As of 2030, one in every five US adults will have reached retirement age, and two out of three will need long term care at some point in their lives. Naturally, the cycle of generations aging and needing care is nothing new, however the COVID pandemic has faced us with a unique challenge for the current and upcoming elderly population.
Prior to the pandemic, nursing homes had seen an increase in staff for an entire decade, topping at a high of 3.38 million in January of 2020. However, by September of 2021, nursing home staff had dropped to a record low of 2.95 million, which has resulted in 99% of all nursing homes now being under-staffed.
COVID takes the brunt of the blame for this staffing shortage as 62% of healthcare workers report feeling additional stress since the pandemic began. Fifty-six percent of them are losing sleep and 31% report developing headaches or stomach aches since the pandemic.
Although this staffing crisis is complicated and not easily resolved, nursing homes can take significant steps to help keep the staff they have and to recruit new staff. For instance, offering staff appreciation, stress and mental health support, and ensuring staff safety with PPE and other precautions can go a long way to creating a more thriving work environment.
Learn more about the staffing crisis in nursing homes in the infographic below:
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