EP60: Nursing Homes During COVID with Kenya Beard, EdD, AGACNP-BC, CNE, ANEF, FAAN

<p><strong>Nursing Homes During COVID</strong></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">"There are published checklists for how to determine the quality of care a facility can deliver. But most of that's gone out the window because COVID has changed everything." </span></em></p> <p><strong>-Melissa Batchelor, PhD, RN, FNP-BC, FGSA, FAAN</strong></p> <p><span style= "font-weight: 400;">____________________________________________________________________</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As of February 2021, 35% of COVID-19 deaths in the United States have occurred among the nursing home population - and these deaths include residents and staff. For over a year now, family caregivers, volunteers, and/ or paid companions have not been allowed to enter nursing homes. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The pandemic highlighted many problems that already existed in our nation’s nursing homes, particularly related to staffing. Many facilities struggled with short-staffing prior to COVID - but COVID has amplified staffing shortages and residents are suffering; and some have died as a result. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Providing a paid Companion has always been one option for ensuring 1:1 care in a facility for your loved one. Although families do have to pay for this out-of-pocket, some facilities are still not allowing companions into the facility - over a year into the pandemic. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In this episode of This Is Getting Old: Moving Towards an Age-Friendly World, Kenya Beard,  Associate Provost for Social Mission and Academic Excellence at Chamberlain University, will share her experience of losing her Mom due to COVID while in a nursing facility.</span></p> <h2><strong>Part One of 'Nursing Homes During COVID'.</strong></h2> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It's difficult to lose someone you love while still dealing with the horrors and uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kenya and her family went through then when their mom was