Trusting Relationships in a Retirement Community: How Swift Actions Likely Saved Lives

Mercedes Bern-Klug; Kim Bergen-Jackson

doi:10.3928/00989134-20220909-02

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Trusting Relationships in a Retirement Community: How Swift Actions Likely Saved Lives

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Trusting Relationships in a Retirement Community: How Swift Actions Likely Saved Lives

Mercedes Bern-Klug and Kim Bergen-Jackson

Journal of gerontological nursing, Vol.48(10), pp.54-56

10/01/2022

DOI: 10.3928/00989134-20220909-02

PMID: 36169295

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Abstract

The EID plan that went into effect in Oaknoll the very day the first cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Iowa City included no visitors to the health care unit or assisted living units except for end-of-life visits; extremely limited staff travel between levels of care; no resident travel between levels of care; health screening of all staff and vendors; staff training on infection control, droplet precautions, virus transmission and prevention, and hand washing; twice daily health screening for symptomatic residents; closing community dining; canceling all group activities; and initiating social distancing. The facility actions were seen as drastic by many staff, residents, and family members yet the administrator, a PhD-prepared nurse with 35 years of experience in LTC, decided to err on the side of caution. [...]information about how the virus was spread became available, the administrator opted to lead an aggressive virus prevention campaign within Oaknoll. [...]during the early months of COVID-19, the local public health agency and emergency management group met via phone with local LTC administrators for 30 minutes daily, 7 days per week. [...]a disproportionate number of COVID-19 deaths occurred in nursing home residents.

Disease Control

Medical Screening

Nursing Homes

Older People

Public Health

Collaboration

Communication

Coronaviruses

COVID-19

Disease transmission

Elder care

Masks

Meetings

Pandemics

Personal protective equipment

Retirement

Social distancing

Details

Title: Subtitle: Trusting Relationships in a Retirement Community: How Swift Actions Likely Saved Lives
Creators: Mercedes Bern-Klug - Social Work
Kim Bergen-Jackson - Residence Inn by Marriott
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of gerontological nursing, Vol.48(10), pp.54-56
Publisher: SLACK INCORPORATED
DOI: 10.3928/00989134-20220909-02
PMID: 36169295
ISSN: 0098-9134
eISSN: 1938-243X
Language: English
Date published: 10/01/2022
Academic Unit: International Programs; School of Social Work; Nursing
Record Identifier: 9984307257902771

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