At the onset of the COVID pandemic in 2020, it became clear very quickly that nursing homes, their staff and their residents, were getting hit especially hard by all the lockdowns and protocols, not to mention the virus itself. Nursing homes faced a huge crisis and they were underprepared, as we all were amid the waves of chaos COVID brought.
Now, as we enter the third year of the pandemic, the nursing home crisis is far from over. Some of the restrictions have been relaxed and some aspects of operations and nursing home life have gone back to normal, but the effects of the pandemic are still looming large and 62% of nursing home staff say that COVID has played a major role in their increased stress levels.
Sadly, part of the fallout from the pandemic is that nursing homes are now experiencing an unprecedented staffing shortage. In fact, it’s so bad that 78% of nursing homes are concerned that they may have to close due to a lack of staff to care for residents.
There are no easy solutions to fix this problem, but one thing nursing homes can do is to update and increase recruiting. Offering incentives, such as continuing education and on the job training, can reach a new generation of employees and could help nursing homes to get back on their feet.
Learn more about the nursing shortage in the infographic below:
