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Does Immigration Improve Quality of Care in Nursing Homes?

Author

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  • Delia Furtado
  • Francesc Ortega

Abstract

We explore how immigration can help mitigate nursing home staffing shortages, which are likely to worsen as baby boomers age. We show that local increases in immigration lead to fewer falls, less use of restraints, and fewer pressure ulcers among nursing home residents, as well as improvements in other measures of quality of care. Consistent with a labor market explanation, we find that immigration increases the local supply of workers in nursing fields, with the largest effect on the number of nurse aides—the workers primarily responsible for hands-on care in nursing homes.

Suggested Citation

  • Delia Furtado & Francesc Ortega, 2026. "Does Immigration Improve Quality of Care in Nursing Homes?," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 61(1), pages 1-40.
    • Handle: RePEc:uwp:jhriss:v:61:y:2026:i:1:p:1-40
    Note: DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.0720-11063R2
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    File URL: http://jhr.uwpress.org/cgi/reprint/61/1/1
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    Cited by:

    1. is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Gunadi, Christian, 2023. "The Unintended Consequence of Stringent Immigration Enforcement on Staffing in Nursing Homes: Evidence from Secure Communities," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1286, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    3. Kristin F. Butcher & Kelsey Moran & Tara Watson, 2022. "Immigrant labor and the institutionalization of the U.S.‐born elderly," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(5), pages 1375-1413, November.
    4. Ortega, Francesc & Hsin, Amy, 2022. "Occupational barriers and the productivity penalty from lack of legal status," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    5. Ademmer, Martin & Beckmann, Joscha & Bode, Eckhardt & Boysen-Hogrefe, Jens & Funke, Manuel & Hauber, Philipp & Heidland, Tobias & Hinz, Julian & Jannsen, Nils & Kooths, Stefan & Söder, Mareike & Stame, 2021. "Big Data in der makroökonomischen Analyse," Kieler Beiträge zur Wirtschaftspolitik 32, Kiel Institute for the World Economy.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets

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