nursing homes

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.

Seniors, their families and states are eager to keep older Americans in their homes and out of nursing homes, but those efforts are often thwarted by worker shortages and low pay.

The HHS inspector general found two devastating spikes eight months apart in the most comprehensive look yet at COVID-19's toll among its most vulnerable victims.

Despite a hearts-and-minds campaign and millions spent in incentives, facilities struggle to get staffs vaccinated against COVID. Some are met with hesitancy, resignations or, in some cases, lawsuits.

U.S. District Judge William Dimitrouleas last week ended the case after attorneys for The Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills and the Department of Health and Human Services agreed to the dismissal.

The state requires nursing facilities to report the number of residents and staff who have received at least one shot or no shot, but not those who have completed the recommended dosage.

A report shows more than 14% of nursing homes had new resident cases in the past four weeks. The national average is 10%. Part of the problem is only about 38% of facility workers have been vaccinated.

The new Florida law exempts 40 types of health care facilities, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, physician offices and ambulance providers.

Officials hope that disclosure will provide an incentive to keep giving shots even as the worst ravages of the pandemic have eased.

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.