When the Covid-19 pandemic began tearing across the country, it hit nursing homes hard. More than 200,000 residents and staff members at long-term care facilities have died from the disease. To be sure, as this week’s “First Opinion Podcast” guests point out, the care of nursing home residents and support for those providing that care have been long-standing issues. But the pandemic directed a harsh light on them.
This week, Jasmine Travers and David Grabowski discuss the current state of affairs in nursing homes across the country, the important progress that needs to be made, and key steps for making improvements. They were part of a National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine committee charged with making “bold, actionable recommendations to improve nursing home care.”