Covid causing "disastrous" worker shortage in nursing homes

The coronavirus is creating a "disastrous" shortage of care workers in nursing homes and home care, according to Henk Kamp, chairman of the branch association for care organizations ActiZ. Some care institutions are missing up to half their workers, who are at home with coronavirus symptoms, he said to ANP.

"We are drowning. In a number of regions it is no longer possible to complete the work schedules in home care and nursing home care," Kamp said. "Much attention is rightly paid to hospital care, but more than two million vulnerable people in need of care now live at home or in a nursing home."

"And the work there has to continue 24 hours a day, 365 days a year," Kamp said. "The scaling down of regular care that happens in hospitals is simply impossible here."

Extra care for coronavirus patients and absent colleagues are putting more and more pressure on healthcare workers, Kamp said. "That means being forced to chose between what can and cannot be done anymore. Sometimes care has to be temporarily reduced or even stopped."

"Fortunately, many clients, family members, and loved ones understand this and help where possible."