long term care

Video: The goggles help those who are experiencing loneliness or memory issues.

These services can make the difference between being able to live at home with family or landing in a nursing facility. But state Medicaid programs don't always pay for them.

The report covering a four-week period also showed Florida facilities had the second-lowest worker vaccination rate and lagged in vaccinating residents

Far more older adults who perished with COVID lived outside of institutions. People with dementia and other severe neurological conditions, chronic kidney disease and immune deficiencies were hit hard.

The decision is a possible shift in an industry that has largely rejected compulsory measures for fear of triggering an employee exodus that could worsen already dangerous staffing shortages.

The federal analysis showed that 284 of the 704 Florida licensed facilities had gone without surveys. Nationally, 71 percent of nursing homes had gone beyond 16 months.

Brian Lee with Families for Better Care says federal data on nursing home case rates lags and doesn't cover all of Florida's long-term care facilities.

The Personal Care Attendants program allows workers without certification to temporarily work at facilities if they meet training and education requirements, but must be certified within four months.

The state Agency for Health Care Administration website shows that only 17 nursing homes and eight assisted living facilities have not fully complied with the requirements.

The state has told the nursing home industry to abide by recently issued federal guidelines that allow visitors to touch fully vaccinated residents.