National Skilled Nursing Care Week

This week is National Skilled Nursing Care Week! As a home care agency, we serve our clients wherever they live and need assistance. While this is sometimes private homes and apartments, it also includes assisted and independent livings, rehabs, memory cares, nursing homes, etc. It would be impossible for our caregivers to do their jobs completely without the help of the staff in these buildings. For this reason and many more, we would like to thank all of the skilled nursing staff for all they do!

Long term care facilities employ over 4.5 million people in the US including over a million CNAs and nurses. These 4.5 million employees work long hours in often understaffed conditions to ensure the needs of the 1.4 million residents in long term care facilities are met.

 In a typical 12-hour shift, a CNA starts their morning with reviewing their residents for the day, which (depending on the facility) is usually one half of an entire hallway. This includes helping them shower, change, comb hair, brush teeth, etc. in time for them to get down to breakfast on time. While this is going on, nurses and med aids are working to get all clients their morning medications, wound care, etc. Dietary staff start their day early working to ensure every resident is getting a breakfast that suits their nutrition needs. Housekeeping staff is cleaning rooms, bathrooms and getting beds made. And this is all before breakfast.

Each profession in a long-term care facility is vital in making sure everything goes smoothly and everyone is cared for. This also includes administrative staff who handle intakes, billing and payroll, hiring, marketing, etc. Recently all of these positions have become even more challenging with the extra personal protective equipment required during their shifts. With the recent no-visitor rules being set in place, many of the staff are also spending time making sure residents are equipped with technology to communicate with their loved ones while they can’t see them.

This is an important week every year, but especially in 2020. Thank a long-term care facility worker this week and let them know how much their care means to you and your loved ones. We know we speak for everyone when we say we couldn’t do it without them!