Applying Evidence to Inform State Responses to COVID-19 in Nursing Homes and Long-Term Care Settings
One of the earliest hot spots of the COVID-19 pandemic was in a Seattle-area nursing home. To this day, the virus disproportionately affects residents of long-term care facilities nationwide. States took different approaches in an attempt to mitigate the initial spread of COVID-19, but communities are beginning to see another rise in cases.
Mathematica and a panel of experts from across the country shared the latest evidence on how COVID-19 has affected nursing home residents and how evidence can be used to inform policy recommendations for state regulators, agency and long-term care industry executives, legislators, and other key stakeholders. Panelists discussed testing approaches for residents and staff; the role of nursing home staffing in mitigating the impact of COVID-19; how nursing homes and their state regulators should balance resident health and safety to reduce social isolation; and how states might set up their reporting systems to ensure they have real-time data to identify and control hot spots.
Panelists included:
- Patricia Rowan, researcher, Mathematica
- Beverley Laubert, Ohio long-term care ombudsman, Department of Aging
- Dr. Charlene Harrington, professor emeritus, University of California San Francisco School of Nursing
- Brian Lee, executive director, Families for Better Care
- Kimberly Smoak, chief, Bureau of Field Operations for the Division of Health Quality Assurance, Florida Agency for Health Care Administration; and president-elect of Association of Health Facility Survey Agencies
Moderator:
Jackie Fortiér, reporter, KPCC Radio
