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U.S. nursing facilities see 96 percent drop in COVID cases

A recent report from the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living shows that of the 14,000 nursing homes and long-term care facilities it represents, there has been a 96 percent decline in new COVID cases among residents since a peak during the week of Dec. 20, 2020.

Representing more than 14,000 nursing homes and long term care facilities across the U.S., a report from the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living shows  nursing homes in the U.S. continue to see a rapid decline in new COVID-19 cases due to initial vaccine allocations prioritized for nursing homes.

Recent CMS data shows that nursing homes have seen a 96 percent decline in new COVID cases among residents since the peak during the week of Dec. 20, 2020 when there were more than 30,000 new resident cases. Along with the lowest number of new COVID cases, AHCA/NCAL’s new report shows COVID related deaths in nursing homes declined by 91 percent since Dec. 20, 2020.

“These numbers are incredibly encouraging and a major morale booster for frontline caregivers who have been working tirelessly for more than a year to protect our residents,” Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of AHCA/NCAL, said. “This trend shows that when long term care is prioritized, as with the national vaccine rollout, we can protect our vulnerable elderly population.”

AHCA and LeadingAge, recently released the reform agenda, the Care For Our Seniors Act, to address long-standing challenges affecting the quality of care provided in America’s nursing homes. The organizations say the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and exacerbated systemic issues impacting the nursing home sector, such as workforce shortages, aging physical plants and underfunded government reimbursements for care.

The Care For Our Seniors Act focuses on four key areas for improvement, which include enhancing the quality of care with enhanced standards for infection preventionists, requiring that each nursing home have a registered nurse on-staff, 24 hours per day and requiring a minimum 30-day supply of personal protective equipment in all nursing homes. The initiative also calls for a multi-phase, tiered approach to attract, retain and develop more long term care professionals leveraging federal, state and academic institutions.