Even amid COVID surge, many seniors housing operators not increasing move-in restrictions: NIC
By
Amy Novotney
Jan 15, 2021
Roughly two-thirds of long-term care organizations report that they have not increased move-in restrictions. Operators presumably are now more confident in infection prevention and creative, safe visitation...
Coronavirus exposure protects healthcare workers for at least 6 months, investigators say
By
Alicia Lasek
Jan 06, 2021
The presence of antibodies — a sign of previous coronavirus exposure — has been tied to a substantially reduced risk of SARS-CoV-2 re-infection in hospital workers.
Feds pledge 30 million more coronavirus tests for 2021
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 18, 2020
The additional allotment will allow officials to keep providing Abbott BinaxNow tests to skilled nursing facilities, assisted living communities, and other vulnerable groups through at least March, said...
Parkinson: Vaccinate all long-term care by March and slash coronavirus mortality 40 percent
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 08, 2020
A one-month delay “could result in more than 20,000 of our residents losing their lives when a vaccine could have saved them,” AHCA / NCAL leader Mark Parkinson said Monday.
Feds uncover coronavirus’s heavy toll on assisted living
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 20, 2020
As of Oct. 15, 22% of assisted living communities in 39 states reported cases of COVID-19 among residents and staff members. Rates ranged widely, from 1.3% of communities in Iowa to 93% of Connecticut...
U.S. labs predict COVID test delays, cite surge in demand
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 16, 2020
Long-term care facilities soon may face longer waits for PCR test results as diagnostic laboratories reach or exceed testing capacity, lab reps say. The warning comes as U.S. COVID cases spike upward.
It’s official: Community pharmacies partner with feds for COVID vaccine distribution
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 16, 2020
Future vaccines will be available to community pharmacies through partnerships with network
administrators, HHS has announced. The public-private collaboration will help cover expected distribution gaps,...
Shared nursing home bathrooms, bedrooms tied to larger COVID outbreaks
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 11, 2020
Crowded facilities are more likely to experience larger and deadlier COVID-19 outbreaks, finds a study of 600 nursing homes in Ontario. There, 60% of residents live in shared rooms.
Nursing home COVID cases rise four-fold in surge states, resident deaths double, data shows
By
Alicia Lasek
Nov 10, 2020
The rising weekly case count includes residents and staff in 20 states. Meanwhile, about one in six nursing homes did not report testing staff members in the prior week.
AHCA: Rising COVID cases may forecast ‘third spike’ in nursing homes
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 20, 2020
Weekly nursing home case counts rose in late September, corresponding with a growing number of infections in the general population, the AHCA reports. Replenished relief funding will help prevent another...