At the time of this writing, at least 186,000 nursing home (NH) residents and staff have succumbed to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; AARP, 2021), and countless others have suffered the mental anguish of limited visits from family and isolation. The massive gap between well-resourced NHs and NHs in poor communities, often made up of residents and employees who are people of color, is an unacceptable certainty in this country. These populations are already marginalized, usually across intersections of race and class. Piecemeal and fragmented NH policies have been ineffective, inefficient, and unsustainable, calling attention to the need for systematic, national policy change. Nursing home policies built around equity and person-centered care can transform the industry to allow all Americans access to quality care. Implementation science (IS) can help address this gap because it provides a roadmap of factors to carefully consider that influence quality care, such as the context and the unique characteristics of providers.

Public Policy & Aging Report, https://doi.org/10.1093/ppar/prab030 

Publication available online.