Support for Nursing Home Staffing Requirements Likely to Lead to Votes at the Ballot Box

Support among midlife and older adults for minimum staffing standards in nursing homes translates into a higher likelihood of their voting for congressional candidates who support the requirement, according to a recent AARP survey.

• Nearly all (94%) adults 50 and older say would be more likely to vote for a congressional candidate who supports the new federal requirement to have a registered nurse available in nursing homes at all hours of the day.
• Being more likely to vote for congressional candidates who support minimum staffing standards in nursing homes is a pattern expressed among all adults 50 and older, irrespective of age, gender, or political ideology.

Methodology

The findings are based on a survey conducted by phone and online in June 2024 to assess views related to new federal regulations requiring nursing homes to meet minimum staffing levels, including having a registered nurse (RN) available at all hours of the day. The sample of 1,000 Americans 50 and older was based on data that were weighted by gender, age, education, race/ethnicity, region, and AARP membership status.

The Views on Nursing Home Staffing study was conducted using the NORC Foresight 50+ Panel among a sample of U.S. adults 50 and older using a combination of phone and online sampling. The survey interviews averaged two minutes in length. The interviews were conducted in English June 13–17, 2024.

For more information, please contact Teresa A. Keenan at tkeenan@aarp.org. For media inquiries, please contact External Relations at media@aarp.org.