Comment on Care facilities face shortages as more than 19K nurses needed across state over next decade

Theresa Maskrey, co-owner of Shepherd Premier Senior Living, said a shortage of qualified nursing staff has existed for at least 10 years. “It’s a national issue, and it’s not a new problem,” Maskrey said. A 2019 report from the Illinois Economic Policy Institute states that over the next 10 years, the state of Illinois is estimated to need more than 19,100 additional registered nurses, a projected employment growth of 15%, or nearly triple the rate of other occupations. Although not every assisted living facility in McHenry County is burdened by the reported shortage, some have seen the effects of a declining workforce in the wake of a growing elderly population.