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Revere Today
By the People, for the People
Nursing Home Staffing Cuts Resident Fall Risk
Study finds higher staffing levels at nursing homes are associated with fewer injurious falls among long-stay residents.
Published on Mar. 4, 2026
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A new study has found that nursing homes with higher staffing levels, especially meeting recommended certified nursing assistant (CNA) and registered nurse (RN) hours, report fewer injurious falls among long-stay residents. The study also found that facilities with insufficient staff levels are associated with increased falls, suggesting that simply adding hours without addressing overall staffing shortages may not improve outcomes.
Why it matters
Falls are one of the most common and serious safety concerns for older adults in long-term care settings, often leading to injury, loss of independence, and increased health care costs. This study provides large-scale evidence on the impact of staffing patterns on fall-related injury rates in nursing homes, which can inform policies and practices to improve resident safety.
The details
The study analyzed data from more than 1.1 million Medicare beneficiaries across 11,183 nursing homes. Researchers found that nursing homes meeting the recommended CNA staffing threshold of 2.45 hours per resident per day, as well as increasing RN hours, experienced significantly lower rates of injurious falls. However, facilities that did not meet the CNA staffing recommendations showed higher rates of injurious falls as CNA hours increased, suggesting that simply adding hours without addressing overall staffing shortages may not be enough.
- The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association in 2026.
The players
Sarah Berry
A co-author of the study and a senior scientist at Hebrew SeniorLife's Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research, where she advances the study of osteoporosis and falls.
Hebrew SeniorLife
An affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a national senior services leader uniquely dedicated to rethinking, researching, and redefining the possibilities of aging. Hebrew SeniorLife cares for more than 4,500 seniors a day across seven campuses throughout Greater Boston.
What they’re saying
“Ensuring resident safety in nursing homes is a multifaceted challenge, and our study underscores the importance of thoughtful staffing strategies tailored to each facility's baseline resources.”
— Sarah Berry, Co-author of the study and senior scientist at Hebrew SeniorLife's Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research
What’s next
The study's findings highlight the need for nursing homes to carefully evaluate their staffing levels and strategies to ensure resident safety. Policymakers and industry leaders may use these insights to inform regulations and best practices around nursing home staffing.
The takeaway
This study provides robust evidence that higher nursing home staffing levels, especially meeting recommended CNA and RN hours, can significantly reduce the risk of injurious falls among long-stay residents. Addressing overall staffing shortages is crucial, as simply adding hours without adequate resources may not improve - and could even worsen - resident safety outcomes.
