Challenges facing Nursing Homes and Long-Term Care facilities during the pandemic
Nursing Homes, Long-Term Care facilities (LTCs) and their residents have been hitting particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, but there’s still hope.
A recent analysis shows that residents of nursing homes and assisted-living facilities account for 44.6% and 85.1% of all COVID19 deaths in the US and Canada respectively. These facilities have implemented strong controls on residents and staff to limit the spread, but this creates new challenges for management and negatively impacts the quality of life for residents.
Challenges in the 1st wave
Staff shortages
During the first wave, nearly half of LTCs in the US were facing challenges with staff attendance. Nurses worked double-shifts, but could not provide adequate caring hours to each resident. Now the situation is even direr. LTCs and nursing homes need support to provide safe, standardized care for their residents.
Similar situations unfolded in Canada when facilities banned physical access to outsiders. In Nova Scotia, the absence of volunteers added to the staffing pressure.
Impact on residents and families
Bans on family visits
Social interaction matters at every age and this is especially true of LTC residents because severely diminished social interaction increases instances of stress, depression and anxiety. In March, the Canadian and US governments prohibited all visitors from entering nursing homes to prevent the spread of the COVID-19. In May, some restrictions were lifted, but residents and their families are required to follow strict social distancing guidelines to prevent possible COVID-19 exposure.
MIMOSI improves the safety and efficiency of LTCs
MIMOSI Health supports LTCs and all other stakeholders in the test-trace-treat-tally workflow. Healthcare providers can administer COVID-19 tests, record the results and instantly update all necessary stakeholders (e.g. Public Health, facility managers). MIMOSI reduces paperwork, mitigates hand-off issues between shifts, and delivers seamless digital collaboration between stakeholders.
MIMOSI Health features and benefits
Comply with public health regulations
View the SARS-CoV-2 status of all residents at a facility in seconds. Share accurate aggregate data with Public Health authorities.
Reduce Costs
Significantly reduce the time required to record and share test results across the organization.
Secure video consultations
Conduct secure video consultations with isolated patients and help them stay connected with loved ones.
Heat Maps and trend lines
View clusters of COVID-19 illness across facilities and prevent cross-contamination from sharing personnel among sites.
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References
Girvan G., Roy A. (2020), Nursing Homes & Assisted Living Facilities Account for 42% of COVID-19 Deaths, FREEOPP. Retrieved from https://freopp.org/the-covid-19-nursing-home-crisis-by-the-numbers-3a47433c3f70
Mathews A., et al (2020), Thinly Staffed Nursing Homes Face Challenges in Pandemic, The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/articles/thinly-staffed-nursing-homes-face-challenges-in-pandemic-11588343407
Ramesar V. (2020), Absence of volunteers creates staffing pressures at N.S. nursing homes, CBC News. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/nursing-homes-pandemic-recreation-covid-19-1.5692866
Università di Bologna. (2020, August 3). The six strains of SARS-CoV-2. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 2, 2020 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200803105246.htm
Osman L. and McQuigge M. (2020, March 14). Ontario severely restricts visitors to long-term care homes. National Post. Retrieved from https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/ontario-severely-restricts-visitors-to-long-term-care-homes
Siegel S. (2020, March 11). What Should I Do If My Loved One’s Nursing Home Bans Visitors Due to Coronavirus? The National Law Review. Retrieved from https://www.natlawreview.com/article/what-should-i-do-if-my-loved-one-s-nursing-home-bans-visitors-due-to-coronavirus
Centers For Medicare & Medicaid Services (2020, May 18). Nursing Home Reopening Recommendations Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved from https://www.cms.gov/files/document/covid-nursing-home-reopening-recommendation-faqs.pdf