COVID-19 and nursing home staffing shortages

It is no secret that many industries have struggled with staff shortages, but few have been impacted as significantly as nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. Overwhelmed by the stress of long hours, low pay and exposure to the COVID-19 virus, nursing home workers have been quitting in record numbers. According to the Service Employees International Union, more than 420,000 workers, nearly 10 percent of the workforce, left the long-term care industry between the start of the pandemic and January 2022. The labor hemorrhage has turned what was already a chronic staffing problem into a full-blown crisis as understaffed facilities struggle to care for patients, accommodate family visitation, and admit new patients waiting in hospitals to be discharged.

According to a recent article published by Seniorly, which is a service that assists families in finding senior living communities, since the pandemic began, an average of approximately twenty percent of long-term care facilities have reported shortages in nursing workers and aides. According to Seniorly, the biggest shortages are among nursing workers and aides. These are the employees who provide the most direct care to nursing home residents. The shortage has not impacted physicians, physician assistants, or advanced practice nurses as significantly. The Seniorly article also focuses on the states that have been impacted the most, on the list Pennsylvania was ranked as 35 most impacted stated, with 17.20% of facilities reporting staffing shortages, which was an 8.1% increase since 2020.

When looking for a long-term care facility for a loved one, staff shortages will certainly be a concern you will want to address. It is important to do your own research on each facility, take tours of the facility and ask to speak with current families of residence to get honest reviews and feedback. There are multiple online resources that provide checklists and sample questions to ask facilities that you are considering. Additionally, Medicare.gov does have a “find & compare” database which will provide the overall star rating for each nursing home, letting you compare how the facility rates with regard to health inspections, staffing and quality measures .

The legal advice in this column is general in nature, consult your attorney

for advice to fit your particular situation.

Rebecca A. Hobbs, Esquire is licensed to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and is certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. She is a principal of the law firm of O’Donnell, Weiss & Mattei, P.C., 41 High Street, Pottstown, and 347 Bridge Street, Phoenixville,610-323-2800, www. owmlaw.com. You can reach Ms. Hobbs at rhobbs@owmlaw.com