How COVID-19 has challenged - and changed - the nursing care industry

Today on Midday, we examine the challenges facing nursing homes, home-care providers and the elder-care industry as a whole. Nursing homes, like hospitals and other care providers, are facing severe staff shortages. The pandemic has led to labor shortages throughout the economy. Restaurants have had to scale back hours because they can’t find enough servers and cooks. The supply chain has been disrupted by not enough truck drivers to meet the demand, and school systems across the country are scrambling to certify and hire bus drivers. A report issued last week by the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living says that nursing homes are down 221,000 jobs since the pandemic began. This decline of 14% in the workforce dwarfs any other sector. A survey showed that 78% of nursing homes and 61% of assisted living communities have serious concerns about their ability to remain open.What does this mean for the elderly who need help in both community based and at-home settings? Joining Tom to discuss these issues are:Joseph DeMattos, Jr. He’s the President and CEO of the Health Facilities Association of Maryland; and Allison Roenigk Ciborowski, the President and CEO of Leading Age Maryland, a network of non-profits that encourage innovation and collaboration in care for the aging. _________________________________________________________________For family members providing care at home, here are some important resources: Baltimore City Division of Aging 410-396-2273 Baltimore County Dept. of Aging 410-887-2594 Maryland Dept. of Aging (for other jurisdictions) 410-767-1100Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.