I have been saying for months that the strategy of our federal government regarding covid-19 was apparently “learn to live with it.” And now they’ve actually said it.
So I am supposing the same applies to senior living communities of all descriptions: independent and assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and so forth. Don’t expect any specific guidance or special treatment from the government, aside from some amount of funding that won’t even buy band aids. If you are a firm believer in laissez-faire, that’s wonderful. If you believe the government should intervene, then it’s not.
Of course, and as we have seen, the effects of covid-19, once it gains a toehold within a senior care environment, are devastating, owing to the age and health of the residents and the close proximity within which they live, dine and congregate.
The philosophy of learning to live with covid-19 within senior care presents a set of challenges for staff, residents and families alike. The challenges aren’t insurmountable, but the tactics used to ward off the pandemic must be applied vigilantly and without exception.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, individuals over 65 may do without wearing masks after receiving two doses of the appropriate COVID vaccine. However, continuing to wear FDA-approved KN95 masks increases the level of protection among the members of a senior living community.
KN95 masks and similar devices absorb droplets when we sneeze or cough. All age groups are at risk of contracting COVID-19, but it’s older people who are more prone to developing severe illness if they catch the virus. The added protection a mask brings, along with vaccination, offers a better safeguard against the deadly coronavirus.
A recent survey revealed the things prospective residents would look for in a senior living community that was successfully managing the pandemic’s spread:
- cleaning and disinfecting programs
- covid-19 testing with rapid results
- having a primary care physician available on-site or via telehealth
That doesn’t seem like too much to ask.
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