Forty Wisconsin nursing homes have closed since 2016, and that number is continuing to grow. Closings, according to experts, are due to these three factors:
- Low Medicaid reimbursement
- A stateās initiative encouraging individuals to opt for in-home or assisted-living care
- Shortage of long-term care nurses and nursing aides
Yet, amid all these factors, the number of older adults in Wisconsin is growing, creating an even greater demand for nursing homes. The urgent situation caused by COVID-19 pandemic, although slowing down closings due to required precautions, has further exacerbated the precarious financial stability of nursing homes across the state.
According to LeadingAge Wisconsin, four nursing homes have closed as of mid-May, and more closings are expected later in the year.
Experts offer suggestions on ways to fix the problem. Solutions include increasing the reimbursement rates for nursing homes in state budgets, and offering competitive wages and benefits for nurses and aides working in the nursing home sector.
Relocating residents due to nursing home closures requires adherence to state and federal regulations involving a 30-day notification to the residents or their representatives and a relocation plan developed with the state DOH. According to reports from a number of residents who have been relocated, some more than once, that process has not always been followed by the closing nursing home.
Compliance Perspective
Relocation puts vulnerable residents at risk due to their inability to cope with the stress of placement in a new and unfamiliar environment with caregivers they do not know ā and who do not know them. Failure to follow required procedures for the relocation of residents due to a facilityās closing may be deemed a breach of residentsā rights, and may result in citations for substandard quality of care and violation of state and federal regulations.
Discussion Points:
- Review policies and procedures regarding state and federal regulations for transferring or relocation of residents.
- Train staff regarding the protocols to follow when transferring or relocating residents.
- Periodically audit to ensure that transfers and relocations of residents are accomplished according to state and federal regulations.
