The US has been facing a decline in aged care for some time. In 2015, the National Center for Health Statistics reported that more than a third of beds were empty in some states.
Now one in five aged care beds is unused, according to the latest survey from the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing and Care (NICSHC), as occupancy hits 81.7%, the lowest level since they started tracking the data in 2011 when it was almost 87%.
In one example cited in the story, a facility was closed by its board of directors after its occupancy dropped to 70% – about 80 beds – and revenue from independent and assisted living failed to make up the difference.
Now they also face growing financial restraints and regulatory requirements, with nursing homes only allocated 43% of Medicaid’s long-term care expenditures.
Meanwhile Medicaid covers assisted living for 330,000 people, which is seeing people diverted from skilled nursing to home care.
Nursing homes are “selling a product nobody wants to buy”.
“When people find community alternatives, they use them whenever possible,” Ruth Katz, senior vice president of public policy at Leading Age, said.
Good news for consumers – but not so good for US nursing homes, around 80% of which are for-profit.
Some facilities are trying to get on the front foot, experimenting with 12-hour staff shifts so they can hire fewer employees but offer more flexible schedules.
But with staff already stretched, how will this affect care?
