Last week, we reported aged care homes in New York had been told by authorities they must take in patients with coronavirus from its overflowing hospitals.
California’s Department of Public Health had issued a similar order directing its 1,500 aged care homes to take in those with or recovering from the virus while taking “appropriate precautions to prevent the spread of the infection.”
Now the state has been forced to backtrack after doctors and consumer advocates came out strongly against the measures.
The new order says aged care homes can be expected to accept these residents only if certain conditions are met including:
- A local health department has to be consulted.
- The aged care home must have adequate personal protective equipment and be equipped to follow federal infection prevention and control rules.
- Patients who were suspected of having the virus but tested negative can also be transferred to aged care homes.
The Department may have trouble finding aged care homes that fits its new criteria however.
A survey by McKnight’s Long-Term Care News found the majority of aged care across the country are already understaffed and under-equipped with 77% said they don’t have enough personal protective supplies, such as masks, gowns, gloves and shoe covers.
Of the 350 providers who responded, nearly 60% said they were forced to use homemade gear or reuse the items.
An alarming situation.
