CORONAVIRUS LTC UPDATE March 16, 2020

ADPH is no longer requiring patients meet a certain criteria in order to be tested for COVID-19. Any person that a physician determines qualifies for coronavirus testing should be tested. The ADPH is recommending that https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/specific-groups/high-risk-complications.html those at the highest risk be tested.

We know that senior citizens and those with chronic health problems (a perfect description of our residents) are more susceptible to contract this virus and more likely to die from complications of this virus. The task to prevent this from occurring is monumental. The Association realizes that the guidelines posted are significant and may seem extreme. We must remember that we are facing a disease that leaves the health care industry and public health care authorities with more questions than answers at this time. The authorities are working diligently to quell the spread of this disease and some of the recommendations published may seem like a hardship, but the severity of the hardship can’t be measured until the crisis passes, when there is an opportunity to review the effectiveness of those recommendations.

The ALAA is encouraging you to stay strong, reach out to others for ideas and support, and follow the guidelines and recommendations available to you. Just as a reminder, last week the ADPH ALF/SCALF regulatory unit announced that it will be using CMS guidelines and recommendations as its authoritative resource in dealing with the coronavirus. What does that mean to our facilities? For purposes of compliance (and facility liability) your facility is expected to be operating within guidelines and recommendations set out by CMS during this emergency.

Below is a link to the most recent CMS guidance for infection control and prevention of coronavirus in LTC facilities. Included in that guidance you will find information on the compliance aspect resident’s rights related to restriction of visitation, when to send a resident to the hospital, supply resources and other helpful guidance for your facility. Please review some of the links in the document for applicability to your facility.

The ALAA will send out updates as we receive them.

<https://www.cms.gov/files/document/qso-20-14-nh-revised.pdf>

https://www.cms.gov/files/document/qso-20-14-nh-revised.pdf

ASSISTED LIVING ASSOCIATION OF ALABAMA

COVID-19 posting 3-14-2020

As the Coronavirus continues to spread the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) has announced new guidelines to protect seniors in long-term care facilities. The new guidelines call for restriction of visitors and non-essential staff or other health care personnel into facilities. The ALAA is aware of many ALFs and SCALFs throughout the Alabama that have already implemented some type of visitor restriction. We encourage all providers of assisted living services in Alabama to follow the guidance of CMS during this state of emergency.

The CMS guidelines include:
**  Restricting all visitors, effective immediately, with exceptions for compassionate care, such as end-of-life situations; (In these cases, visitors will be equipped with personal protective equipment (PPE) like masks, and the visit will be limited to a specific room only.)

**  Restricting all volunteers and nonessential health care personnel and other personnel (example: beauticians);

**  Cancelling all group activities and communal dining; and

**  Implementing active screening of residents and health care personnel for fever and respiratory symptoms.

The ALAA advises all assisted living facility staff be screened prior to resident contact each day. Anyone entering the facility, such as home health or hospice staff, should also be screened for fever and respiratory symptoms before being allowed into the facility and should sign in and out.

The link to the most recent CMS guidelines is: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/cms-announces-new-measures-protect-nursing-home-residents-covid-19

The ALAA will continue to update its membership as situations change.

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