DALLAS: With no federally certified nursing home in the territory, residents are left wondering what is available for seniors and others in need of nursing home care.
The US Census Bureau said slightly more than 5 percent of the 65-plus population in the nation occupy nursing homes, congregate care, assisted living, and board-and-skilled nursing homes. About 4.2 percent are in nursing homes at any given time.
With a territory population of about 105,000, the census statistics suggest the territory has 18,595 people age 65 or older.
If the nationwide standard nursing-home occupancy averages is 4.2 percent of those people, that means 781 territory residents need to be in a nursing home “at any given time.”