More than 72,000 skilled nursing home residents in Pennsylvania would see an increase in the hours of direct care they receive daily under proposed regulation changes, the first updates in more than 20 years.
Department of Health Acting Secretary Alison Beam announced Wednesday that the changes would increase the minimum number of direct care hours for residents from 2.7 to 4.1 hours per day, which is closer aligned with Medicare recommendations.
“Revising nursing home regulations is one piece of the administration’s ongoing effort to improve care for residents and working conditions for staff in nursing homes,” Beam said during a news conference in Harrisburg.