Specialized Information for:
Long-Term Care ConsumersFamily MembersAdvocatesFebruary 05, 2021
On January 28, 2021, the Attorney General of New York, Letitia James (AG), released a scathing preliminary report on the effect of COVID-19 on nursing homes in New York. The report found that pre-existing short-staffing issues were a defining factor in how a great number of nursing homes in New York fared during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The AG’s report found that inadequate staffing led to an increase in neglect and harm unrelated to COVID-19, as well.
The AG’s report found that nursing homes in the same geographic area but with low staff ratings had death rates two times higher than similarly located homes with five-star ratings. This finding corresponds with academic studies1 showing that homes with lower staff and quality ratings performed poorly compared to their higher-rated counterparts.
The AG’s report demonstrates that much of the suffering in nursing homes could have been prevented. Fortunately, the roadmap laid out by the report and by the recommendations of nursing home resident advocates across the country, including the Consumer Voice, provide tangible steps that could immediately protect residents across the country and prevent further devastation in facilities. |
1Association of Nursing Home Ratings on Health Inspections, Quality of Care, and Nurse Staffing with COVID-19 Case, Figueroa, et. al.; Nurse Staffing and Coronavirus Infections in California Nursing Homes, Harrington, et. al; Is There a Link Between Nursing Home Reported Quality and COVID-19 Cases? Evidence from California Skilled Nursing Facilities, He, et. al.; COVID-19 Infections ad Deaths Among Connecticut Nursing Home Residents: Facility Correlates, Li, et. al |