Nursing home and residential care facilities’ staffing is rebounding, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Here is what to know.
1. Since the pandemic, the number of workers in nursing facilities has steadily risen. As of May, the industry employs about 3.49 million people, up from 2.96 million at the industry’s lowest point in January 2022.
2. There are about 1,400 fewer staff employed today than in February 2020.
3. Skilled nursing facilities lost more staff than any other health sector during the pandemic. Staff shortages, in turn, contributed to loss of beds between 2019 and 2024.
4. In 2024, demand for full-time workers in nursing facilities was projected to increase by 42%, but the number of people entering the field has not kept up with demand.
