Humanism, Politics, and Nursing Homes

Staffing shortages continue to affect the nursing home industry, and most importantly the elderly who fill them. Many are wondering whether enough is being done to ensure the best possible care for our loved ones. Technology is improving and the baby-boomers are aging. The need for elderly care is about to be exponentially increased and prolonged. Are we ready to pay for it?

Staffing problems are largely due to low wages. In for-profit facilities, these wages come out of the budget of a corporation. This is an industry that has a profit margin that ranges at around 1%. Any in business knows that a 1% profit margin will turn off any investor in a heartbeat. Corporations in this industry in the United States are also obligated to pay the highest corporate tax rates in the world. In short, extra money for higher wages is difficult to fit into the budget.

Such a problem naturally leads to the discussion about the government's role in funding healthcare. This debate has been going on since the introduction of the idea of healthcare itself. In the case of nursing homes, the Liberal arguments tend to support publicly funded healthcare, whereas the Conservatives typically support privately funded healthcare. This is one of the many distinctions of political dialogue that can be traced back to the Romantic Period of the 18th and 19th centuries.

This debate has been the cause of much tension because of the high stakes in healthcare. As someone who works in a skilled nursing facility, I feel an immense sense of responsibility as people's loved ones have been placed in our care. The realization of intrinsic human value started in the Renaissance and was revived in the Reformation with Christian Humanism. Discussion about caring for the weak would not have taken place without these historical revelations.

An issue such as shortages in staff in nursing homes would only exist if it was preceded by the rhetorical influence of Humanism and political ideologies on medical research.
   

Hot Topics of Skilled Nursing Facilities

- Low Staffing Levels

Nursing homes and long-term care centers have struggled as of late to maintain their staffing levels to qualify for federal and state funding. Because of the low wages for certified nurse assistants (CNA) and registered nurses (RN), it is difficult to slow down the high turn over rates of the industry. Record low unemployment rates have driven other workers to higher wage industries. Nursing home companies are working hard to find the balance between raising wages while maintaining a profit in an extremely low-profit industry. (See Source).

-Elderly Abuse

Low staffing has lead to lowering standards in the highering process which lead to an increase in abuse cases. One of the biggest struggles for administration in these facilities is creating detailed training programs and incentives to continually increase the quality of care. One way nursing home administrators prevent abuse is through detailed documentation of cases to enhance clear communication between the facility's staff and state surveyors. (See Source).

-Changes in Arbitration Clauses

Before November of 2016 patients who entered Skilled Nursing facilities were forced to sign an arbitration agreement upon arrival. Which means any dispute had to be settled with a mediator before going to court. This restricted the patient's ability to voice their concerns about the treatment they received in the facility. Now, arbitration is optional and can be signed after admission if an issue comes up. This gives the patient more legal freedom when communicating their concern and receiving justice. (See Source).

All of these issues are heavily influenced by federal and state funding, as facilities receive the majority of their reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid. Based on my exposure to the industry over the years I have seen serious inefficiencies in the processes that provide funding. Skilled Nursing care has improved dramatically since its beginnings, but there is still a lot of potential solutions to provide better care that will save both the federal government and taxpayers billions of dollars.