Opinion: Without federal oversight, nursing homes will put profit ahead of care
About 5% of Americans require skilled care at some point as they age. The horrific reports of more than 200,000 deaths of nursing home residents and staff during the Covid-19 pandemic put the nursing home industry under intense national scrutiny. But not all nursing homes experienced this level of tragedy and loss. One major reason why some fared better than others was adequate nurse staffing.
Nursing homes exist primarily to deliver 24/7 care when an individual’s needs overwhelm what family and friends can provide. Residents receive care from licensed registered nurses and other nursing staff, including licensed practical nurses and nurse aides. The 1.2 million older adults who call nursing homes “home” are both short-stay residents needing rehabilitation and long-stay residents. Most are not in nursing homes by choice, but because they are the sickest, frailest older adults in the country and have multiple, complex conditions.
