health needs.”

The facilities denying admittance to Mr. Shelor used several excuses, according to his daughter. One facility said “our air system isn’t right” in spite of the fact that HIV cannot be transmitted through the air. One facility would only place him in a single-bed room, and none were available. One facility even suggested just dropping Mr. Shelor off at a hospital because the staff person didn’t think any facility would be willing to take him.

“We are grateful Courtney Shelor stepped forward to share a very personal story of how discrimination hurt their family," said Danielle Conrad, Executive Director of the ACLU of Nebraska. “Nebraska and federal law is clear: treating someone differently because of their HIV status is discrimination. The ACLU works to ensure that people with HIV/AIDS are not denied the opportunity to participate fully in all aspects of society because of stereotypes, prejudice, or misinformation about HIV/AIDS, and to ensure that HIV status is taken into account only when justified by a genuine medical necessity.”

The ACLU learned of the situation after Ms. Shelor contacted the Nebraska AIDS Project’s office in Kearney, which provides HIV prevention education and case management services.

“We see providers care for people living with HIV every single day” said Jordan Delmundo, Executive Director of Nebraska AIDS Project. “There is no medical reason nursing facilities wouldn’t be able to provide proper care to most people living with HIV. What happened to Mr. Shelor isn’t a matter of health care needs. It is a matter of stigma and misunderstanding that led to discrimination. Nebraska AIDS Project is ready and willing to work with nursing facilities in Nebraska to ensure that no one else is denied necessary care because of this discrimination.”

Ms. Shelor is happy that, in the end, they found a facility for her dad.

“The staff at the Golden Living Center treated my dad like the amazing friend and father that I’ve known all my life. I’m so thankful that they took good care of him when no one else would.”