- The Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies reported a 97% staff turnover rate for certified nurse aides and an average 90% turnover rate for registered nurses and licensed vocational nurses.
. 14% of caregiver positions left unfilled because there are no qualified applicants.
Evidence of the decline of care:
- A medical malpractice lawsuit was filed against a Maryland assisted living facility after the plaintiff’s father fell 3 times in a one day and died due to coverage gaps in monitoring him. (3)
- At Laughlin Healthcare Center in Greenville, Tennessee, visitors saw a facility resident walked outside, fall over in the parking lot, and then head into a wooded area before he was noted missing and brought back. (4)
. THE RUB: Fall-related ER cost $750 million in 2015, not including Medicare’s $29 billion paid out for non-fatal fall-related injuries, as well as Medicaid’s $8.7 billion and $12 billion by private and other payers.
Per Philip Regenie, CEO of artificial intelligence (AI) healthcare company, Zanthion Inc., staff shortages are a historical pain point for ALFs, often linked to job difficulties and low pay.
“Many caregiver positions go unfulfilled because workers can get similar pay in a retail or fast food position, under less demanding roles. But with the world demographic shifting towards a population of greater than 25% seniors, the care gap must be addressed before the safety and economic risks worsen.” - Regenie
The economic burden poised to grow: the older adult population will reach 98 million by 2060; the number of Americans requiring nursing home care will reach 2.3 million by 2030.
Per Regenie, new technological living solutions are entering the market today, offering better protection for seniors and reducing the economic burden of long-term care.
With burgeoning technology in the form of artificial intelligence (AI), predictive analytics, GPS and personal emergency systems, quality of care should be increasing, he adds.
Regenie predicts that AI, along with advancements in health education and awareness, senior services, robotics, sensor technology, big data and remote healthcare, will over the next 10 years decrease the cost of emergency transport per year from $224 billion to $50 billion.
