Since 1967, National Skilled Nursing Care Week has celebrated caregivers and providers that offer 24-hour care to seniors and individuals with disabilities. This year, the commemorative week will begin on Mother's Day (May 14) and last through May 20.
While National Skilled Nursing Care Week is just one week out of 52, long-term care staff are daily heroes in our state and our communities.
Arkansas is currently facing understaffing across the board in health care, which is creating challenges in providing care for our senior population. These challenges include inability to recruit quality staff, using temporary staff through an agency to fill shifts, and reducing admissions because of staffing challenges.
In January 2023, the American Health Care Association released a study that found 210,000 health-care workers have left the industry since 2020. This number accounts for more than 13 percent of the entire long-term-care workforce nationwide.
Compounding this issue, the demand for long-term-care services is expected to rise. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, nearly 70 percent of American adults will require some form of long-term care during their lifetime.
The Arkansas Health Care Association (AHCA) is working to support facilities in Arkansas and assist them in meeting their workforce needs, in an effort to rouse and recruit caregivers of long-term care. AHCA is not alone in this effort. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders recently signed an executive order to establish the Governor's Workforce Cabinet, a task force that will advise her on how to spend public dollars in an effort to train, educate and prepare Arkansans for in-state careers, like those in health care.
The creation of the cabinet is exciting for groups like AHCA, as we continue to provide quality care and keep our loved ones safe. Many AHCA members offer paid internships, tuition assistance, loan forgiveness, increased pay and even signing bonuses to draw in recruitment. We look forward to the efforts of Governor Sanders and the cabinet to bolster our health-care workforce and inspire the next generation of caregivers.
Skilled nursing care requires a great deal of empathy and compassion, two virtues that aren't always present in professional settings. Add in a hearty dash of patience, good communication skills, attention to detail and you're describing a long-term-care professional. A dedicated member of a community.
A selfless caretaker.
Rachel Bunch is executive director of the Arkansas Health Care Association.