As the COVID-19 pandemic persists into late 2020, findings from the new NSHAP-COVID Study show that many older adults are resuming in-person interactions. Older adults who are known to be at higher risk for COVID-19 would be expected to be particularly careful about potential exposure to the virus. Yet the data show that 53% of older adults report no change …
To mitigate the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), nursing homes are following the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services guidelines and are not allowing communal dining, group activities, and only essential visitors are allowed. A study was conducted on data analysis of nursing home resident weights from a single 240-bed non-profit nursing home located in a suburban area, …
In 2019, nearly 81% of U.S. adults owned a smartphone capable of transmitting location data, and many U.S. prediction models are using, or plan to use, cell phone location data as a tool to help summarize human behavior as a means to understand disease spread and inform policy. However, evidence to support cell phone location data as a marker of …
During a period of visiting restrictions, it is important to strengthen the communication between nursing home staff and relatives of nursing home residents. Timely communicate information on what the visiting restrictions entail, and frequently inform relatives on health, well-being, and care planning of nursing home residents. Also, communication between nursing home residents and their relatives is vital. Facilitate regular communication …
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its recommendations for likely person-to-person spread of SARS-CoV-2 to warn about the risk of multiple, brief, “close contact” encounters with others who are positive for COVID-19. New data suggest each close encounter, coming within 6 feet of an infected person, can increase the risk for transmission. Previously, the CDC cautioned against …
Weeks after issuing social distancing orders to suppress severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission and reduce growth in cases of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (covid-19), all U.S. states and the District of Columbia partially or fully relaxed these measures. In a study published in the Oxford Academic – Clinical Infectious Diseases on October 3, 2020, researchers identified an …
Social isolation has many adverse effects on people and can negatively impact seniors as well as young people. Detriments of social isolation are not picky- it affects everyone! Due to this, there has been research on the idea of “Social Bubbles;” so what is a social bubble? Here are a few key points: A social bubble is when two families …
What’s better than one hero? A team of heroes! The Gower Convalescent Center of Gower, Missouri has been keeping residents busy with activities and drive-by visits from families, but pulled off a special surprise recently with the help of multiple local heroes. Anticipating the unique challenges that would affect this year’s Mother’s Day, Ashley Leach of Ashley Leach Photography wanted …
