Utah has long been known for having the youngest residents in the country. But the Beehive State is rapidly aging.
Some projections estimate that more than 20% of residents here will reach retirement age by 2060. That shift will have implications for everything from the economy to the workforce and from housing to health care.
“Some refer to it as the Silver Tsunami,” said Alianne Sipes, the program manager for the state of Utah’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Office, in a recent interview with FOX 13 News. “It’s coming. It’s already almost here.”
Changing demographics are also expected to increase demand for long-term care services, including those provided in the state’s nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
It's a system some say is already struggling to provide the quality care families depend on.
In 2022, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine issued an in-depth report raising the alarm “that this is an industry in ‘crisis’; that care is declining,” notes Jeffrey Eisenberg, an attorney with the Elder Care Injury Group, which is pursuing dozens of complaints against long-term care facilities in Utah.
Consensual sex between residents, employees in long-term care raises concerns:
That nearly 600-page report highlights “long-existing shortcomings in nursing home care” that it says were laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic. Those weaknesses include “inadequate staffing levels, poor infection control, failures in oversight and regulation, and deficiencies that result in actual patient harm.”
These challenges, the report contends, are due to a complex variety of factors – including decades of underinvestment in quality of care, lack of accountability for how funds are allocated and a system that “underappreciates and underprepares nursing home staff for their critical responsibilities.”
Amid growing concerns about gaps in the elder care system nationwide, the FOX 13 Investigates team set out to understand what challenges face older adults living in Utah’s long-term care facilities.
Over the last few months, we've read thousands of pages of federal inspection reports; pored over dozens of lawsuits; requested and reviewed dozens of police reports; and conducted nearly 20 interviews with advocates, researchers, service providers, attorneys, government officials and long-term care residents and their families.
Utah's Adult Protective Services is substantiating few cases of elder abuse:
We’ve also reached out to industry groups and to the owners and management companies of seven long-term care facilities. All of them declined on-camera interviews, though some provided statements or responses to written questions.
As a result of this work, we’ve explored questions about where money meant to improve care is being allocated and what happens when vulnerable older adults wander away from the facilities paid to keep them safe.
We’ve asked whether the state agency tasked with looking into allegations of neglect, abuse, and exploitation is conducting thorough investigations. And we’ve looked into growing concerns about consensual sexual relationships between unlicensed care workers and the residents they look after.
Many of those who spoke to us said they did so because they feel the issues affecting older adults are often undervalued. And they believe there’s a need for more public awareness to improve the quality of care for themselves and their families moving forward.
“Whether it’s now or later, a lot of people are going to end up here,” notes Nate Crippes, an attorney with the nonprofit Disability Law Center of Utah. “And a lot of people are going to have parents or family members end up in these places.”
Our coverage of Utah's elder care systems will continue over the coming weeks. In the meantime, you can read more from FOX 13 News ongoing reporting here:
- Consensual sex between residents, employees in long-term care raises concerns
- Q&A: Utah’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman is ready to advocate for you and your loved ones
- Utah’s Adult Protective Services is substantiating few cases of elder abuse
- What you should know before choosing a nursing home
- Older adults are wandering away from Utah care facilities, sometimes with tragic outcomes
- Critics say taxpayer dollars for nursing homes should be spent on care, not new buildings
- Nursing homes receiving millions in extra taxpayer funds face allegations of poor patient care
If there are other issues related to Utah’s aging populations that you’d like the FOX 13 Investigates team to look into, email us at iteam@fox13now.com