Nursing home worker shortage cited at both local and national levels

July 9, 2021

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC) — Many assisted living communities and nursing homes around the Rochester area are part of a worker-shortage crisis in the health care industry.

survey conducted by the American Health Care Association showed only one-quarter of nursing homes are confident they will make it through to the next year.

River Bend Assisted Living Care is one home struggling to keep up with hiring of additional staff and continual payment of personal protection equipment (PPE).

“We’ve had struggles with staffing, as has everyone else in town,” Executive Director Jon Stene said. “They end up not showing up for the interviews or they don’t even call us back.”

Patti Cullen of the American Health Care Association says there are two primary factors for why the crisis is becoming overwhelming.

Read the full article from KTTC-TV here.