Medical Xpress January 16, 2026
Though the U.S. population is aging, nursing home capacity has declined nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic began. According to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine this week, one quarter of U.S. counties experienced declines of 15% or more, with the greatest declines reported in rural areas.
Analyzing licensed beds, staffing, and patient census data from nearly 16,000 skilled nursing facilities, researchers found that national nursing home operating capacity fell by 5% between 2019 and 2024. That translates to nearly 4,000 fewer beds available for new patients each day.
But this decline was not felt by all communities equally. It varied widely across geographic regions, with rural counties more likely to face declines of 25% or more. That tracks with...
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