NASWCANEWS.ORG
  • Commentary
    • Feature
    • Messages
    • Opinion
    • Letter To The Editor
  • News
    • Announcements
    • Events
    • Around the State
    • News
  • Action

    Telehealth Certification Institute Holds 2021 Virtual Summit: Telemental Health Tailored to Your Practice On March 22th-24th, 2021

    Reminder: NASW-CA Offering Scholarships For Online CEUs For Social Workers Affected By Natural Disasters

    SAVE THE DATE: 2021 Statewide Membership Meeting On February 4th!

    NASW-CA President Dr. Sylvester Bowie’s Statement: The Importance Of Naming Kamala Harris As The VP Candidate — Now let’s get to work!

    NASW-CA President Dr. Sylvester Bowie’s Statement: The Importance Of Naming Kamala Harris As The VP Candidate — Now let’s get to work!

    FREE WEBINAR: Engaging students & field partners to vote in upcoming elections

    Test 1 2 3

    Executive Director’s Message: Congratulations Social Work Graduates

    Executive Director’s Message: The Power And Meaning Behind Juneteenth

    New Practice Perspectives on NASEM Consensus Study Report: READ NOW

    NASW-CA Seeking School Social Workers To Share Their Experience Amid School Closures

    NASW-CA Seeking School Social Workers To Share Their Experience Amid School Closures

    JOIN US For Our Next Monthly Virtual Peer Support Group Meeting on May 11th!

    JOIN US For Our Next Monthly Virtual Peer Support Group Meeting on May 11th!

  • Education
    • Professional Development
  • Reports
    • Region A
    • Region B
    • Region C
    • Region D
    • Region E
    • Region F
    • Region G
    • Region H
    • Region I
    • Los Angeles Region Map
    • California Region Map
  • Ads
    • Classifieds
    • Display Ads
    • How to Advertise
  • Membership
  • Videos
No Result
View All Result
  • Commentary
    • Feature
    • Messages
    • Opinion
    • Letter To The Editor
  • News
    • Announcements
    • Events
    • Around the State
    • News
  • Action

    Telehealth Certification Institute Holds 2021 Virtual Summit: Telemental Health Tailored to Your Practice On March 22th-24th, 2021

    Reminder: NASW-CA Offering Scholarships For Online CEUs For Social Workers Affected By Natural Disasters

    SAVE THE DATE: 2021 Statewide Membership Meeting On February 4th!

    NASW-CA President Dr. Sylvester Bowie’s Statement: The Importance Of Naming Kamala Harris As The VP Candidate — Now let’s get to work!

    NASW-CA President Dr. Sylvester Bowie’s Statement: The Importance Of Naming Kamala Harris As The VP Candidate — Now let’s get to work!

    FREE WEBINAR: Engaging students & field partners to vote in upcoming elections

    Test 1 2 3

    Executive Director’s Message: Congratulations Social Work Graduates

    Executive Director’s Message: The Power And Meaning Behind Juneteenth

    New Practice Perspectives on NASEM Consensus Study Report: READ NOW

    NASW-CA Seeking School Social Workers To Share Their Experience Amid School Closures

    NASW-CA Seeking School Social Workers To Share Their Experience Amid School Closures

    JOIN US For Our Next Monthly Virtual Peer Support Group Meeting on May 11th!

    JOIN US For Our Next Monthly Virtual Peer Support Group Meeting on May 11th!

  • Education
    • Professional Development
  • Reports
    • Region A
    • Region B
    • Region C
    • Region D
    • Region E
    • Region F
    • Region G
    • Region H
    • Region I
    • Los Angeles Region Map
    • California Region Map
  • Ads
    • Classifieds
    • Display Ads
    • How to Advertise
  • Membership
  • Videos
No Result
View All Result
NASWCANEWS.ORG
No Result
View All Result
Home Feature

Insights on a Virus: State dashboards show COVID-19 cases and related deaths much lower in residential board & care than nursing homes in California

by Insights on a Virus: State dashboards show COVID-19 cases and related deaths much lower in residential board & care than nursing homes in California
July 10, 2020
min read3 min
0
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Jason Bloome

COVID-19 has had a devasting impact on residents and staff in long term care facilities in California.  While no care setting is impervious to the virus, residential assisted living homes have much lower rates of COVID-19 cases and related-deaths than nursing homes. 

In California, as of July 7, 2020, there have been a cumulative total of 24,287 COVID-19 positive cases of staff and residents in nursing homes and 2,715 related deaths.

