Providing top-notch health care to their residents is always the number-one goal of any nursing home. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many residences are intensifying their senior wellness efforts. Here are a few measures that have been put into place at many assisted living and long-term care facilities across the country.

4 COVID-19 Precautions to Prioritize Senior Health Care

1. Implementing Additional Employee Safety Measures

While most nursing homes already follow strict protocols to protect resident health, extra safety measures are now in place. In addition to undergoing routine screening, employees are instructed to use personal protective equipment and practice proper hand hygiene. As always, employees are also asked to stay home if they have any symptoms of illness.

2. Performing Routine Symptom Screenings

At the suggestion of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, individuals at nursing homes, including residents and staff members, are routinely screened for virus symptoms. This includes daily temperature checks and brief health care assessments. To watch for early signs of illness, residents are questioned about any changes in their health, like if they noticed an onset of respiratory symptoms overnight.

3. Restricting Visitors

To prioritize the health care of their residents, many facilities are restricting visitors to essential personnel only. This is based on an advisory from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and it aims to minimize the chances of an outside party bringing the virus into the facility. Nursing homes are notifying family members about this change, as well as posting signs at entrances.

4. Adjusting Resident Life

Since it’s possible to transmit the illness without showing symptoms, further protective measures are being put in place, including changes to resident life. Residents are asked to practice social distancing and to wear protective cloth masks whenever they leave their rooms. Social activities, like communal dining, are being suspended until further notice.

As a company that’s committed to the care of its residents and patients, Hale Makua Health Services in Maui, HI is closely monitoring COVID-19 developments and adhering to guidance from health officials. Timely updates are posted with any virus-related information on their website, and you can call (808) 877-2761 if you have any questions.