Press Release: Long-Term Care Associations Applaud Nursing Home Workforce Solutions

Posted on November 22, 2021 by Libbie Chapuran

SAINT PAUL, MN (Nov. 22, 2021) - We are facing unprecedented workforce shortages in senior care settings across our state. Many long-term care communities cannot afford to lose even one more caregiver. The actions the Governor is taking today will provide emergency staffing assistance to the exhausted professional caregivers who have been on the pandemic’s frontlines for over 20 months and will also provide financial incentives for our staff to continue their dedicated efforts for Minnesota’s seniors. 

There are 23,000 open long-term caregiver positions across the state, and each month we are losing more staff than we can recruit. A crisis of this scope requires bold solutions, and we cannot fix this problem without the State’s support. We greatly appreciate the legislative leaders who have shined a bright light on our workforce crisis and the Governor and his administration for taking swift action to step in with emergency staffing solutions for nursing homes. Today’s actions will help support the weary professional caregivers and the seniors they serve while we continue to work with the Governor and Legislature toward a permanent and lasting solution to address the staffing shortage across all senior care settings.

We look forward to our work ahead to ensure Minnesota’s seniors have access to the care they need in all the communities they call home.

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The Long-Term Care Imperative is a collaboration of LeadingAge Minnesota and Care Providers of Minnesota, two of the state’s largest long-term care associations. The Long-Term Care Imperative is committed to advancing a shared vision and future for older adult housing, health care and supportive services.