Excerpts from the Federal Report on Nursing Home Staffing

Source: AARP Bulletin Today | July 2, 2003

For the federal report on minimum staffing standards for nursing homes, Susan Eaton, a professor at Harvard University, interviewed nurses, nurse aides and other employees in nine long-term care facilities. Some excerpts:

• " There is a shortage everywhere. We need more nurses and more CNAs [certified nursing assistants]. Maybe more money would help. … They're trying, but I guess they can't find anyone. "
• " The for-profits put their money in a plush environment that the families see, and it's awful where people live. Here, they have no chandeliers. "
• " I have not seen my family for seven years. But yes, I will go back there [to the Philippines] when I retire, because someone will take care of me, even if I have no immediate family. I do not want to get old in the United States. "
• " I bring lotions to work for them, and powder … little soaps and perfumes, mints and after-shave for the men. I find hair bands for the ones with long hair. They know that I do it. I am not supposed to bring them anything. "
• " If they drop out of college they can get a job here. But fast food pays as much as we do. "
• " I left there because of money. The money was short. I got a beautiful review, I mean fantastic, and they gave me a five-cent raise. I mean, that was ridiculous. "
• " Sometimes there is understaffing, so I cannot give really proper caring. There is one nurse to 20 residents. We cannot handle them as we would like. We just give them the pills. "