Minnesota’s out of time on nursing home staff crisis

Opinion editor’s note: Star Tribune Opinion publishes a mix of national and local commentaries online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

•••

My co-worker recently showed me a text from one of her kids. It read: “Mommy, when is your next day off? I miss you!”

We’re both caregivers at a nursing home in the Twin Cities, and we’re regularly working back-to-back doubles to cover the short staffing crisis. We’re being pushed to the brink of exhaustion.

As a certified nursing assistant, I have dedicated more than 10 years of my life to caring for seniors and people with disabilities in nursing homes. I love what I do — providing compassionate care to those who need it most.

The diverse stories and backgrounds of the residents I’ve cared for have enriched my life. However, my passion for the job can be overshadowed by the harsh realities of the nursing home industry, particularly the persistently low wages that contribute to an alarming rate of turnover among caregivers like me.

Every week, I find myself shouldering the workload of two due to staffing shortages, a reality made worse by low wages. The nursing home industry’s compensation fails to match the demanding nature of the job, forcing many of us to resort to overtime just to make ends meet. This is not merely a matter of inconvenience; it’s a significant hurdle preventing us from paying the bills and taking care of our families.

Because of the low wages, for many of my co-workers, overtime is not a choice but a necessity, resulting in sacrifices that extend beyond personal well-being to precious moments with family. How can we be fully present for our children when working double and even triple shifts — week after week? It’s not sustainable. The toll on our health and our relationships, especially with our children, is immense — and it makes sense then why I often see colleagues leave within a few months of taking the job.

And it’s not just one facility. The scale of the turnover rate in our field is alarming, with talented and caring individuals leaving after only a few months due to the insurmountable challenges and inadequate compensation. It’s happening in the Twin Cities, in greater Minnesota and everywhere in between.

With the state’s senior population expected to balloon, policymakers can no longer ignore our nursing home staffing crisis — and workers want to be part of the solution. It’s why we’re uniting to bring about positive change in our industry. Workers from all over recently met and voted in support of four key ways to address the crisis. We’re calling for a $25 minimum wage for all nursing home workers in Minnesota, a secure and dignified retirement plan for all workers, and staffing levels that ensure safety for both residents and caregivers. We also want the freedom to join a union free of intimidation and retaliation.

Proposing a wage increase to $25 per hour is not merely about a raise; it’s about rectifying the industrywide burnout that contributes to the staffing crisis. A fair wage would alleviate the burden of constant overtime, enabling us to provide quality care without sacrificing our well-being. Families should not be kept apart because caregivers are struggling to make ends meet.

The reality is that Minnesota has run out of time. The staffing crisis in our nursing homes is putting residents at risk, and we desperately need to draw more dedicated nursing home workers into the field. The current wages and working conditions won’t do it. The state’s new Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board was created to set minimum nursing home employment standards for workers. As they start making decisions early this year, we’ll be pushing them to establish the minimum wage at $25 an hour with better benefits to improve the quality of care and prevent burnout.