Florida Nursing Home Staff Vaccination Rate Increases

New data show decreases in nursing home resident deaths, resident and staff cases of COVID-19, and reported staffing shortages. With available booster shots and increased vaccination, we are hopeful that future reports will continue this trend.”

Jeff Johnson, AARP Florida State Director

AARP released the Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard, which tracks nursing home data including cases, deaths, resident, and staff vaccination rates. The new report covers data in the four weeks ending October 17, 2021.

AARP Florida State Director Jeff Johnson said, “As we approach the holiday season, the promising trend of these new numbers is a welcome relief for our state. It appears the delta wave has peaked in Florida, and we are continuing to see progress with pandemic recovery.

“New AARP data show Florida’s vaccination rate for nursing home staff jumped over five percentage points to nearly 59 percent. While Florida is still well behind the national average of 74 percent, it is encouraging to see the largest increase yet in Florida nursing home staff getting the vaccine.

“Additionally, the new data show decreases in nursing home resident deaths, resident and staff cases of COVID-19, and reported staffing shortages. With available booster shots and increased vaccination, we are hopeful that future reports will continue this trend.”

November Dashboard Highlights:

• New nursing home resident deaths in Florida represent five percent of 2,003 total COVID-19 deaths occurring in U.S. nursing homes during this reporting period.
• Florida reported 92 new nursing home resident deaths from COVID-19, down from 289 deaths in the previous month’s report.
• Florida nursing home resident cases of COVID-19 decreased from approximately four cases per 100 residents to one case per 100 residents in this month’s report – the same for reported cases in staff.
• Florida nursing homes reporting staff shortages decreased from 25 percent to 22 percent during this reporting period.  
• Approximately 21 percent, or 150 of Florida’s nearly 700 nursing homes, have met the industry standard and vaccinated at least 75 percent of their staff.

Vaccination Rates of Nursing Home Staff

(Source: Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard)

Check out the up-to-date vaccine resources, including booster shot information, at www.aarp.org/flvaccine. To find a vaccine in your area, visit the Florida Department of Health’s Vaccine Locator. If you or a loved one are homebound, the Florida Department of Elder Affairs will meet you at home for vaccination. For older Floridians who need assistance, call 1-800-96-ELDER, to schedule your shot.

Using data released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services—which is self-reported by nursing homes—the AARP Public Policy Institute, in collaboration with the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University in Ohio, created the AARP Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard to provide four-week snapshots of the pandemic’s effect on nursing homes residents and staff.

The federal data do not include residents or staff of assisted-living facilities, group homes and other congregate elder-care facilities.

AARP is the nation's largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability, and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org.