At the beginning of the COVID outbreak in 2020, the hopeful US population was given a one-week timeline to comply with quarantines and other preventative measures to “flatten the curve.” Now, in January of 2022, we are entering the third year of the pandemic and that “one week” has turned into the longest “week” of our lives. Much of the “new normal” has become second nature at this point, but there are still parts of our society that are suffering significantly due to COVID and all that it entails. The nursing home staffing crisis is a concern – let’s address the matter below.
One portion of the population that is still under a considerable COVID onslaught is those that work or reside in nursing homes. Nursing homes were hit extremely hard by the pandemic and the stresses of following a multitude of ever evolving CDC guidelines. The result of all they have endured is that 99% of nursing homes are now struggling with a staffing shortage and 78% are so understaffed that they may have to shut down completely.
This is not only a crisis for those who are currently residing in nursing homes, but the number of individuals who may require long term care is only getting larger. In fact, in the next 8 years, 1 out of 5 US adults will reach retirement age and 2 out of 3 will need long term care at some point.
Nursing homes can help to retain their current staff and to bring in new staff by offering incentives like continued education and training, and by supporting their staff with ensured PPE, mental and emotional support services, and staff appreciation.
Learn more about the nursing home staffing crisis in the infographic below:
