You Should Know – COVID-19 Exposes Systemic Failure of U.S. Nursing Homes
We knew before this pandemic that there was a lot wrong with our nation’s nursing home system. Understaffing, lax oversight, for-profit cost-cutting and more were already causing a shocking number of nursing home neglect and abuse cases. Now all Americans have become tragically aware of how fundamentally broken our nursing home system is after more than 170,000 long-term care residents and staff died in just one year from COVID-19. And unless we address the underlying problems that got us here, we will see continued harm to vulnerable residents and workers long after the pandemic is over.
Nursing home advertising often paints a rosy picture for seniors: “Live in brightly polished, restful communities while licensed care providers monitor your every need.”
Reality can be a different story. As the COVID-19 pandemic has made abundantly clear, too many nursing homes are culpable for disease, inefficiency and neglect. Over 35% of the deaths caused by COVID-19 have occurred in long-term care facilities, and that number may well be underreported. You Should Know what happened and what is being done to address this national crisis.
By the Numbers
Over 130,000 nursing home residents and 1,619 staff have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic started.
Behind-the-Scenes in Nursing Homes
This AARP investigation reveals just how deadly the COVID-19 virus proved for a poorly managed and broken nursing home system. Click here to view video
