Portrait of a young nurse

Turnover rates among nursing home workers have increased dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston. Although these workers are particularly vulnerable to the health risks of COVID-19 due to their daily exposure to residents and patients and because many live in areas with high COVID-19 infection rates, little is known to date as to the specific reasons why so many of these workers have quit their jobs amidst the pandemic. 

To better understand the dynamics behind the increase in turnover rates, the LTSS Center has formed a partnership with WeCare Connect to study the effeccts of COVID-19 on the direct care workforce. The two-phase study aims to help the center develop solutions to reduce turnover and improve retention, said Verena Cimarolli, Ph.D., senior health services research associate at the center. 

“This information will help nursing homes identify areas where they can possibly provide help with specific challenges faced by workers, such as lack of childcare, in order to reduce turnover,” she said. “Information gained from this research will also help nursing homes identify potential training needs and possible communication deficits that they need to address in order to prevent workers from resigning.”

This article appeared in the McKnight’s Business Daily, a joint effort of McKnight’s Senior Living and McKnight’s Long-Term Care News.