How Does the Texas Workforce Shortage Effect Assisted Living Communities?

The Texas Health Care Association recently conducted a survey and found that a large portion of the assisted living and nursing home facilities in the state of Texas were understaffed. What were the key pieces of data that they found during this survey?

• 70% of long-term care facilities said that they could not hire enough nurses for what they need at full resident capacity.
• 30% of the long-term care facilities have now restricted new admissions due to the staffing challenges they face.

Why is this important to you as a caregiver for your loved one? It could be challenging if you are at the first stage of moving your loved one into an assisted living facility as they might have placed restrictions on how many they will currently accept. It can also affect your loved one if they are shifting from one type of care to another (i.e., going from independent living to assisted living).

Having a resource that knows these facilities and is local to Texas is more important than ever which is why you should reach out to Senior Living Specialists today.

What Solutions Are Being Proposed?

There are two conversations and sets of solutions that aim to solve the issue both in the short-term and long-term. The Texas Health Care Association has proposed that $400 million of the $16.7 billion that Texas received from the American Rescue Plan Act be utilized to recruit/retain more staff at these assisted living facilities. Those funds would help aid with things like creating more enticing sign-on bonuses and covering overtime pay.

The long-term solutions are aiming to look at retention programs to aid in keeping assisted living facility staff in their positions for longer periods of time. There is also a plan proposed to use that aid to help cover student loan repayment programs based on the qualifications of Certified Nurse Aides (CNAs).

It is important for you to know which long-term care facilities you are considering might have staff shortages which can create care challenges – or not even admit new residents! Reach out to Senior Living Specialists today and let us help you navigate through these difficult times.