The Human Services budget bill will help nursing homes, but much more needs to be done to address the staffing crisis for elderly and disability care.
St. Paul – On Tuesday the Minnesota Senate approved the budget bill of the Human Services Committee to help stabilize the state’s struggling long-term care facilities. This legislation provides significant resources for disability and long-term care services, representing an investment in some of Minnesota’s most vulnerable communities.
Highlights of this legislation include:
- Increased funding for elderly and disability services
- Additional funding for grants to state-funded home and community-based services (HCBS) in rural and underserved communities
- A new grant program for HCBS providers to recruit and retain direct support workers by providing retention bonuses of up to $1,000 per year, and other employee benefits
Additionally, the budget bill includes Sen. Farnsworth’s provision to correct the estimated property rate adjustment for a nursing home in Chisholm. The facility remodel would add another 70 beds for nursing home care to the area.
“We must support our elders and vulnerable people with the best care and support we can provide,” Sen Rob Farnsworth (R-Hibbing) said. “While I think it’s a good start, this bill could do better. We are hearing across the state that our nursing homes are struggling to fill staff positions, they are closing beds and turning people away, and hospitals have patients waiting to be moved to better facilities. I will continue to work with the bill author to increase funding for nursing homes as well as PCA reimbursement rates.”
Senators raised their concerns the Human Services budget bill does not adequately address the severe workforce shortage issues for nursing homes during the debate. Without adequate state funding for staffing, nursing homes have been forced to turn away seniors in need. In Minnesota alone, there has been the equivalent of 45 nursing home closures. When nursing homes close, patients at hospitals who are ready to transition to nursing home care are forced to stay in hospitals, where they pay higher rates for their care, or family and loved ones must take time off or make lifestyle changes to provide care themselves.
According to Leading Age, a community of nonprofits providing aging services, in October 2022, 11,000 seniors were turned away from long term care due including thousands of seniors were turned away from nursing homes because they couldn’t hire enough staff to ensure quality and safe care. Further, more than 20% of staffing positions are open, leaving the care facilities that are open shorthanded and overworked. This can lead to diminished care for seniors in need – seniors who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect.