Long-Term Care Imperative Admissions Survey

The Long-Term Care Imperative recently conducted a survey of its members designed to gauge seniors’ access to long-term care around the state. You can access the data at LeadingAgeMN.org/resources. We have also compiled a list of a few key takeaways that illustrate the significant challenges facing providers statewide:

• In October, the typical care center declined 14 referrals and the typical assisted living declined 3.  That adds up to more than 11,000 declined referrals statewide for the month.
• 35% of care centers statewide denied more than 20 referrals in October
• Staffing adequacy is a key admission criteria for care centers (84%) more than for assisted living (41%)
• 79% of care centers and 37% of assisted livings placed a complete hold on admissions at some point in the pandemic

Our goal is to utilize the data to bolster our argument with lawmakers that:

• The staffing shortage in senior care is a crisis, affecting seniors and families in every corner of the state.
• Minnesota seniors and their families are waiting for the care they need because there aren’t enough caregivers.
• Seniors and their caregivers are being left behind. A “One Minnesota” agenda must include access to care for our seniors and career wages for their caregivers as top priorities.

We are asking lawmakers to increase nursing home and waiver rates, so we can pay our skilled, dedicated caregivers the wages they deserve. We will utilize the data collected in the survey to support our advocacy efforts in the upcoming months and throughout the 2023 session. Thank you to all of the members who participated in the survey.