>> WISCONSIN LOST 42 SKILLED
NURSING FACILITIES FROM 2016 TO
2021, A REALITY SEEN NATIONALLY
DUE TO A SHORTAGE OF NURSES,
IDENTIFIED NURSING ASSISTANTS,
OR CNAs, AND OTHER STAFF.
A NEW REPORT FROM THE WISCONSIN
HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION SHOWS
CNAs HAVE THE HIGHEST TURNOVER
IN THE HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE, ALL
OF WHICH HAS MEANINGFUL IMPACTS
ON THE PEOPLE THEY SERVE.
MARISA WOJCIK HAS ONE COUPLE'S
STORY OF THEIR CARE.
WE ARE NOT NAMING THE FACILITY.
>> WE'RE SO SHORT STAFFED.
>> YEAH, VERY SHORT STAFFED.
>> DICK AND LANEA HAVE BEEN IN
THE SAME ASSISTED LIVING
FACILITY FOR THE LAST SEVEN
YEARS.
SINCE THEN, THE FACILITY'S
OWNERSHIP HAS CHANGED HANDS
MULTIPLE TIMES, AND THE STAFF,
MANY MORE TIMES OVER.
WE FIRST SPOKE WITH THEM IN
OCTOBER 2021.
>> I HAVE SPINOCEREBELLAR ATA
ATAXIA, WHICH IS, ATAXIA MEANS
UNCOORDINATED, AND, YOU KNOW, IT
GOES INTO ALL YOUR NERVES.
BUT I COULDN'T GET OUT OF BED
AND PUT TOOTHPASTE ON MY BRUSH,
WHICH SOUNDS VERY SILLY.
>> 2021, AROUND THE TIME DICK
FIRST BEGAN FILING GRIEVANCES TO
THE STATE FOR WHAT THEY WERE
EXPERIENCING IN THE FACILITY.
>> WE HAD A COOK, A MED-PASSER,
AND ONE OR TWO AIDES DURING THE
DAY.
>> FOR HOW MANY RESIDENTS?
>> I WOULD SAY ABOUT 50 TO 55 AT
THE TIME.
>> SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
DOES THAT MEAN SOME PEOPLE NEED
HELP AND THEY CAN'T GET IT?
>> RIGHT.
IT MEANT --
>> THEY WAIT.
>> SOME PEOPLE CAN'T GET --
>> THEY MIGHT BE STUCK ON THE
TOILET FOR AN HOUR.
>> YOU MIGHT LIE IN BED FOR TWO
HOURS WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO
HELP YOU OUT OF BED.
ALSO, WE HAD AN INCIDENT THAT
HAD QUITE A MAJOR IMPACT, I
THOUGHT, WHEN A MED-PASSER COULD
NOT FIND CHILDCARE.
AGAIN, I THINK IT WAS A WEEKEND
MORNING.
THERE WAS NO BACK-UP PLAN, EVEN
THOUGH A MANAGEMENT PERSON WAS
IN THE OFFICE THAT DAY AND IT'S
SOMEONE WHO HAD PASSED
MEDICATIONS BEFORE BUT CHOSE NOT
TO GET INVOLVED.
DID FIND -- EXCEPT, OF COURSE,
TO FIND A SUBSTITUTE EVENTUALLY,
BUT WHEN 8:00 MEDS COME AT 12:30
OR 1:00 OR 1:15, THAT IS REALLY
A DELAY.
WE'VE HEARD ALSO OF CASES OF
PEOPLE HEARING THEIR NEXTDOOR
NEIGHBORS IN THEIR APARTMENTS
CALLING FOR HELP AND SEEMING TO
BE IGNORED FOR A LONG TIME.
>> DO YOU FEEL SAFE LIVING HERE?
>> ONE BIG FEAR IS FIRE, BECAUSE
SO MANY WHEELCHAIRS AND
OTHERWISE INCAPACITATED OR
PEOPLE WITH REDUCED CAPABILITIES
ON THE UPPER FLOOR, WITH JUST
ELEVATORS AND STAIRS.
>> HOW DOES IT ALL MAKE YOU
FEEL?
>> I AM VERY STRESSED.
>> STRESS LEVEL IS TERRIBLE.
>> THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO DON'T
COME TO THE DINING ROOM ANYMORE
BECAUSE OF THE STRESS LEVEL, AND
A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HAVE MOVED
OUT.
>> FAST FORWARD TO PRESENT DAY,
NEW CONCERNS HAVE APPEARED.
>> NURSE IN JANUARY CAME AND
IMMEDIATELY SAID ABOUT GATHERING
VIOLATIVITALS AND SHE LEFT -- ST
GATHERING VITALS AND SHE LEFT,
SO NO MORE VITALS SINCE THEN, WE
WENT FOR MONTHS AND MONTHS,
MAYBE WITHOUT A YEAR, WITHOUT
HAVING THEM DONE FOR EVERYONE.
BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE NO END TO
THE NUMBER OF STAFF WHO ARE
WILLING TO WALK OFF THEIR SHIFT
AFTER AN HOUR OR TWO AND JUST GO
HOME AND LEAVE ONE PERSON IN
CHARGE TO TAKE CARE OF EVERYBODY
ALL NIGHT.
>> WELL, ONE THING, THEY DON'T
PAY THEM ENOUGH.
WHEN YOU GET JUST POVERTY WAGES,
YOU'RE NOT VERY INTERESTED IN
COMING TO WORK.
>> AND STILL, SOME OF THE SAME
ISSUES PERSIST.
>> ONE REAL CONCERN IS THE LACK
OF FIRE DRILLS.
>> YES.
BUT BASICALLY, WE'VE BEEN TOLD,
WELL, JUST WAIT THERE IN YOUR
ROOM AND THE FIREMEN WILL COME.
WE'VE FILED GRIEVANCES WITH THE
STATE AS WELL.
NOT LATELY, WE BURNED OUT ON
THAT.
OFTENTIMES, THEY JUST CAN'T
SUBSTANTIATE WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO
HAVE HAPPENED.
>> HOW DOES ALL OF THAT MAKE YOU
FEEL AS YOU'RE JUST TRYING TO
LIVE YOUR LIFE?
>> DEPRESSED.
I FEEL OUR NEEDS, THAT MANY OF
OUR NEEDS ARE IGNORED AND THAT
ESPECIALLY THE EMOTIONAL AND