CDC Provides Clarity for Long-Term Care & Assisted Living Facilities

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CDC Provides Clarity for Long-Term Care & Assisted Living Facilities

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on March 17, 2020, held a webinar for long-term care, assisted living and nursing home facility leaders to outline preventative measures as well as steps to proactively approach the coronavirus pandemic in their spaces.

Reinhart shareholder Bob Lightfoot notes that CDC recommendations build on news released last week from the Wisconsin Department of Human Services and the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services including:

Education about how symptoms in the elderly may present differently than other demographics; malaise and confusion may accompany respiratory signs but not necessarily include a fever.
Consistent communication will be key for both facility staff and residents and their families. Since visitors are banned because of the high risk of infecting vulnerable patients and residents, devising alternatives like more frequent phone calls and utilizing video will be important.
All group activities must be canceled - including dining - to keep at least six feet between individuals.
There is a shortage of PPE in some locations, so facility leaders should keep watch on their inventory and encourage the use of them during personal care duties.
Facilities should keep detailed logs of screening activities for staff and any ancillary service providers who require access to patients and residents.

Please visit Reinhart's Coronavirus Resource Center for up-to-date information.

You can visit these additional resources as well:

Wisconsin DHS COVID-19 page https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/index.htm

Wisconsin DHS Important Recommendations for Prevention of COVID-19 in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/dph/memos/communicable-diseases/2020-07.pdf

CMS Webpage for Healthcare Providers https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/Emergency/EPRO/Current-Emergencies/Current-Emergencies-page

CMS COVID-19 Toolkit https://www.cms.gov/outreach-education/partner-resources/coronavirus-covid-19-partner-toolkit

CMS Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention of COVID-19 in Nursing Homes https://www.cms.gov/files/document/qso-20-14-nh-revised.pdf

CDC COVID-19 https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

CDC Resources for Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/nursing-home-long-term-care.html

CDC COVID-19 Preparedness Checklist for Nursing Homes and other Long Term Care Facilities https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/novel-coronavirus-2019-Nursing-Homes-Preparedness-Checklist_3_13.pdf

https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/dph/memos/communicable-diseases/2020-07.pdf

https://www.cms.gov/files/document/qso-20-14-nh-revised.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/healthcare-facilities/prevent-spread-in-long-term-care-facilities.html that includes the following: