Even before the coronavirus pandemic, one of the many challenges facing long-term care facilities was staffing shortages. The work is difficult and workers typically earn minimum wage.

Now, with the growing number of COVID-19 infections — more than 400 recorded among nursing home residents — finding and keeping staff is becoming a big problem.

Dave Voepel is CEO of the Arizona Health Care Association.

"When COVID enters a building because you have people who call off because they are sick," he explained. "They might have COVID themselves. They might be sacred or they just don't want to take COVID back to their family,they can’t afford to do that because they have an older one they’re taking care of back home. They also also quit."

According to the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, 190 long-term care staff have been infected with the virus.

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