With nursing homes providing a perfect-storm environment for new coronavirus, how prepared is your older family member’s health care facility to handle or reduce the risk of an outbreak? Older adults over 60, especially those with underlying health conditions, are in the highest risk group for contracting COVID-19, a disease that is caused by a member of the coronavirus family that’s a close cousin to the SARS and MERS viruses
In Kirland, Wash, 19 deaths have been tied to an outbreak of the new virus at a nursing room, highlighting the risks for elderly and others living in close quarters. If your parent, grandparent or older family member resides in a nursing home, the facility may have already taken steps to reduce the risk of COVID-19 to staff and residents. Some actions may involve limiting visitors’ access to loved ones at residential care facilities, adding to family members’ stress and worry.
“Every family member that has a loved one in a nursing or other long term facility should immediately contact the facility and find out what steps are being taken to identify at risk residents and implement appropriate interventions,” said Chicago-injury attorney Steve Levin.
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Levin, whose law firm — Levin and Perconti — specializes in representing victims of nursing home negligence, advises calling the director of nursing at your family member’s facility and ask about the steps they are taking to protect residents and staff.
“By this point, all facilities should have a written policy and action plan available for distribution,” Levin said “If your facility does not, request that they create it as soon as possible, and follow up until they do. Facilities should already be following longstanding Centers for Disease Control guidelines for infection prevention.”
Family members should also ask care teams to provide a written plan to accommodate a loved one’s pre-existing conditions, such as compromised immunity, respiratory issues, or other conditions that require face-to-face contact from health professionals or travel outside the facility for additional care. If a written plan is not available, request a conference to make sure your loved one’s care is taking COVID-19 risks into account.
“If the facility will not provide this plan, or if you find the plan unsatisfactory, you have the right under Illinois law to request a care planning conference to ensure that your loved one’s care takes the particular risks of COVID-19 into account, Levin said.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid issued guidelines on March 9 directing nursing homes to actively screen visitors and restrict access for anyone who has shown symptoms of a respiratory infection, been exposed to someone diagnosed with COVID-19, travelled internationally to a country within the last 14 days with documented community transmission, or lives in a community where the disease is spreading.
Many industry experts are now calling for the Illinois Department of Public Health to order inspections of all nursing homes to ensure that facilities are following the CMS guidelines. Gov. J.B. Pritzker has the power and authority to direct resources to the IDPH. Concerned citizens can express their support for this action by contacting the governor’s office and completing the “Voice An Opinion” form.
Nursing homes are also restricting nonessential visitors from their facilities. If you find yourself restricted from visiting your loved one, comply with this policy and try to work with the staff to find another way to stay connected to your family member.
“If video calls using Facetime, Skype or another application are not mentioned in the care plan the facility provides, request them in writing,” Levin said.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers a list of recommended questions that families can ask nursing home leaders about infection prevention: