Recently Senior Housing News published an article that examines the continuation of staffing shortages within the senior housing community, and how administrators within the industry are finding innovative solutions.
The article cites the June 2016 Ziegler CFO Hotline Survey. This survey reported that the average turnover rate within a senior living organization was 30 percent for direct care staff. Due to these troubling turnover rates, chief financial officers of these organizations have resorted to partnering with outside temporary agencies to fill these vacancies. In fact, the report states that 53 percent of organizations surveyed say they have had to partner with temporary agencies.
Unfortunately, CFOs have responded to the staff shortages in another way as well. The Ziegler report cites that almost 16 percent of senior living organizations have had to limit admissions due to staff shortages.
Other senior living organizations are attempting to fill the shortages through lucrative recruiting processes. The report discusses CFOs offering financial incentives to new recruits such as referral bonuses and paying for the staff’s nursing certifications.
With multiple solutions being tried within the senior living organization, the report does not indicate which will bring an end to the staffing woes.
Source:
Nelson MK. Senior living leans on temp workers, bonuses to combat staffing woes. Senior Housing News. http://seniorhousingnews.com/2016/06/19/senior-living-leans-on-temp-workers-bonuses-to-combat-staffing-woes/. Accessed July 5, 2016.
