Survey: Only 1% of nursing homes are fully staffed
The long-term care sector is in the midst of a worsening labor shortage, but it's not the only sector that's struggling.
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Almost every nursing home and assisted living facility in the U.S. is in the middle of a worsening labor shortage, a new survey from the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) reveals.
Of the 1,183 nursing home and assisted living providers included in the survey, nearly all (99% and 96%, respectively) said they are facing a staffing shortage. For 59% of nursing homes and 30% of assisted living facilities, their staffing shortages have become "severe," according to survey results.
The majority of respondents say their staffing levels deteriorated over the summer. For instance, 86% of nursing homes and 77% of assisted living providers report their workforce situation has gotten worse since June.
"The survey demonstrates the severe workforce challenges long-term care providers are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic," Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of AHCA/NCAL, said in a statement. "Too many facilities are struggling to hire and retain staff that are needed to serve millions of vulnerable residents."
As a result of the worker shortages, roughly every survey respondent said they have had to ask their current staff to work overtime or pick up extra shifts to meet their facility's needs. Others, like 69% of nursing homes and 38% of assisted living facilities, have turned to hiring agency staff to fill the gaps.
Further still, 58% of nursing homes and 28% of assisted living facilities have begun limiting the number of new admissions they can take due to staffing shortages.
Hiring new workers is yet another challenge for nursing homes and assisted living facilities, as roughly seven out of 10 say they're having a "very difficult" time trying to bring people on board.
The most pervasive hiring challenges are a lack of interested or qualified candidates and unemployment benefits that discourage people from getting a job. Other hurdles getting in the way of nursing homes and assisted living facilities are vaccination requirements, their financial situations preventing them from being able to offer a competitive wage, and workers' fears of contracting COVID-19.
WHAT'S THE IMPACT?
If nursing homes' and assisted living facilities' labor situation continues to worsen, some might have to close their doors for good. This is a real concern for 78% of nursing homes and 71% of assisted living communities, according to the survey. More than a third of nursing homes say they're "very concerned" about the possibility of shutting down their facilities.
The survey results signal it's time for lawmakers to step in and provide resources to address this sector's workforce challenges, according to Parkinson. He says these facilities need more funding to be able to provide competitive wages and training needed to attract workers.
"Congress has the opportunity right now, through budget reconciliation, to include meaningful investments in long-term care, which will help address key staffing challenges," he said. "Our caregivers are the backbone of long-term care, and they deserve the full support of our lawmakers. We cannot allow facilities to close because of these challenges, which will directly impact residents and their families, especially when lawmakers have the means to help solve this dire situation."
THE LARGER TREND
Labor shortages are not exclusively a senior living problem. Burnout among nurses, physicians and other healthcare workers was a pervasive problem even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but now that the U.S. has been living with the coronavirus for more than a year and a half, some on the front lines are starting to bow to the pressure.
It has gotten to the point that the American Nurses Association sent a letter to the Department of Health and Human Services this month asking the agency to declare the ongoing nursing shortage a national crisis.
Some hospitals have begun postponing or canceling care services in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases and continued labor shortages. Last week, Intermountain Healthcare announced it's suspending all nonurgent surgeries and procedures requiring hospital admission in its trauma and community hospitals.
In a move to boost vaccination rates, President Biden this month issued a mandate that requires all healthcare workers at Medicare and Medicaid participating hospitals to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
Some, including the American Hospital Association, have expressed fears that requiring workers to get vaccinated could exacerbate the labor shortage.
Twitter: @HackettMallory
Email the writer: mhackett@himss.org
