These are turbulent times. The senior population has been identified as the most at-risk demographic for COVID-19. Information coming out about COVID-19 is very fluid, which can also contribute to overall stress. Thankfully there are ways to try and manage stress and stay as healthy as possible during this time thanks to advice from several federal agencies monitoring the situation and the impact of COVID-19 on the senior population. This article highlights some of the advice provided from those agencies monitoring this situation closely.

For those living in a nursing home or long-term care living facility, new protocols have been established by the federal government to curb the spread of Coronavirus. A new preparedness checklist is available on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). It includes staff education and training for the rapid identification and management of ill residents, as well as an increase in supplies and resources. There are also restrictions on all visitation, excepting some circumstances like an end of life situation.  Other restrictions have been placed on volunteers and non-essential health care personnel, and the cancellation of all group activities and communal dining.

Before the identification and dissemination of information about Coronavirus, the CDC had identified the 2019-2020 flu season as being particularly challenging. Now many seniors wonder whether they have a different type of flu, allergies, or are experiencing the Coronavirus. Not knowing is particularly frightening since seniors have been identified as the demographic with the highest mortality rate. The CDC has a straightforward checklist of symptoms of respiratory infection, including COVID-19:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

Because other types of flu have similar symptoms and there is no Coronavirus vaccine, and its test is in very short supply, many older adults will only be able to treat their symptoms without full knowledge as to the contagion.

One their website under “How to Prepare” the CDC provides information on protecting yourself, your family, your home, and managing anxiety and stress. According to the CDC, there are some things that seniors can do whether or not they are in a facility or living at home that can help reduce their risk of catching the Coronavirus or any other virus for that matter in this bad flu season. The first line of defense sounds counterintuitive to a global pandemic, but it is crucial, stay calm and try to relax.

Getting quality sleep during this outbreak will allow your body the time it needs to restore immunity responses to contagions. Stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Staying calm, getting restful sleep, and remaining hydrated will allow your body’s natural defense mechanisms to protect itself.

Have someone near you help you stock up on supplies. Stay in your home as much as possible. If the weather permits, open a window for fresh air. If you have a home with a porch or patio, take in some sun for vitamin D. You want your immune system to be as robust as possible. Take everyday precautions to keep space between yourself and others. If it is not necessary, don’t go out in public, avoid crowds, stay away from anyone who is sick, and wash your hands often. Cancel any cruise or non-essential air travel and do not use public transportation.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has posted a list of disinfectants for use against the Coronavirus. Proper disinfecting of often-used surfaces is critical as this particular Coronavirus can live for long periods, up to 72 hours on some surfaces. As of now, the EPA reports no detection of COVID-19 in drinking water supplies and believes the risk to the water supply is low based on current evidence.

The CDC is reporting that seniors with chronic medical conditions like heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and should take extra precautions about self-isolating. Those seniors with these conditions in a nursing home or long term care facility will be triaged according to CDC guidelines for best practices with the elderly who are the highest risk.

If you feel worried and panic is taking over your rational responses, seek a loved one or trusted friend to guide you through the steps you can take. There is a great deal that is unknown about the Coronavirus, but there is a great deal known about what you can do as an individual senior to combat the threat and remain healthy.

We would be happy to discuss any questions or concerns you have as we continue to understand the impact of COVID-19 on our country.

If you have questions or need guidance in your planning or planning for a loved one, please do not hesitate to contact our office by calling us at (513) 771-2444.

In these scary times, it’s important to be prepared if you or a loved one gets sick and can’t make decisions for themselves about healthcare or finances. Banks, insurance companies, and medical providers will not listen to what another person says about what you need, not without up-to-date legal documents.

But how are you, or someone you know or love, supposed to get those documents, and still do your bit to keep physical distance so we can stop this virus and get back to easier times?

Internet is the answer. Almost everything you need from us can be delivered remotely without your setting foot outside, as long as you have a good phone or internet connection. From the safety and comfort of your home, you can get just about all the way to the goal:  peace of mind from knowing that your family or another trusted person can pick up the reins for you, so you or your loved ones get the care you need.

On the other hand, if you prefer to, or must, consult us in person, be reassured that we are taking extraordinary care to protect all our health by adhering strictly to Centers for Disease Control guidelines.

In these challenging times, we all must do all we can to strengthen our resilience, optimism, good planning, and teamwork. Here is how to safeguard your and our health while you access uninterrupted legal services.

