The Future of Labor Activism in Nursing Homes

Despite the nursing home industry being in the grips of a staffing crisis – with more leverage in the hands of direct care workers – unionization in the space hasn’t taken off across the country like many were expecting. Instead, national unionization in the sector slowly increased from just under 10% in 2010 to 16.8% […]

Completely Out of Touch: Biden’s Minimum Staffing Proposal Comes as Skilled Nursing Reels From Labor Crisis

As state and federal policymakers clamor to set nursing home minimum staffing standards – most recently in the Biden administration’s expansive reform proposals – leaders in the space are asking a pointed question: Why now? The industry has already lost nearly 238,000 caregivers in the last two years – an issue that has only been […]

Proposed Nursing Home Staffing Standards ‘Unattainable’ Amid Labor Crisis

Despite continuing nursing home workforce shortages across the country, some states continue to push for mandated minimum staffing hours – Virginia’s legislature was the latest to introduce such proposals, in January. The bills were heard by the state House Tuesday night and carried over for the year, meaning they are effectively dead for this year’s […]

AARP Sues CMS Over Reduced Fines for Nursing Homes, Claiming Move Put Seniors in Danger

The AARP Foundation and the law firm Constance Cannon filed a lawsuit against the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and outgoing Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) secretary Alex Azar, alleging that the federal government put nursing home residents’ lives in danger by weakening enforcement of monetary penalties for nursing homes. The […]

Abuse Reporting and Owner Background Checks Loom Large in Elder Justice Hearing

Background checks for staff and better reporting for nursing home abuse loomed large in a U.S. Senate Committee on Finance hearing held Tuesday, with consumer advocates and industry representatives confirming the findings of a new report that revealed oversight gaps by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) around nursing home abuse. The report, […]