Martin S. Kardon
Pennsylvania’s long-term care system is in trouble—and families across the commonwealth are feeling the effects, according to a recent article in City & State Pennsylvania. As the state’s senior population continues to grow, and potential cuts to Medicaid are being considered, healthcare providers are sounding the alarm.
In the commonwealth’s long-term care sector, staff shortages are widespread. Nursing homes are sometimes forced to delay admissions if staffing is tight. This requires the hospital to hold patients longer, further backing up the system. In a recent joint survey by the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, LeadingAge PA, and the Pennsylvania Health Care Association:
- 53% of providers reported having to limit or cap admissions
- 38% delayed or deferred necessary facility upgrades
- 24% placed new admission referrals on wait lists
When there aren’t enough caregivers to fill shifts, staff are often forced to work longer hours. Over time, this leads to burnout and increases the risk of errors or lapses in judgment from those who are exhausted, stressed, and overextended.
Even well-intentioned policies are adding pressure. New staffing ratio requirements that took effect in 2023 – designed to improve resident safety – have inadvertently limited access to care. The survey found a shortage of nearly 2,600 care providers to meet state staffing ratio requirements and an anticipated additional shortage of over 20,000 care workers per year through 2032. The report noted 42% of facilities were forced to restrict or deny admissions because they couldn’t meet the ratios.
To address this, lawmakers are proposing measures to expand the caregiving workforce, such as allowing student and graduate nurses to take the Certified Nurse Aide exam upon completing coursework and enabling others to qualify through skills competency exams.
While the government is pressing to spend less for Medicare/Medicaid recipients, the for-profit nursing homes retain as many residents as possible. The way they pinch pennies that should be spent on caregivers is to reduce their numbers regardless of the effect on care quality. Less staff means less attention and care that is more brief. This is a formula for catastrophe when symptoms of trouble are missed, or too few people are providing not nearly enough care.
The result is a growing access-to-care crisis, where even families willing to pay for care can find themselves waiting—sometimes with devastating consequences.
If a nursing home has failed in its duty to protect and care for someone you love, please contact us. We offer decades of experience through a recognized leader in long-term care litigation cases and can provide the skilled legal guidance you need to seek justice.
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