1. We invite you to take advantage of internet capability. Of course, we would love to see you in person, but, these days, let’s keep in close contact outside of physical presence. If you have a good phone or internet connection, we can meet together via phone or video conference. You can get and send documents via email. We can stay connected “virtually” so that in most cases, you can get everything up to (but not yet including) signing, without budging from home.
2. Once we begin seeing clients in our office, we will take every precaution CDC recommends. We all are conscientious about strict infection-control protocols, physical distance, and frequent sanitizing of high-touch surfaces. For now, you will be welcomed with a warm smile instead of the usual handshake or hug!

However, your help is essential. Please, if you aren’t feeling well or are showing symptoms, reschedule your appointment or ask about alternative means of meeting.

3. For now, our clients and friends in hospitals or nursing homes can’t count on us to visit as we used to. However, facilities usually have people on hand who can witness and notarize signings. They also have internet connectivity. So, you or your loved ones’ documents might still get created, updated, and signed in most cases, even though we can’t physically be together. These days, given the current realities, it is more important than ever that especially vulnerable people get current documents in place.

Now is the time to make sure you and yours have the proper documents in place, so your trusted person can handle legal, financial, and health-care decisions for you if you cannot do so yourself. Take the few easy steps to get prepared.  We can help prepare these important documents and guide you through the decision-making process. Please contact our office by calling us at (513) 771-2444.

May we all stay safe and well.

Fears that provisions in a coronavirus-related relief action by the US government could have severely curtailed the workforce in senior assisted living, independent living, memory care, and continuing care retirement communities provide a cautionary tale. The bill, HR 6201, is a multi-billion dollar aid package known as Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The bill has recently been signed into law by the US President. Influential leaders, CEOs, and corporate Presidents in the senior care and housing industry addressed facility workforce concerns directly to the House Speaker Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader McConnell (R-KY) before the passing of H.R.6201.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Law expands unemployment and Medicaid benefits, provides for free coronavirus testing, and mandates paid sick leave and childcare. Now that schools have closed throughout the country for an indefinite time, the fear is that many senior care workers will, unsurprisingly, put their family before their healthcare worker employment. A reprieve of sorts was added before the law being enacted, which states that only certain employees can qualify for paid sick leave.  Because of these loopholes, healthcare workers like first responders, and hospital and nursing home staff are ineligible for paid sick leave per the Families First Coronavirus Response Law (FFCRL) amid fears of staffing shortages among medical providers.

Healthcare worker exemption from some FFCRL benefits is a relief to the senior housing industry but by no means mitigates other workforce challenges during the coronavirus pandemic. The pervasiveness of this contagion means that healthcare workers will be exposed to, and some will fall ill with full-blown coronavirus symptoms and illness. Obviously, in these cases, the healthcare worker will be removed from the senior living facility for quarantine and recovery and to protect the facility’s residents and staff. One coronavirus confirmed healthcare worker begins a domino effect within a facility. Regular operations become short-staffed, and operators face the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocols that co-workers must also face quarantine.

Beyond coronavirus exposure, symptoms, and the diagnosed virus itself, there is the problem of how healthcare workers respond in a pandemic. The non-stop news and social media coverage of the coronavirus has put many Americans on edge, including health care workers. In a crisis, some people respond logically and calmly, while others may become fearful of their own circumstances and respond emotionally. Most healthcare workers would put their own family’s health needs and care before any employment, and in a free society, there is nothing to compel them to stay in a job if they choose to tend first to their own family.

If your loved one is in a senior living facility, what can you do to mitigate the negative consequences of workforce disruption due to the coronavirus? In the short term, if you are able and your senior is well enough, you can put them under your care. Beyond family care, unless you have the resources for private pay at any cost, you, like the rest of us, are in the system and have to wait out the virus and its effects. There is no guarantee moving forward how the coronavirus will play out in senior living communities, America, and around the world.

One of the few things you do have control over is to assure your loved one has proper legal documents for end of life decisions. Take the time to review them to ensure they are in order. A do not resuscitate order (DNR), durable medical power of attorney, and end of life wishes should be on file with your loved ones living facility and the local hospital. Additional legal copies of these documents should remain in your car or on your person in the event a facility is unable to locate the paperwork. Preparing for the worst-case scenario is a harsh reality; however, it could make the difference between chaotic suffering and a peaceful passing.

We can help draft appropriate documents for you and your loved ones. If you have questions or need guidance in your planning or planning for a loved one, please do not hesitate to contact our Cincinnati, Ohio office by calling us at (513) 771-2444.