by Sokolove Law Team
Nursing homes in the United States have been devastated once again by COVID-19 during the omicron wave of the virus. Positive tests for the coronavirus among staff and residents recently reached record highs after increasing tenfold since November, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In 2022 so far, deaths at nursing homes have been climbing too, though not as quickly as before coronavirus vaccines became available — a time when those who live and work in long-term care facilities accounted for 40% of the country’s COVID deaths.
On top of this, long-term care providers face a serious, pressing concern: a shrinking supply of care staff. The pandemic has only inflamed a long-standing shortage of nursing home workers that had already reached crisis levels.
With more Americans turning 65 every day, the increasing prevalence of chronic disease among them, and declining interest among students in nursing education, demand for certified nursing assistants is far outpacing supply.
The Nursing Home Workforce Is Quitting Droves
The already diminished workforce continues to dwindle as overworked staff quit in droves. This is compounded by the slow uptake of vaccines among the staff who are left behind. According to the CDC, nearly 84% of nursing staff are now fully vaccinated, compared to 87% of residents. But only 30% of staff have received boosters.
Consider this exposure of patients to COVID-19 with the shortage of care, and the situation looks dire. One ombudsman told NPR that they have seen a significant increase in complaints from facilities where there is only one certified nurse aide for as many as 50 residents.
“We are certainly seeing a huge increase in the number of calls from residents who are saying that they are not being changed, they’re not receiving their meals on time,” said Laurie Facciarossa Brewer, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman in New Jersey.
“So clearly, people are not going to be getting the care they need under those types of conditions where you have double-digit numbers of residents per certified nursing assistant,” Brewer continued. “That’s just an impossible job for that nurse aide.”
Sadly, the consequences for nursing home residents could be fatal. (Click to continue reading)
