On April 14 the Biden administration announced a rule for minimum staffing at nursing homes that receive Medicare funding. This CNN article explains the mandate, its requirements and reaction to it from the nursing home industry and from advocates who called it just a first step toward better care.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/22/politics/nursing-home-minimum-staffing-rule/index.html
The mandate would be phased in over three years, require an RN on site at all times and at least three hours of daily nursing care for each resident.
Brian Lawrence, CEO at FellowshipLIFE and Jennifer McNamara, Executive Director at Seabrook Village, Erickson Senior Living, responded to a request from ORANJ for statements which would be published on our website.
From Brian Lawrence:
“At FellowshipLIFE, we acknowledge the intent of the proposed federal minimum staffing requirements aimed at enhancing the quality of long-term care. While these rules recognize the essential role of staffing in delivering high-quality care, they unfortunately fall short in addressing two critical challenges: the ongoing workforce shortage and the escalating costs associated with attracting, training, and retaining skilled professionals in the nursing sector.
It is imperative that our policy makers do not stop here. We urge them to continue this vital conversation and take concrete steps towards resolving these issues. This includes increasing funding, expanding educational opportunities for nurses and caregivers, and creating substantially more immigration pathways to bolster our workforce.
Here at FellowshipLIFE, our commitment remains steadfast in bridging the gaps within aging services. We strive to provide the right services at the right time and the right place while empowering and enriching the lives of older adults by transforming the aging experience.”
From Jennifer McNamara:
“Erickson Senior Living cares about providing convenient access and quality health care to all those who live at our communities. This is embedded in our culture and the promises that we make to residents. Erickson Senior Living communities, including Seabrook Village, Lantern Hill, and Cedar Crest, are focused on maintaining strong staffing levels as well as training programs and resources for the health care professionals serving residents in our continuing care neighborhoods. Although we are still in the process of understanding all of the details of the mandate, we feel we are poised to comply with the provisions of the new federal rule as it is implemented over the next three years. We support the commitment of CMS to provide safe and high quality for the residents of Medicare and Medicaid certified long-term care facilities, but urge continued dialogue around balancing the supply and demand of healthcare workers and need to train, develop and retain the talent pool.”