When you apply to put your loved one in a nursing home, you want to know that the facility you choose prioritizes the highest standards of care. States often measure this care through various metrics like daily hours of care.
Many organizations have weighed in on the subject of what constitutes the minimum required hours of care. When nursing homes ignore this, it may constitute abuse and neglect of your loved one.
The current standard of care
As The Center Square details, current Pennsylvania oversight requires nursing facilities to provide at least 2.7 hours of care per resident. This minimum requirement helps establish the hiring needs and time management that facilities need to arrange in order to provide that much.
The proposed standard of care
A new regulation aims to raise this amount of care hours to four hours minimum, as per a proposal from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services from more than 20 years ago. The hope is that the new minimum would improve working and living conditions in the state’s nursing homes.
Criticisms of the proposal
Many fear that the change may put undue pressure on the already understaffed long-term care industry. The proposal, some estimate, implies 7,000 more direct care workers need to join the workforce and more than $6 million more in wages per week.
The care of your loved one
No matter how many hours the state of Pennsylvania requires nursing homes to spend caring for your loved one, it is important that you make sure the care he or she receives is adequate. If you suspect neglect or the nursing home does not meet its standard of health and care, there are resources for you to lean on.