RELATED STORIES

FEATURE: A Social Worker’s Experience Receiving The COVID-19 Vaccine

FEATURE: A Social Worker’s Experience Receiving The COVID-19 Vaccine

January 20, 2021
Reflections on The Queen’s Gambit: Trauma and Loss, Resilience and Recognition

Reflections on The Queen’s Gambit: Trauma and Loss, Resilience and Recognition

December 8, 2020
A screenshot of a cell phone

Description automatically generated

In residential assisted living homes (also called residential facilities for the elderly -RCFEs), as of July 6, 2020, there have been 3,947 positive COVID-19 cases of residents and staff and 461 related deaths — approximately six times less cases and related deaths than in nursing homes. 

A picture containing screenshot

Description automatically generated

As the number of COVID-19 cases increase in California, more hospital beds will be needed to accommodate patients who require care.  Anticipating a shortage of available beds, California has ordered nursing homes to accept COVID-19 patients discharged from hospitals.  For many nursing homes accepting COVID-19 patients is a good business: the reimbursement rate for a COVID-19 patient can be up to $800/day —four times higher than the rate paid for a long-term care patient.  

Many California nursing homes have low star ratings from Medicare Compare for poor staffing.  Insufficient staffing will continue to be a problem during the COVID-19 crisis with new state guidelines) issued by California titled: “Suspension of Regulatory Enforcement of Specified Skilled Nursing Facility Requirements” that allow nursing homes that experience staff shortages due to COVID-19 and/or a surge of COVID-19 patients to apply for 90-day waivers that suspend federal and staff mandated minimum staffing requirements.

With fewer cases and related-deaths due to COVID-19, residential assisted living homes are safer than nursing homes for seniors who require 24-hour custodial care.  Unlike nursing homes, they cannot apply for waivers to reduce staffing, have no financial interest in accepting patients who are COVID-19 positive and have stringent policies which require new residents be COVID-19 negative prior to admittance. 

The risk of exposing current residents to the virus by outsiders is much less in small residential assisted living homes (frequently called board and care homes) where two staff care for 4-6 residents than in nursing homes where a large staff (e.g. nurses, administrators, cleaners, cooks, office staff, etc.) generate a large volume of daily incoming foot-traffic.

As COVID-19 continues to plague nursing homes, one population of seniors who would benefit from small residential assisted living homes are those who require long-term care who normally transfer from hospitals to nursing homes for rehabilitation services. Hospital social workers should consider informing families of a better alternative: bypass the nursing home with direct hospital discharge to a residential assisted living home where rehabilitation and long-term custodial care can be provided in the same setting. 

Jason Bloome is owner of Connections – Care Home Referrals, an information and referral agency to care homes in Southern California founded in 1990. More information at carehomefinders.com.

Sources:
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CHCQ/LCP/Pages/AFL-20-32.aspx

https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/Additional-Resources/Research-and-Data/DSSDS/7-06.pdf

https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/SNFsCOVID_19.aspx

Tags: COVID-19FeatureFeature: Insights on a Virus: State dashboards show COVID-19 cases and related deaths much lower in residential board & care than nursing homes in California

Related Posts

FEATURE: A Social Worker’s Experience Receiving The COVID-19 Vaccine
Feature

FEATURE: A Social Worker’s Experience Receiving The COVID-19 Vaccine

January 20, 2021
Reflections on The Queen’s Gambit: Trauma and Loss, Resilience and Recognition
Feature

Reflections on The Queen’s Gambit: Trauma and Loss, Resilience and Recognition

December 8, 2020
Poetry Corner: Democracy Is Like A Garden
Feature

NASW-CA’s Poetry Corner: Hymn of a Strong Woman

November 12, 2020
Poetry Corner: Democracy Is Like A Garden
Feature

Poetry Corner: Democracy Is Like A Garden

October 27, 2020
The 57th Anniversary of MLK Jr’s March On Washington: Until The Dream Becomes Reality
Feature

The 57th Anniversary of MLK Jr’s March On Washington: Until The Dream Becomes Reality

September 8, 2020
A Call To Action: The Time for Change is Now
Feature

A Call To Action: The Time for Change is Now

August 14, 2020
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube

National Sites:

NASW National Site
NASW Press
Social Workers Speak
NASW Blogs
Privacy Policy

Contact Us

NASW-CA Chapter
1016 23rd Street
Sacramento, CA 95816
Phone: 916-442-4565
Fax: 916-442-2075
email: naswnews@naswca.org

California Sites:

NASW California Chapter
Socialwork Web
Become a Member

© 2020 naswcanews - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Commentary
    • Feature
    • Messages
    • Opinion
    • Letter To The Editor
  • News
    • Announcements
    • Events
    • Around the State
    • News
  • Action
  • Education
    • Professional Development
  • Reports
    • Region A
    • Region B
    • Region C
    • Region D
    • Region E
    • Region F
    • Region G
    • Region H
    • Region I
    • Los Angeles Region Map
    • California Region Map
  • Ads
    • Classifieds
    • Display Ads
    • How to Advertise
  • Membership
  • Videos

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.AcceptRead more