When illnesses run rampant among the general population, they find their way into nursing homes, putting one of the most vulnerable populations at risk. Lately, the COVID-19 variant, known as “omicron”, has hit New York nursing homes hard.
Omicron COVID-19 infections among both nursing home residents and staff have reached record highs in New York. The rate of death has also risen, although it is still nowhere near what it was before the vaccines became widely available. Many nursing home residents in the state are vaccinated and boosted, which is why we are seeing fewer deaths than we did earlier in the pandemic.
Older adults living in nursing homes tend to be frail or have underlying health conditions. Many times, they live in a nursing home because they need round-the-clock care. Their bodies usually are not prepared or equipped to fight off powerful diseases like COVID-19.
What Is Fueling New York’s Nursing Home Staff Shortage?
Although many emergency rooms are overwhelmed with omicron patients, it isn’t the death rate that worries nursing homes the most. Earlier in the pandemic, the fatality rate was their main concern, but these days, it’s the shortage of staff they find most alarming.
The vaccination of nursing home and long-term care facility staff was slow at the beginning but now rests more similarly to the rate of vaccinated residents. Roughly 84% of nursing home staff is now fully vaccinated, compared to 87% of residents.
However, long-term care facility staff is running behind when it comes to receiving boosters. The number of vaccinated and boosted nursing home staff is currently less than half the number of boosted residents.
How Do Staffing Shortages Affect New York Nursing Home Residents?
When nursing homes experience staffing shortages, it affects the level of care they provide. Residents of understaffed New York nursing homes can suffer from:
- Abuse
- Bedsores
- Muscle atrophy
- Infections
- Malnutrition
- Skin conditions
- Neglect
- Other complications
The staff of understaffed nursing homes typically have more residents to care for than they can handle. This stress weighs on the nursing assistants, resulting in frustration that may be released onto residents. Oftentimes, the stress leads to burnout, which fuels the staffing shortage as more and more nursing home staff leave their jobs in search of other careers.
If your loved one was injured because of negligent or abusive behavior due to understaffing, you may choose to hold that facility responsible. New York has special laws and regulations that regulate resident care in nursing homes, and if the facility violated these rules and your loved one was injured, you may have a viable claim.
Do You Have a Family Member in an Understaffed New York Long-Term Care Facility?
In order to satisfy the needs of their residents and ensure sufficient quality of care, nursing homes in New York must meet federal and state staffing requirements. At Dalli & Marino, LLP, we have extensive experience advocating for nursing home residents. Our New York nursing home neglect and abuse attorneys help hold understaffed nursing homes legally responsible for the harm they cause.
You can be confident in our attorneys’ dedication and personal attention to successfully litigate your case. Dalli & Marino, LLP has made the decision to remain at a size that permits us to deliver high-quality, detail-oriented legal representation. This philosophy has allowed us to maintain an impressive record of maximizing recoveries for our clients since 1996.
If you have a loved one residing in an understaffed nursing home in New York, give us a call today at (888) 465-8790 or complete our contact form for a free evaluation of your situation. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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