geriatrics
Skilled Nursing Facilities
Effects of the COVID 19 pandemic on nursing home care
COVID-19 disproportionately impacted older adults in nursing homes in the US. As of August 2022, there have been 1,163,417 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 154,578 deaths among nursing home residents. In addition, there are 1,250,427 confirmed cases and 2,564 deaths among nursing home staff ( COVID-19 pandemic and nursing homes reference ). These numbers highlight the disproportionate death rate resulting from COVID-19 in older adults in nursing homes. In response, many family members took their loved one out of the nursing home. Large numbers of nursing home staff suffered from moral distress and burnout during the pandemic and left the nursing home and, in some cases, the profession. Additionally, about 300 nursing homes closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, and more are expected to close in the future. Fortunately, there have been fewer deaths of both residents and staff in nursing homes since the COVID-19 vaccines became available. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reports that about 87% of nursing home residents have received primary vaccination, and almost 88% have received boosters ( 