Ohio nursing homes are still dealing with a staffing shortage: Just how bad is it?

It's been more than three years since the COVID-19 pandemic started, and while life has for the most part returned to normal, one industry still hasn't rebounded — nursing homes.

There's no question that along with hospitals, long-term care facilities bore the brunt of the pandemic. Both nursing homes and assisted-living centers around the state and the country closed to visitors and limited admissions to slow the spread of the virus.

In many cases, some families went months without being able to see their loved ones in person and when they were finally able to it was often either outside, masked and in a way that allowed for social distancing.

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The strain led to a consistent and large turnover in workers at long-term care facilities in the state and nationally, with some facilities shuttering their doors. And even though years have passed, some nursing homes still haven't fully recovered, said Pete Van Runkle, executive director of the Ohio Health Care Association.

On top of the continuing effects of COVID, nursing homes and assisted-living centers could soon face new federal rules about staffing. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services estimates that three-quarters of the nation’s 15,000 homes would need to add staff members. With that in mind, here's a look at the state of long-term care:

Just how bad are staffing problems at nursing homes?

Staffing problems have persisted since the early days of the pandemic, though Van Runkle said they've gotten a little better.

At the height of the pandemic, many nursing homes had to use staffing agencies to fill a large number of jobs. That reliance on staffing agencies has decreased somewhat this year, though some are still using agencies to fill positions when people call off sick, he said.

But 44% of nursing homes nationwide face a moderate level of staffing shortage, and 32% are still dealing with a high shortage of workers, according to data released earlier this year by the American Health Care Association (AHCA), a nonprofit organization representing thousands of nursing homes and assisted living facilities nationwide.

There is some reason for hope that things aren't getting any worse when it comes to hiring for nursing homes, as Van Runkle said. Since the end of 2022, 37% of nursing home operators told the ACHA that the staffing shortage has eased and another 30% said it stayed the same.

"We're definitely not out of the woods," Van Runkle said. "But maybe we've got a little bit more of a compass."

What's causing the staffing issue?

There isn't just one cause for the staffing crisis, Van Runkle said.

The pandemic, Van Runkle said, made an impact, and its effects are clearly still lingering.

But a lack of funding and a still highly competitive job market that offers a wider variety of opportunities and higher pay is also a problem, he said. At least 82% of nursing homes surveyed by the ACHA reported that financial constraints were a moderate or major issue in trying to hire new staff.

Along with pay, a lack of training, and candidates qualified to work in long-term care facilities is still being addressed, Van Runkle said.

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In fact, data from the ACHA shows that 52% of nursing home operators say there needs to be more training opportunities so they can hire more workers. Likewise, 97% of nursing homes reported to the ACHA that a dearth of qualified job candidates was either a moderate or major roadblock to hiring.

"This has been telegraphed (repeatedly) and it is incredibly frustrating for us," Van Runkle said. "We need to begin — and in some ways we already are — opening up the pipeline in many different ways so we can meet the staffing needs we have today."

Is this leading to a longer wait for nursing homes?

While the effects of the staffing shortage haven't been universal in the long-term care industry, Van Runkle said it has caused problems for families seeking care for a loved one.

Around 48% of nursing homes are reporting a wait for new residents wanting to move in, according to the ACHA.

The staffing shortage has also forced some of Ohio's long-term care facilities to close, Van Runkle said. That leaves fewer options for Ohio families and increases demand at remaining facilities.

Some in Ohio have had to restrict admissions because they don't have enough staff to go around, Van Runkle said.

At least 98% of nursing homes surveyed by the ACHA reported that they asked staff to work overtime in order to meet the needs of their clients. And 52% of nursing homes limited new admissions of residents while 24% have closed entire units or floors in their facilities, according to the ACHA.

Although there's no one solution to the shortage, Van Runkle said he and facilities around the state are looking at innovative ways to care for residents, such as using technology to monitor their health.

"We need more (federal) funding to allow for higher wages to compete in the labor market. But what role is there for technology to try to reduce the burden on staff?" Van Runkle said. "If there's a way of doing things for patients with technology that doesn't require someone running down the hall to help, that would be huge."

mfilby@dispatch.com

@MaxFilby

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: How Ohio nursing homes are dealing with a continuing staffing shortage