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A PROFILE OF NURSING HOMES IN OHIO
With more than 2 million individuals age 65 and older Ohio ranks sixth in the size of its older population.
With more than 2 million individuals age 65 and older Ohio ranks sixth in the size of its
older population. The progress that Ohio and the nation have made in extending life
expectancy is an advancement to be celebrated. The majority of older Ohioans continue
to remain in their own homes or apartments in the community. However, with almost
500,000 Ohioans age 80 and over and with more than 180,000 older individuals
experiencing severe disability, the need for long-term services has grown and will
continue to do so in the future. Long-term services can be provided in an array of
settings including the community, congregate housing, continuing care retirement
communities, assisted living residences, and nursing homes.
While less than one-quarter of older Ohioans with severe disability reside in a nursing
home, these individuals have very high levels of disability and many experience
dementia. Nursing homes have received considerable attention nationally and in Ohio.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on nursing home residents,
accounting for one-quarter of all deaths, despite comprising well under 1% of the
nation’s population. The pandemic also magnified the staffing challenges faced by the
nursing home industry, with one-third of Ohio’s nursing homes reporting direct care
staffing shortages. Additionally, the Ohio Department of Health has recorded a large
increase in nursing home complaints over the last decade. In response to this array of
concerns, in February of 2023, Ohio Governor DeWine issued an Executive Order
establishing the Nursing Home Quality and Accountability Task Force to recommend
actions to improve the quality of care and quality of life in the state’s nursing homes.
Given the growing interest and importance in nursing home care in Ohio, this report is
designed to synthesize the array of data that describes nursing homes in Ohio.
