In 2022, skilled nursing care will be in high demand. The problem? It will be very difficult to get! There are many reasons for this, but one of the main ones is that the population is aging. As more and more people reach retirement age, the need for skilled nursing care will continue to increase.

Unfortunately, there are not enough facilities or nurses to meet this demand, contributing to why skilled nursing care for seniors is super hard to get. Let’s take a look at the full reasons below:

Aging Population

It’s become apparent to us by this point that the population is aging. The retiring of the baby boomer generation has been well documented, and as they age, they will require more care. According to the Administration for Community Living, by 2030, there will be about 72 million Americans over the age of 65. That’s nearly 20% of the population! And guess what? The majority of them will need some form of long-term care. The problem is that the number of facilities providing skilled nursing care has not increased as well as the population.

It’s decreased! In 2000 there were about 15,600 nursing homes in operation, but by 2016 that number had dropped to 14,100. So as the population ages and the need for care increases, the number of available facilities decreases. This is a huge issue and will continue to be one in the coming years.

Shortage of Nurses

It’s no secret that there is a nursing shortage in America. The reasons are many, including an aging workforce, poor working conditions, and low wages. This shortage will only worsen as the population ages and the demand for skilled nursing care increases. In fact, it’s estimated that by 2025 there will be a shortfall of one million nurses! This means that even if every single nursing home in America were at total capacity, there would still not be enough nurses to care for all the patients. So as you can see, the shortage of nurses is a significant contributor to why skilled nursing care is so challenging to get in 2022.

The Takeaway

These are just some of why it will be so hard to find a place in a skilled nursing home in 2022. The population is aging, the number of available facilities is decreasing, and there is a shortage of nurses. These factors contribute to the problem and make it difficult for seniors to get the care they need. If you or a loved one requires skilled nursing care, it’s crucial to start looking early and be prepared for a long search. Good luck.