Cape nursing homes lose few employees to vaccine mandate but still face staff shortages

Oct. 16—Several Cape nursing homes report that the number of employees lost after a state COVID-19 vaccination mandate went into effect Oct. 10 is in the single digits — and not the mass exodus some feared.

But with nursing homes already struggling to fill employee ranks, even a few departures aggravate a difficult labor situation, some operators said.

Limiting new residents

Royal Health Group, which runs four nursing homes on Cape Cod, is limiting the number of new residents it can admit due to lack of staff, said Jonathan Mamary, vice president and general counsel for the nursing home group.

Mamary said Royal Health Group — which has nursing homes in Falmouth, North Falmouth, Mashpee and Buzzards Bay — saw the departure of six employees on the Cape who refused to get a vaccination.

"The labor market has been tough all year so even losing six puts a strain on our current team," he said.

"We are faring well and have increased our recruitment efforts, but as with all businesses right now the labor market is tight," Mamary said in an email Friday.

"In response, we are limiting the amount of new residents we can accept to promote a safe environment for our team and the residents," he said.

"Unfortunately we cannot keep up with the demands of the community until we can fully staff."

The Baker-Polito administration announced in August that employees in Massachusetts nursing homes, which were hard hit by the pandemic, had until Oct. 10 to be fully immunized.

In September, the administration extended the vaccination mandate to employees of rest homes, assisted living residences and hospices. Those employees have until Oct. 31 to be immunized.

Broad Reach Healthcare in North Chatham only lost one employee to the mandate, out of a total of 300 employees, at Liberty Commons nursing home and the Victorian assisted living residence, said Broad Reach President and CEO Bill Bogdanovich.

He said he heard the employee's decision not to be vaccinated "was really more anti-mandate" than anti-vaccine.

"She had (been) vaccinated for flu in the past," Bogdanovich said.

'One challenge off the table'

While nursing home administrators feared the loss of employees who didn't want to be vaccinated against COVID-19, they also appreciated the way the mandate got them out of the business of trying to coax employees into getting the shots.

"It takes one challenge off the table, at least," Bogdanovich said.

A Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services map shows that all Cape nursing homes had employee vaccination rates of 75% or more earlier this month before the mandate went into full effect.

The DPH said exemptions to the mandate can be made for medical and "sincerely held" religious beliefs.

At JML Care Center in Falmouth, about 7% of the 150-person workforce qualified for an exemption, said Patrick Kane, spokesperson for parent company Cape Cod Healthcare.

Those employees receive a rapid test every day before the start of their shift, Kane said.

He said JML has lost one "per diem" employee due to the employee's refusal to comply with the vaccine mandate.

Mamary said three employees qualified for exemptions and they will be tested before every shift.

Thankful for those who are vaccinated

Royal Health Group officials are grateful the number of workers lost to vaccine refusal was limited to half a dozen on Cape Cod, he said.

"Our early projections for staff leaving due to the mandate were much higher."

"We are thankful that those that were uncomfortable with the vaccine early on eventually chose the vaccine and chose to continue their careers with us and the residents," Mamary said.

"Our team has repeatedly shown how dedicated they are through everything over the last two years," he said.

But current labor market conditions mean that when even one team member leaves, "it takes much longer to recruit than it previously did," Mamary said.

"Recruitment of nursing home staff has always been challenging. The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated that challenge," said Tim Brown, spokesperson for Athena Health Care Systems, which operates the Cape Regency and Cape Heritage nursing homes in Centerville and Sandwich.

Brown said the "vast majority" of employees have been vaccinated and a "limited number" of medical and religious exemptions has been granted.

Mamary said the Royal Health Group is offering sign-on bonuses, assistance with student loans and free CNA certification classes to bring people into the business."

"We are hoping hiring will continue to pick up and we will return to normal capabilities soon."

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