Changes in Nursing Home Populations Challenge Practice and Policy

U.S. nursing homes (NH) have a growing prevalence of individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) and substance use disorders (SUD), and an associated increasing proportion of people under 65. We explored how Directors of Nursing (DONs) perceive challenges and strategies in caring for these populations. We conducted semi-structured telephone interviews with 32 DONs from diverse facilities around the U.S. Participants reported that people with SUD and SMI often present behavioral challenges requiring resource intensive responses, while regulations constrain optimal medication treatment. Younger individuals are considered more demanding of staff and impatient with traditional NH activities designed for older people. Some NHs report they screen out people with behavioral health disorders; they tend to be concentrated in NHs in economically disadvantaged communities. Individuals may remain in NHs because suitable settings for discharge are unavailable. These developments constitute a back door “re-institutionalization” of people with behavioral health disorders, and a growing crisis.