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Creating a Path to Emergency Preparedness

“Death Toll in Kentucky Floods Rises to 28 as Area Braces for More Rain.” This headline from late July is all too common. Crises—natural disasters, active shooter situations, the pandemic, power grid issues, and more—are increasingly becoming the norm. While long term care facilities must have disaster preparedness plans, it’s time to revisit these and make them flexible enough to address whatever situation comes your way.

Provider shares ‘telewellness playbook’ to address resident mental health

As resident mental health and well-being top the list of challenges for affordable senior housing providers, one operator is sharing its playbook on a successful telewellness program.

Davis Park, vice president of the Front Porch Center for Innovation and Wellbeing, shared the success of the organization’s technology-based behavioral health program on Wednesday during a LeadingAge membership call.

CDC Program Expands Free COVID-19 Testing to Assisted Living, SNFs, and ICFs

Skilled Nursing Facilities, intermediate care facilities (ICFs) and assisted living centers can access free COVID-19 testing for staff and residents through December 31, 2022. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Operation Expanded Testing (OpET) program expanded access to free testing nationwide to now include skilled nursing facilities, ICFs and assisted living communities, which previously targeted schools, shelters, and correctional facilities.

CDC Updates Infection Prevention and Control of Monkeypox in Health Care Settings

The CDC updated its guidance for Infection Prevention and Control of Monkeypox in health care settings. Recommendations were added on how to monitor exposed patients and when they should be isolated. In addition, it addresses:

How to assess the risk of healthcare personnel (HCP) with monkeypox exposures;
How to monitor HCP; and
When to apply work restrictions.

The CDC also updated the risk assessment table for HCP to reflect the recommended PPE use based on risk level of exposure.

Information about human-to-human transmission of monkeypox virus is described in a How it Spreads guide.

Innovative Technology Doesn’t Have to Be Out of Reach

Robotics, intuitive software and devices, and innovations that can improve care and staffing are popping up all the time. However, budgets and funding for such technology are scant. While you may feel like a kid with empty pockets outside of a candy store, it’s important to stay on top of technology trends, and there are some innovative ways to bring them into your facilities.

From robots that can help with medication pass to devices that take vitals and send the information to physicians and other team members, many innovations can free staff from mundane tasks and the administrative/paperwork activities that weigh them down.

Infection Prevention & Control in the Long-Term Care Setting: Cleaning and Disinfection

Brought to you by NETEC (National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center) this free resource will provide all staff in long-term care settings the information to help them understand and perform the steps required to clean and disinfect properly.

Visit the NETEC RESOURCE LIBRARY for more on this and other important information. https://repository.netecweb.org/items/show/1699

High blood pressure plus COVID doubles risk of hospital stay.

Even after three COVID-19 vaccine doses, high blood pressure more than doubles the risk for hospitalization with an omicron variant infection.

That’s according to a new study of 912 patients from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The researchers analyzed healthsystem data for patients who became infected after receiving three shots. Of the participants, 145 — or nearly 16% — were hospitalized with COVID-19.

Better measures needed to assess pain, depression in older adults, study finds

Older adults may be experiencing pain and depression, but cognition impairment and other factors may too often prevent them from conveying those issues to doctors and caregivers.

Providing caregivers and clinicians with better observational tools and measures may make it easier to detect signs of pain, anxiety and depression in older patients, according to a new study from the Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University School of Medicine.

Emerging Pathogens of Concern

In recent weeks, reports about monkeypox and Candida auris cases in the US have been released. It is important to have a basic understanding of early identification and continued infection prevention and control to help protect residents, staff, and facilities.

Find out more by going to https://www.ahcancal.org/News-and-Communications/Blog/Pages/Emerging-Pathogens-of-Concern.aspx

National Assisted Living Week 2022 Celebrates “Joyful Moments”

America’s assisted living communities will participate in National Assisted Living Week® (NALW) September 11-17, 2022. The national observance—which begins each year on National Grandparents’ Day and is supported this year by official sponsor First Quality—honors the individuals who reside, work, and volunteer in assisted living and residential care communities with special activities and events.

Created by the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) in 1995, this year’s NALW theme – “Joyful Moments” – reflects the strong connection between residents and staff and encourages them to join with their families and local communities to celebrate and create happy memories. This week also provides the opportunity to educate communities across the country about this sector of long term care and the dedicated, hardworking caregivers.

Visit www.nalw.org to view the 2022 NALW Planning Guide for ideas on how to celebrate, access NALW graphics and logos, purchase NALW products, and take advantage of the digital toolkit to promote your events with media and in your community.