Can We Make Nursing Homes Safer And Healthier? AARP Says Yes.
Long-Term Care Should Improve Patient’s Lives. Right Now, It Doesn’t.A year into the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. has watched multiple institutions struggle to keep up with the demands of the era. Nursing homes were a weak spot for our nation, hosting outbreaks that lead to hundreds of thousands of deaths. This failure, though triggered by the rapid spread of the disease, was caused by years of bad policy and insufficient enforcement of regulations. At some point, the successor to COVID-19 will come along. Whether we go face the same struggles and crises again depends on whether we take initiative right now to fix what’s broken.
With reports of inexcusable abuse and neglect happening at nursing homes all over the country, is our long-term care system even salvageable? That’s a fair question, but we think the answer is an unequivocal yes.
Senior advocacy organization AARP agrees, and even has some ideas on where to start. In a recent blog, the organization shared 10 steps to reform and improve nursing homes. Here is a summary of the suggestions.
Federal regulations only require RNs to be onsite for 8 hours a day—meaning for the other 16 hours, patients may not be able to get the care they need. What happens when a nursing home does not meet these standards? It can apply for a state waiver that does absolutely nothing for patients. This loophole must be closed, and the regulations for RN hours increased.
There’s also the issue of CNA training, which is less rigorous than the process to obtain a hairstyle license in most states. Increasing training requirements and pay at the same time would boost the number of available CNAs by making the job more attractive. The more CNAs a nursing home has, the more care and attention each patient will receive.
Though in-person visits can’t be replaced, we’ve all found new ways to connect with our loved ones during the pandemic. Video chat, for instance, is much more effective than text-based communication when it comes to providing social support. Access to these technologies can lift patients’ moods and give them something to look forward to.
Nursing homes may also consider constructing a set of conjoined rooms optimized for socially distanced in-person visits. It’s not quite as good as physically sharing space, but especially if features like “hug walls” are included, it’s much better than nothing.
Home care is expensive, however, and not always covered by Medicaid. A Medicaid program called “Money Follows the Person” gives seniors more options for care but must be re-authorized by Congress every 5 years. Creating a permanent system that covered home care as well as nursing home stays could make it easier for those who only need mild assistance to stay independent for longer.
If you’re asking why nursing homes haven’t implemented such obviously effective strategies already, the answer is simple: money. When nursing homes focus on turning a profit for investors, the quality of care decreases. Our government has the power to step in with regulations that require these facilities to put patients first.
While state funding programs like public long-term care insurance can help nursing homes, the government should consider retooling Medicare and Medicaid to balance income streams and properly compensate nursing homes for the level of care they provide. At the same time, we should require nursing homes to take steps like those outlined in this post so we can see the impact of the funding increases.
Private equity companies seek to profit by buying nursing homes, increasing profitability (often by taking steps like cutting staff or decreasing services), and then flipping them to new owners. This process does not care about patient welfare—it’s just about enriching a few investors. Practices like these would be brought to a halt if nursing homes were required to operate as nonprofits with transparent finances. This might be the best move we could make to improve patient care across the board.
Dealing with an Abusive or Negligent Nursing Home
Nursing homes that fail to institute policies that protect patient welfare are more likely to face reports of patient neglect or abuse. No one should have to face this—but for those who do, we are here to help you find justice. Nursing home abuse cases hold negligent owners accountable in ways inspectors sometimes won’t or can’t. Filing a lawsuit is an effective way for consumers to push for better facility policies and practices.
Brown & Barron, LLC handles nursing home abuse cases in and around Baltimore. Schedule a free consultation with our team at(410) 547-0202.