AARP Alabama aims to protect nursing home staffing rule

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - AARP Alabama is warning that a new rule meant to ensure quality care for nursing home patients could be overturned. Advocates say the rule sets minimum staffing levels in nursing homes.

Coming out of the pandemic, AARP says there was a decline in the number of employees in nursing homes. They say this was for many reasons, such as people retiring or being concerned about working conditions.

A rule was created which set staffing standards, depending on how many residents were inside the facility.

Now, the group says there have been court challenges from within the industry that threaten that rule.

“We want to see that the rule is kept in place,” said Jamie Harding with AARP Alabama. “It speaks to resident safety. That’s the bottom line for us. We want to make sure that the care that’s being received is more than just adequate, and that patient safety and residents’ safety is observed.”

AARP said it understands some nursing homes are having problems recruiting staff, but they say this is an industry issue that should be addressed through pay raises and better working conditions.

They are encouraging people to write in to their congressmembers to express their opinion on the nursing home rule.

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