Understaffing in Care Facilities

Walk into any nursing home, and one of the first things you might notice is how busy the staff are—rushing from room to room, juggling care for multiple residents. While dedication is not in short supply, time and resources often are. Chronic understaffing is one of the most common—and dangerous—problems in long-term care facilities. When there aren’t enough caregivers, important tasks fall through the cracks: meals get skipped, medications are missed, and personal hygiene is neglected. We’ve seen firsthand how staff shortages lead to bedsores, falls, malnutrition, and untreated infections—issues that are entirely preventable with proper supervision. Understaffing is not just a logistical issue—it’s a legal and ethical one. Facilities are required to employ enough staff to meet the needs of their residents, and when they fail due to budget cuts or poor management, residents suffer the consequences. If your loved one is in a facility that always seems stretched too thin on staff, pay close attention. Repeated delays in care or unexplained injuries may be signs of neglect—and you have the right to demand better.