New AARP report shows while Florida nursing home staff vaccination rate is rising, still below national average; continues #1 in resident deaths

Though rising, nursing home staff vaccination in Florida (now at 53%) still far below the industry standard of 75%, and trailing the national average of 67%

From AARP

AARP released the Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard today (October 14, 2021), which tracks nursing home data including cases, deaths, resident and staff vaccination rates. The new report covers data in the four weeks ending September 19, 2021. Florida continues to rank first in the nation reporting 289 new nursing home resident deaths from COVID-19, up from 237 deaths in the previous month’s report. These new deaths in Florida represent 14 percent of 2,131 total COVID-19 deaths occurring in nursing homes across the United States – a number that nearly doubled nationally since the last report.

AARP Florida State Director Jeff Johnson said, “Tragically, these reported data continue to show an increase of new deaths caused by COVID-19 in Florida’s nursing homes. With more than 11,000 lives lost in Florida’s long-term care system since the start of the pandemic, we can only hope that the recent decreases in new cases and hospitalizations could mean that the darkest days of this global public health crisis are behind us.”

Additional data from this new report show Florida’s nursing home staff vaccination rate increased four percentage points in the previous month, climbing to 53 percent. However, nursing home staff vaccination in Florida continues to be far below the industry standard of 75 percent, trailing the national average of 67 percent as well as peer states including California (88 percent), New York (74 percent) and Texas (63 percent).

Other highlights:

Only 12 percent, or approximately 85 of Florida’s nearly 700 nursing homes, have met the industry standard and vaccinated at least 75 percent of their staff.

Florida nursing homes reporting staff shortages increased to 25 percent (up from 22 percent in the previous month’s report).

Vaccination Rates of Nursing Home Staff

Source: Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard

Resources

Check out the up-to-date vaccine resources 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.

About the data

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 virus' infiltration into nursing homes and impact on nursing home 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 or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.