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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. Residents can be harmed physically when there are not enough staff. https://www.flickr.com/photos/sultan/3213646605/.
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Nursing Homes Need More Staff! Nursing Home Staffing Campaign National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care
Residents can be harmed physically when there are not enough staff https://www.flickr.com/photos/sultan/3213646605/
Residents can be harmed emotionally when there are not enough staff http://alzheimers-review.blogspot.com/2011/04/clinical-depression-as-risk-factor-for.html
Others suffer too • Staff • Families of residents • All of us - American taxpayers http://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/depression/questions/depression-run-in-families.htm
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 minimum staffing levels in nursing homes http://brittanylavan.wordpress.com/what-effects-quality-of-care/consequences-of-understaffing/
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 documents showing this link • Requiring a minimum staffing standard will increase staffing levels; Increased staffing levels will help improve care http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/19/mother-home-lonely-jeremy-hunt-elderly-people-care
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!