Connecticut’s elder care system is at a precipice.
Nursing homes, for decades the final destination for many older adults and people with disabilities, are being squeezed at both ends as state officials increase oversight of the industry while funneling millions into programs that aim to keep residents in their homes and communities.
The state’s aging nursing facilities, beset by staffing problems, outdated infrastructure and dwindling financial support, are facing an identity crisis. Occupancy, which plunged steeply during the pandemic, has yet to fully recover. Complaints about the quality of care in some homes are escalating, as are questions about how owners spend taxpayer money. Connecticut policymakers no longer envision nursing homes as the primary option for elder care but as a recourse only for those with medical needs that can’t be managed at home.
At the same time, the state’s lofty goals for boosting the number of people aging at home have hit roadblocks.
Connecticut launched a vast network of programs in recent decades designed to prevent unneeded nursing home admissions and increase the flow of people from facilities back to the community. State officials use terms such as “right-sizing” and “rebalancing” when contemplating the future of long-term care, with the objective of reducing the number of nursing homes.
By 2040, state leaders expect a nearly 30% increase in the number of long-term care residents on Medicaid who remain in their homes, and they’ve committed more than $1 billion annually to that cause.
But a year-long review by The Connecticut Mirror that encompassed interviews with state officials, elder care advocates, legislators, nursing home leaders and union representatives has found the intricate web of resources supporting those ambitions is fraying.