Americans are getting older every day. That is why more attention is being turned to the maturing population with light shining on nursing homes.
“According to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) data, in July 2022, approximately 1.2 million people resided in more than 15,000 certified nursing homes,” it was cited on the website for the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services.
Nationally, government programs such as Medicaid and Medicare can help pay for nursing home stays, as long as the individual meets each state’s requirements. IBIS World, an organization that provides research on various industries, reported the nursing home industry made $154.4 billion in 2023.
It is often not an easy decision for loved ones to place their loved ones in a nursing home if they need additional resources that they are unable to provide. The importance of elders being in a safe, caring and nurturing environment is key and services provided at nursing homes must be taken seriously, say advocates. Those who work in the profession say the familial touch is very important.
“I enjoy taking care of people, so at age 25, I became a CNA-RA,” said Aundrea Outley, former certified nursing assistant and restorative assistant. “I recommend family members investigate nursing facilities in person and visit a few and ask the staff questions before admitting their loved one.
While working in the health care system, I observed that residents had a better experience when their families were consistent with visiting and engaging with their older loved ones,” she said.
Also, do your research and know your rights before a loved one transitions to a nursing home, experts point out.
“Some people have some kind of predetermined notion as to what a facility is, what they actually provide, and a lot of those assumptions are sometimes based on prior experience or based on what friends or family have told them,” said Jonathan Rosenfeld, lead attorney at Chicago-based Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers.
“Frankly, a lot of nursing homes have poor reputations, so many families are hesitant to bring a family member into a nursing home. Families can have a really hard time understanding what their rights are, and what the actual level of care that the facility is legally required to provide.
That can lead to a very stressful situation in the family as well as with the family member who is admitted as a resident. The loved one can sense when their family is unsettled and it can make the transition into a nursing home even more difficult.”
Attorney Rosenfeld continued, “When family members visit their loved ones on a frequent and consistent basis, it is better for the resident’s mental health, and family members are able to advocate for their loved one. Understaffing, undertrained staff, and overworked staff can lead to issues, which ultimately impact residents.”
In 2023, the median wealth for White families was $89,050 compared to the median wealth of Black families, which was $56,490, according to census.gov. This wealth gap could play a significant role as a deciding factor for the type of care older Black people receive versus their White counterparts.
Having little access to finances, once the need for assistance from a nursing home becomes the only option, older Black people are sometimes destined for lower-quality nursing homes.
Many life events can lead to nursing home residency, such as: experiencing a major stroke, dementia and Alzheimer’s. These factors may require around-the-clock medical care. Sometimes families can care for their older loved ones, however, not all are equipped to handle such a task. Another factor an older person may stay in a nursing home is due to lack of family.
The Final Call spoke with Johnathan and Sharon Newman, owners and operators of home care service in Frankfurt, Illinois, servicing Chicago and the Chicago area.
“We provide non-medical care to our clients,” Johnathan Newman said. “Our home care model is for people who want to stay at home and still be able to thrive with whatever debilitating factors that may be at hand.
Our clients range from a 95-year-old, who may only need a companion to do some things because they are not getting around as well, to someone who is bedbound with serious diseases.”
Sharon Newman said, “Anywhere our clients call home, we are able to assist them. For instance, if they already are in a nursing home and the family can only afford a few hours of supplemental care, we will go into the facility and sit with their loved ones. This way, we can advocate for the family’s loved one when they are not available to visit themselves.”
The Newmans emphasized how being at home is the best place to produce a thriving outcome. The home environment is familiar to the person, and one-on-one care is provided versus in a facility where the ratio can be one to 20 or more.
Addressing the issue of understaffing in nursing homes, nursejournal.org reported, “Nursing homes and their staff will only face consequences if short staffing causes harmful outcomes for patients.
Some of these harmful patient outcomes that can cause nursing staff to lose their licenses and become civilly and criminally liable include: deaths, emergency room visits, bedsores, hospitalizations, and falls.”
An elder abuse watch group, Nursing Home Abuse Center, stated on their website, “Sometimes, understaffing is due to unavoidable factors such as not enough people applying for jobs.
Other times, nursing home owners and managers intentionally understaff their facilities. However, when nursing homes are short-staffed, employees cannot deliver meals on time, help bedridden residents to the bathroom, or answer pain medication requests.”
That’s why elderly loved ones need to have advocates.
“When having a loved one staying in a nursing home, consistency does have to be there,” Sharon Newman said.
Better care could be tied to how much money an elder has.
“Some of the really nice-looking nursing homes lack efficiency in care, however, unfortunately level of care is determined by income. Income may trump the race factor, in some ways,” Johnathan Newman said.
An alternative to a nursing home is elder group homes also known as residential assisted living. Group homes are considered better than nursing homes for individuals who prefer a smaller, more homelike environment.
These homes provide a higher staff-to-resident ratio, allowing for more personalized care. Group homes typically cost less than a nursing home and allow residents to maintain some independence.
(Shawntell Muhammad can be contacted at [email protected].)
Caring for our elders: The impact U.S.
some nursing homes are having on families
