By Mackenna Moralez

The last two years have been challenging for senior care living facilities. Between the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and labor shortages, many facilities have had to fight to keep their doors open. Despite these challenges, senior care facilities have taken the appropriate steps to improve the quality of care of residents and their operations. 

A report by National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) found that nursing home care has improved over the last decade. According to the report, more patients were coming to nursing homes for shorter stays and returning to their permanent residence. Since 2012, there has been a 7.8 percent increase in successful discharges back to the community. Meanwhile, there has been an 8.7 percent decrease in people returning to a hospital during nursing home stay since 2011.  

In addition, CMS and AHCA partnered with the Obama Administration for the Quality Initiative – a collective effort aimed at improving the quality of care in nursing homes by focusing on key metrics that are meaningful to residents’ quality. The initiative was renewed three times, with new goals being established each time.  

But the improvements don’t stop there. Earlier this year, the Biden administration announced a reform on senior care facilities to ensure the quality of care that residents receive. The reform aims to improve the safety and quality of nursing home care, holding nursing homes accountable for the care they provide and making the quality of care and facility ownership more transparent for potential residents and their families.  

Additional plans include: 

• ensuring every nursing home provides enough staff who are adequately trained to provide high-quality care 
• ensuring poorly performing nursing homes are held accountable for improper and unsafe care and immediately improve their services or are cut off from federal funds 
• giving the public better information about nursing home conditions so they can find the best available options 

Mackenna Moralez is assistant editor with Healthcare Facilities Today