Nursing homes challenge the coronavirus crisis

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Pete Van Lankle, Secretary-General of the Ohio State Healthcare Association, said he had to rely on media reports to find out where COVID-19 was emerging in the state’s long-term care facilities. He is frustrated by the lack of centralized public reports to share data with more than 1,000 members of the group. This includes skilled nursing center providers, living support communities, institutions that serve people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, home care, or provide hospice care.

“A large number of people living nearby live in both skilled nursing homes and assisted living, and more importantly, are medically at risk, and they are elderly. Everything makes them particularly vulnerable for COVID-19, “said Van Rankle.

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According to Robert Applebaum, director of the Ohio Long-Term Care Research Project at the Scripps Geriatrics Center at the University of Miami, about 75,000 Ohio live in skilled care nursing homes. An additional 35,000 people live in nursing homes and 35,000 live in retirement communities who provide ongoing care.

“With the aging, including underlying conditions such as heart disease, the need for” practical “support for activities of daily living among many short- and long-term care residents, and long delays in the onset of symptoms Frequent health issues COVID-19 — All of these factors combine to make this virus a problem, even if all public health guidance follows the letter. “Says Dr. Roberto Colon, vice president of Quality and Safety Systems at Premier Health.

Strict state-imposed restrictions only allow visits in end-of-life situations and require additional disinfection and protection equipment for nursing home staff. However, Van Lankle stated that there were concerns that staff returning home and returning to work could unknowingly become careers.

“People are portable and have no symptoms, so there is no way to know for sure,” said Van Lankle. “They may continue to have this disease at any time.”

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Van Rankle states that several other issues have spread throughout the state in nursing homes.

Due to the lack of personal protective equipment in countries and countries, such as face masks, gowns and gloves, Van Runkle has been trying to tie the facility to the local “sewing circle”, the individual who is making the protective mask It is working.

• Nursing Homes pay employees a danger pay of $ 2 to $ 10 per hour to prevent employees from resigning.

• It is uncertain when and how additional state and federal funds will begin to flow, and some facilities are suffering from cash flow issues and will need to apply for a loan.

• Nursing homes are seeking ways to open an isolation center for COVID-19 infected patients who do not need the emergency care provided by the hospital. Uninfected residents are not at risk because they are cared for by skilled care providers who work in isolation centers that do not work anywhere.

“They don’t exist today and we’re working with the state on how this works,” Van Rankle said. “One of the issues we are currently addressing is hospitals that move or take people with COVID-19 to skilled nursing facilities. That’s a real concern for members now.”

Employees at risk

This was already before it became difficult for nursing homes and health care providers who provided a pandemic treatment for coronavirus to find and maintain nurses and other medical staff.

Van Lankle and colleagues say that despite the growing number of infected healthcare workers and the dangers of lack of personal protective equipment, healthcare workers are braving the disease at the forefront. Was.

“They care about patients,” said Yvonne Carrington, a retired registered nurse on behalf of United Nurse United at the AFL-CIO Dayton Miami Valley Regional Labor Council.

“That’s why we are nurses. We care what happens. What if it’s our loved one? I want someone to take care of it.” Clinton, a union representing nurses at the Dayton Veterans Medical Center.

Officials at Premier Health, Kettering Health Network and Dayton Virginia all say they now have adequate protective gear. Premier has two nursing homes in Miami County, a medical center campus in Virginia has a nursing home, and Kettering operates the Sycamore Glen Retirement Community, an independent living support facility in Miamisburg. I am.

“We now have the necessary personal protective equipment. The impact felt by all providers is the regular conversation about whether such equipment is sufficient in the later stages of the pandemic.” Said the colon. “Our focus is to avoid overusing PPE in situations other than those recommended, so that more cases challenge our healthcare system, so that we can maintain adequate supplies. is.”

“A lot of people are actively working on long-term needs, such as how to extend the life of PPE equipment. This is something everyone cares about right now,” added Colon. .

Curington is angry that people at the forefront of fighting COVID can face using handmade masks. She said the North American Buildings Union had agreed to donate parental gear to the National Nurses Union.

“We are the richest country in the world. We were very lazy about how to manage things,” Curington said. “It doesn’t seem like they didn’t know this. Centers for Disease Control have long known that it doesn’t matter when the next pandemic occurs. It should have been ready.”

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India Chrisman-Williams, vice president of regional operations for AdCare Health Systems, which operates two facilities at Premier Health, said the staff resigned from Koester and SpringMeade following the outbreak of COVID-19.

“We work with them and maintain open dialogue with them. Chrisman Williams said that we call people, discuss them, educate them and use them to support them. We are trying to recognize the resources we can do: “We want to maintain a relationship with them. Hopefully they will someday welcome them.”

She stated that the staff wore a mask while handling all patients and protective gowns, “according to public health guidelines.” While masks are important in stopping the spread of COVID-19, Chrisman Williams says there are unique challenges in a nursing home environment with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

“You may not know why caregivers wear masks,” says Chrisman-Williams. “I want to remove the mask for communication and communication with people, but I do not understand that there is a mask for safety.”

Resident and family restrictions

Rules are in place throughout the state that limit interactions between residents and prohibit all visitors to nursing homes and nursing homes except in end-of-life situations.

“One of the biggest challenges is getting residents to be comfortable in their apartments,” said Michel Brooke, director of the Sycamore Glen retirement community. In addition, we must find innovative ways to individually address their psychosocial, emotional, spiritual, and spiritual needs. “

According to her, one of the major changes was the need to close Sycamore’s popular dining room, causing staff to deliver 400 trays of food to residents every day.

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Sycamore and other facilities are also looking for ways to improve the remote interaction between residents and loved ones.

As nursing home restrictions began earlier this month, some have resorted to standing outside the nursing home windows and looking inside while talking to residents on the phone. Sycamore can work with residents to learn Skype and FaceTime with their families. VanRunkle purchases iPads at some facilities and allows them to visit virtually with friends and family.

“We know it was particularly difficult for families and residents.” He is the Executive Director of Consumer Voice for Quality Care, representing the interests of residents of long-term care facilities. Loris Methanka said. “It’s very worrying and very annoying.”

She said that not only did families generally provide dating to the population, but many also provided additional care tasks, such as helping to feed and obtain water glasses and monitoring the quality of care.

One might think that a pandemic is a time to return a loved one in a nursing home, but Solomon has probably found it difficult for those with serious medical needs to put it in a nursing home. I said it wasn’t the best option.

“If anyone needs to be in a nursing home, they should be in a nursing home,” said Solomon.

By numbers

75,000: Ohio people in nursing homes

35,000: Ohio people at living support facilities

35,000: Ohio in the Continuous Care Retirement Community

Source: Scripps Geriatrics Center for Robert Applebaum-Miami University

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