It is important for physicians, staff, and families to find creative ways for residents to stay on the move.
Read more at http://www.providermagazine.com/archives/2020_Archives/Pages/0620/Keeping-Residents-Active-Can-Forestall-Falls.aspx
Author: admin
Uncomfortable Truths
The coronavirus pandemic has exposed many uncomfortable truths about serving seniors.
The worst isn’t that long-term care providers are prioritized way behind hospitals in funding and all around perception. No, the most brutal truth is that ageism is thoroughly soaked into the collective U.S. mind.
https://bit.ly/3eSdBEH
A Step-by-Step Guide to Preventing PPE-Related Skin Damage
Personal protective equipment (PPE) has been essential to protecting healthcare workers from the novel coronavirus, but it presents its own set of challenges to their health, notably skin damage associated with prolonged use of PPE.
Find out what you can do to avoid skin damage at https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/929590#vp_1
Federal Help Falters as Nursing Homes Run Short of Protective Equipment
Around the country, nursing homes trying to protect their residents from the coronavirus eagerly await boxes of masks, eyewear and gowns promised by the federal government. But all too often the packages deliver disappointment — if they arrive at all.
Read the full article at https://www.managedhealthcareconnect.com/content/federal-help-falters-nursing-homes-run-short-protective-equipment
AHCA/NCAL Won’t Back Down.
AHCA/NCAL President & CEO Mark Parkinson provides an update on the Association’s efforts to tell the story of their residents and caregivers who have been battling COVID-19.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKIrTi1Kq4c&feature=youtu.be
AHCA / NCAL releases guidance to help residents stay connected with loved ones
Titled “Keeping People Connected: Innovative Methods Using an Infection Prevention & Control Mindset,” it can be found at:
Fair Treatment for Nursing Homes?
Nursing homes are massively underfunded yet tasked with providing care to more than 1.6 million mostly older, incredibly sick, usually post-acute care patients each year. Are they getting fair treatment in the media?
CMS Issues Nursing Home Reopening Recommendations for State and Local Officials.
Today, CMS provided recommendations [cl.exct.net] on a nursing home phased reopening for states. The recommendations cover the following items:
- Recommendations for testing residents and staff
- Dedicated space for cohorting residents with COVID-19
- Criteria for relaxing certain restrictions and mitigating the risk of resurgence
- Visitation and service considerations
- Restoration of survey activities
The guidance encourages state leaders to collaborate with the state survey agency and local health departments to decide how these criteria should be implemented. Given the critical importance in limiting COVID-19 exposure in nursing homes, CMS recommends that decisions on relaxing restrictions be made with careful review of the following facility-level, community, and state factors:
- Baseline test of all residents, weekly testing of all staff, practicing social distancing, and universal source control for residents and visitors (e.g., face coverings)
- Status of COVID-19 cases in the local community
- Status of COVID-19 cases in nursing homes
- Adequate staffing
- Access to adequate personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Local hospital capacity
Read the press release [cl.exct.net], guidance [cl.exct.net] and FAQs [cl.exct.net] from CMS.
CMS Issues Nursing Homes Best Practices Toolkit to Combat COVID-19
CMS released a new toolkit [cl.exct.net] intended to serve as a catalog of resources dedicated to addressing the specific challenges facing nursing homes as they combat COVID-19.
CMS says the toolkit provides resources and direction for quality improvement assistance and can help in the creation and implementation of strategies and interventions intended to manage and prevent the spread of COVID-19 within nursing homes. The toolkit outlines best practices for a variety of subjects ranging from infection control to workforce and staffing. It also provides contact information for organizations who stand ready to assist with the unique challenges posed by caring for individuals in long-term care settings.
National Skilled Nursing Care Week
Established by the American Health Care Association (AHCA) in 1967, National Skilled Nursing Care Week® (NSNCW) recognizes the essential role of skilled nursing care centers in caring for America’s frail, elderly, and disabled.
This year, while it is more important than ever to celebrate NSNCW and recognize the staff and residents in our skilled nursing care centers across the nation, it is a challenge to figure out how best to do so. Current social distancing rules and the inability of friends and family to enter the buildings has changed much of the day to day life of the staff and the residents, and no one knows how long this is going to continue. One thing is certain, though, and that is that staff are playing a critical role in caring for residents and saving lives, and that deserves to be honored and celebrated.
NSNCW is also a time to recognize your residents, their special relationships with staff, and the family members that all make up your unique and wonderful communities. Keeping your community connected through the use of technology and social media is a great way to prevent social isolation and lift everyone’s spirits.
AHCA encourages you to explore the following resources for ideas and suggestions on how you might celebrate despite the limitations of social distancing. Check out our Suggested Activities for ideas and suggestions on ways you can celebrate NSNCW and the bookstore for special NSNCW products. You can also view, upload, and share messages of support at CareNotCOVID.com, and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter using #NSNCW and #CareNotCOVID to share activity ideas, videos, and messages.
For the latest information and resources about COVID-19, visit the ahcancal.org/coronavirus.