Business View Magazine | Volume 8, Issue 10

161 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 8, ISSUE 10 THE AMERICAN HEALTHCARE ASSOCIATION Now is the Time to Reimagine and Reinvest in America’s Nursing Homes By Dr. David Gifford, MD MPH L ike many businesses and aspects of our society, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed and exacerbated systemic issues in America’s long term care system. In our case, it was workforce recruitment and retention, often associated with chronic government underfunding. Now, these issues are a full blown crisis. Thousands of long term care facilities are in danger of closing because they cannot find enough staff to properly care for their residents or cannot bear the weight of ongoing COVID expenses. More than five million seniors and individuals with disabilities each year rely on round-the-clock care in long term care facilities