By Laura Krantz
April 14, 2020
After pressure from desperately understaffed nursing homes, state officials on Tuesday said they will soon grant the facilities permission to boost some workers’ pay by 25 percent amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the virus rips through the state, the jobs of nursing home staff have become newly hazardous. The virus has infected not only elderly residents but also workers, in one case killing a nurse. As workers go out sick or stay home due to fear, facilities have struggled to retain staff, especially the low-paid nursing aides who earn barely more than minimum wage.
The state’s decision to increase nursing home pay came as the virus continued its deadly sweep across Massachusetts.