“Kaiser Study: Nursing homes have fewer residents, but those residents need more help,” by Kimberly Marselas, McKnight’s LTC News

Quote:

“Though occupancy rates fell between 2009 and 2016, the needs of nursing home residents have grown considerably — placing more demands on sometimes unprepared nursing staff, according to an in-depth analysis published by the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. In 2016, nearly half of nursing home residents had a dementia diagnosis, and just under one-third had other psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia, mood disorders or other diagnoses. … Medicaid is the primary payer source for most certified nursing facility residents, with 62% of residents — about 832,000 people — having Medicaid as their primary payer in 2016. States in the East have higher Medicaid population shares.”

LTC Comment (from Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform):  Higher acuity residents, lighter-care patients moved into home care or assisted living, and Medicaid still paying less than cost for most residents. It’s easy to see where this is heading. Nursing home closures are on the upswing, even though the economy appears to thrive. What will the next recession bring?

Kaiser Study: Nursing homes have fewer residents, but those residents need more help

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#goldencareagent