Staffing Challenges in Senior Care

Angie Szumlinski
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January 16, 2025
Senior care staff holding resident's hand.

Staffing challenges in senior care continue to be a critical issue. Have you recently checked your star rating on the CMS Compare website? You might be surprised by what you find! A quick look at a handful of providers revealed that staffing issues have a real impact—not only on operations but also on how the public views our communities.

An article in PALTmed (JAMDA), titled Nursing Home Staffing Levels and Resident Characteristics in Larger Versus Smaller Chains – Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, examined a cross-sectional study of nursing homes affiliated with multi-facility chains in the United States. Interestingly, the study found that larger nursing home chains tended to care for less clinically complex residents and were associated with lower staffing ratios. Regardless of whether your community provides care for clinically complex residents, memory care, mental health, geriatrics, or a mix of these, the ultimate goal is to ensure staffing levels meet the individual needs of each resident.

When you tuck yourself into bed tonight, ask yourself: are your residents as comfortable and cared for as you are? Or are they calling out for help, at risk for falls, or facing other challenges due to inadequate staffing? Remember, if your staffing pattern cannot support additional admissions, wait. Don’t assume you can manage “just one more resident.” Take time to talk to your caregivers on the units, walk into resident rooms, turn on a call light, and sit and wait—you might be surprised by what you observe. Trust me, family members notice these things too.

Stay well and stay informed!


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