A recent report published by federal investigators has shed light on the ongoing challenges facing nursing homes in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. The report highlights issues such as staffing shortages, employee burnout, inadequate infection-control procedures, and lagging vaccination booster rates among staff workers and residents.
According to the report, staffing shortages and employee burnout continue to be at crisis levels in many nursing home facilities. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which oversees nursing home care, is facing monumental staffing problems, with high levels of burnout, frequent turnover, and difficulties in attracting and retaining staff due to reimbursement issues.
Despite the fading sense of urgency as the pandemic recedes, the report emphasizes the importance of not forgetting the key lessons learned during the crisis. Inadequate infection-control procedures are still a problem in many nursing homes, posing a continued risk to the health and safety of residents and staff.
One of the most concerning findings of the report is that vaccination booster rates among staff workers and residents are lagging behind, leaving vulnerable populations at risk of Covid-19 infection.
Overall, the report serves as a stark reminder that the challenges facing nursing homes are far from over. It calls for immediate action to address staffing shortages, employee burnout, infection-control procedures, and vaccination rates to ensure the health and safety of residents and staff in nursing homes across the country.
