Long-term care is just one of many healthcare professions struggling to maintain staffing ratios. We’ve rounded up some of the most important facts to know about the long-term care staffing shortage for employers looking for workers, and job seekers looking for work.
Review the facts below, or check out and share our free long-term staffing infographic.
Infographic: Solving the Staffing Shortage in Long-Term Care
Key Facts on the Long-Term Care Staffing Crisis
By 2050, as many as 27 million Americans will need long-term care
This is a huge increase from 2000, when the number of Americans who needed long-term care was about 13 million.
The American senior population will rise by 42 million between 2018 and 2060
In 2018, the senior population was 53 million. By 2060, that number will reach 95 million. Millions of aging Americans will require care.
By 2030, 20% of the US population will be older than 65
Baby Boomers are hitting retirement age. This generation is so large, it’s contributing to a notable increase in the percentage of Americans considered seniors.
52% of Americans retiring today will need long-term care at some point in their lifetime
The average retiree who needs care will need it for about two years.
In 2019, 1 in 10 Americans over 65 had Alzheimer’s, and 1 in 3 Americans over 84 had dementia
By 2031, 3 million people will need care for dementia.
Staffing shortages in skilled nursing facilities grew by a quarter last year
In 2020, the number of nursing homes facing staffing shortages increased by 25%. While 75% of SNFs were already short-staffed before the pandemic, in 2020, 94% of facilities struggled with staffing shortages.
Long-term care staffing is only growing in demand
Between 2010 and 2030, long-term care will see a 73% increase in demand for RNs, a 70% increase for LPNs, and a 68% increase for nursing assistants.
The industry needs to add 6 million nurses by 2030 to meet demand
To satisfy the demands placed on long-term care staffing, employers will need to recruit millions of new nursing candidates from different positions and industries.
We need so many nurses because America is aging
The key reasons why there’s such a demand for nurses all have to do with growing older populations. More Americans are reaching their senior years, leading to higher rates of age-related conditions. Seniors are also living longer, amounting to more years of required care.
Aging populations also affect the talent shortage
On top of driving demand, America’s aging population is contributing to the shortage of qualified long-term care workers. Many nurses are retiring, either because of their age or because of pandemic-related burnout. With fewer veteran nurses, it’s more challenging to train new hires.
Hiring a nurse takes an average of 49 days
It can take weeks or months to fill open roles in long-term care. Apploi can help you reduce your time-to-hire by 71%, so you spend less time with open vacancies.
Better Long-Term Care Staffing With Apploi
Apploi is the premier staffing solution for healthcare professionals hiring at volume, helping you to speed up long-term care hiring.
With Apploi, see how you can:
- Publish job posts across the top job sites with just one click
- Cut complicated paperwork out of the hiring process
- Automatically schedule interviews, create offer letters, and onboard new hires
- Quickly validate licenses and credentials
- Collect data on your hiring process so you get key insights into what’s working
- Track recruitment and workforce trends
- Determine why your candidates accept or refuse your offer
Interested in learning more about how you can recruit, hire, and onboard healthcare staff quickly? Contact us today for a free demo of our end-to-end solution.
