How Home Care Agencies Are Ready for Nursing Shortage Concerns

Tragedy happens when we least expect it. This year has been filled with tragedy and unavoidable circumstances. I bet there are times we wish we could turn the hands of time and change our decisions. Unfortunately, our best foot forward is to be pro-active. Recently, a news story revealed the real dilemma for 2020. Despite the best efforts of the nurses in the world, there aren’t enough of them to help with the demand.

You don’t need to look far to see the effects of the nursing shortage of 2020. As the effects of the global health crisis revealed its true extent in New Jersey last April, 64-year-old Filipino-American nurse Victor Sison had no choice but to come to work during days off to fill in for his sick colleagues. Sison died of COVID on April 18 – just one year before his planned retirement.

The reality currently is that there is a shortage in health care. This includes in a number of facilities especially nursing homes and rehabilitation centers. Fortunately, home care agencies act as a support system for health networks. In other words, think of them as an extension of the health care team. Home care agencies are prepared to answer the call regarding the concerns about nursing shortages.

It’s true that there is a shortage of nurses in New Jersey. However, several home care agencies are prepared to assist with the shortage. If you are searching for reliable solutions to your loved one’s needs for care, hospitals and nursing homes are utilizing home health aides as a valuable resource. With the trend being to stay at home, more families are requesting home care services as a main source of health care.

To meet with the shortage, hospitals use home care agencies as a discharge option for patients who have recovered from COVID-19 and to avoid relapse. The care at home policy is safer. This is because the risks are minimal with contact involving one-on-one interactions in most cases.

Nevertheless, the worries of nursing shortages are real. It’s how we handle the situation that determines how we can overcome the problem.