Personnel shortages and the provision of long-term care: an empirical analysis of German nursing homes
Amidst demographic shifts, advanced economies are facing critical nursing shortages. This study analyzes how long-term care in German nursing homes relate to these shortages using administrative data for the period 2007 to 2017. Our analysis reveals that higher nursing shortages correlate with decreased nurse-to-resident ratios, changes in the qualification mix of nurse personnel, and reduced occupancy rates. These findings suggest that nurse shortages might be a threat to the quality of care and the financial sustainability of nursing homes at the margin of being profitable.
Heger, D., A. Herr, M. Lückemann, A. Reichert and L. Tycher (2025), Personnel shortages and the provision of long-term care: an empirical analysis of German nursing homes. European Journal of Health Economics (forthcoming)