Long-Awaited NASEM Report Provides Blueprint to Transform Nursing Homes

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) released much-anticipated nursing home recommendations in The National Imperative to Improve Nursing Home Quality: Honoring Our Commitment to Residents, Families, and Staff. The evidence-based recommendations underscore the need for critical changes to the way America finances, delivers and regulates care in nursing homes.

With major sponsorship from JAHF, the report from the Committee on the Quality of Care in Nursing Homes identifies seven goals, which provide the overarching framework for a comprehensive approach to improving the quality of care in nursing homes. The committee presents an interrelated set of recommendations to achieve each of these goals, including by:

Bolstering nursing home staff

• Residents of nursing homes need better care—and the people caring for them do, as well. The committee report is clear that good-quality resident care will not be realized until investments are made in bedside staff. A well-paid, well-trained, empowered workforce is required.

Ensuring equitable, person-centered care

• All nursing home residents deserve access to physical, behavioral, social and culturally appropriate care that prioritizes what matters most to them. This means ensuring adequate resources are allocated by federal and state governments, along with investments by nursing home operators, to ensure person-centered care is offered to all residents.

Redesign quality measures

• Nursing home residents and their families require transparent, up-to-date, accurate data on nursing home quality and performance. This includes measuring the implementation of residents’ care plans and ensuring they align with what matters to them. Data on palliative care and end-of-life care, staff well-being and satisfaction, and resident demographics that track any disparities in care are also needed.

The report makes clear: the time for planning is over. The NASEM recommendations can help move society from reimagining to transforming nursing homes.

All stakeholders, including legislators, regulators, nursing home owners and operators, experts, advocates and community-based organizations, must use this report to create nursing homes of the future that protect residents and staff.

To learn more:

• Watch a video and read a statement from JAHF President Terry Fulmer discussing the implications of the report
• Read the full report
• Explore graphics and social posts to share the report
  

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Long-Awaited NASEM Report Provides Blueprint to Transform Nursing Homes