NURSING HOMES NEED MORE STAFF Nursing Home Staffing

NURSING HOMES NEED MORE STAFF! Nursing Home Staffing Campaign National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care

The Problem: Not enough staff to care for residents

https: //www. flickr. com/photos/sultan/3213646605/ Residents can be harmed physically when there are not enough staff

http: //alzheimers-review. blogspot. com/2011/04/clinical-depression-as-riskfactor-for. html Residents can be harmed emotionally when there are not enough staff

http: //health. howstuffworks. com/mentalhealth/depression/questions/depression-run-in-families. htm Others suffer too • Staff • Families of residents • All of us - American taxpayers

What can be done? • Require a minimum staffing standard to prevent harm to residents • This would create a minimum staffing level below which a nursing home can’t cut

What is the current standard? • Current federal regulations: • “Sufficient” staffing to meet the needs of residents • The federal government does not require http: //brittanylavan. wordpress. com/what-effectsquality-of-care/consequences-of-understaffing/ minimum staffing levels in nursing homes

How do we know what a minimum staffing standard should be? • The federal government’s own study determined that to avoid harm, residents should receive at least 4. 1 hours of care from nursing assistants and nurses per day. • 4. 1 hours would avoid quality of care problems • Examples: pressure ulcers, dehydration and the loss of the ability to carry out daily tasks like eating, getting dressed and walking. 4. 1

Better Staffing = Better Care • There is a direct link between staffing levels and quality care • There are more than 100 studies, articles, and government • Requiring a minimum staffing standard will increase staffing levels; Increased staffing levels will help improve care http: //www. theguardian. com/commentisfree/2013/oct/19/mo ther-home-lonely-jeremy-hunt-elderly-people-care documents showing this link

What can you do? • Contact your members of Congress. Tell them about your experience. Ask them to protect nursing home residents by increasing staffing levels to 4. 1 hours per resident per day. • Email your members of Congress using the Consumer Voice easy online system: www. theconsumervoice. org/betterstaffing (Click on one of the links to e-mail Congress) • Sign and return postcard to Consumer Voice: National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care 1001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, #425 Washington, DC 20036 • Spread the word! • Tell the people you know to help nursing home residents by contacting their members of Congress.

What can you do? • Join the Consumer Voice Nursing Home Staffing Campaign! • Go to: www. theconsumervoice. org/betterstaffing • Email: info@theconsumervoice. org • Call Consumer Voice at: 866 -992 -3668 (toll-free)

TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!