Nursing Home Staffing Problems Worsening Amid Immigration Crackdowns: AP Report

Report highlights how recent immigration policies are reducing the number of workers entering the U.S. to fill vital caregiving roles in nursing homes nationwide.

According to the Associated Press (AP), the current immigration crackdown is not only slowing the flow of undocumented immigrants into the U.S., it is also limiting access for asylum seekers, a group that has long provided essential labor for the nursing home industry.

The new AP report highlights how the current political climate is worsening an already strained workforce by cutting off a key source of new caretakers in nursing homes across the country.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, nursing home staffing issues have been a growing concern in the U.S., causing significant disruptions to long-term care facilities across the nation. Making matters worse, reports from state and federal agencies have linked understaffing to higher death rates, increased infections and a rise in cases of nursing home neglect and abuse.

Earlier this year, the new administration rolled back a 2021 policy enacted under President Joe Biden that shielded health care facilities from raids by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

The AP also notes that additional policies implemented under the Trump administration have further reduced the flow of new workers into the caregiving field, which already struggles to compete with higher-paying jobs in restaurants, retail, and factories.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), home health and personal care jobs are expected to grow by approximately 820,500 workers over the next decade, as the Baby Boomer generation continues to age. However, BLS statistics show these jobs pay a median salary of only $34,900 per year.

For these reasons and others, the AP indicates that many nursing homes have an employee retention rate of only 30%, while the number of refugees working in these facilities averages more than nine out of 10 employees.

Nursing Home Staffing Concerns

Issues concerning staffing at U.S. nursing homes are not new. They date back to at least the COVID-19 pandemic. However, recent research is beginning to show the dangers these staffing problems present.

A study published last month suggests that nursing home staffing shortages are lowering the quality of care for residents, with the average nursing home now being understaffed by as much as 25%.

Earlier this year, another report indicated that nursing home antibiotic resistant infection rates are often impacted by staffing problems, pointing out that approximately 20% of nursing homes account for half of all infections from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a form of antibiotic resistant bacteria.

That same month, a separate study suggested that nursing home staffing issues should influence the federal 5-star rating system for those facilities, with researchers reporting that daily staffing instability in nursing homes could impact the federal ratings of 21% of all facilities by a full star.

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