FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM SEPTEMBER 16, 2021 • THE QUEENS COURIER 35
wellness
Four ways long-term care can
weather the next emergency
COVID-19 has shaken communities
worldwide. Despite strenuous eff orts by
caregivers and medical professionals alike,
people needing long-term care and living
in communal care settings have suff ered
gravely. According to a New York Times
database, almost one-third of U.S. coronavirus
deaths have been tied to nursing
homes and other long-term care facilities.
As a post-pandemic world nears, a new
question emerges: What can be done to
safeguard long-term care before the next
public health emergency?
Understand the options
Communal living - especially for populations
with higher risk - increases the
odds of disease transmission. However,
nursing homes and communal care facilities
are oft en the default for long-term
care in the United States. One safe alternative
is home and community-based
services (HCBS), which enable people to
receive long-term services and supports
as they age or live with disabilities.
With HCBS, people can remain in their
own homes and hire caregivers they know
and trust. Th is approach is oft en called
self-directed services or self-direction.
People using self-direction decide who
provides their long-term support services
as well as when, where and how. From
personal care to meal prep, transportation
to skilled medical services, self-direction
puts the person receiving services, or their
designated family member, in control.
Th e Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services (CMS) encourages HCBS. During
the pandemic, HCBS has helped reduce
transmission of COVID-19. Some companies
specializing in self-directed care also
found less disruption with HCBS. At GT
Independence, a company that supports
self-direction, COO Holly Carmichael
reported no service interruptions and
found more people choosing self-direction
for safe and stable long-term care.
CMS also notes that HCBS provides
gainful employment to family members
or friends who are already providing
informal care. Fortunately, self-direction
is recognized in all 50 states, although
programs and names vary; local aging and
disability service offi ces provide guidance
on getting started.
Follow and enforce CDC
safety protocols
Regardless of where someone chooses
to receive care, strictly following CDC
safety protocols helps to instill habits that
protect the well-being of those receiving
long-term support. Personal protective
equipment (PPE), such as masks,
should be used by people needing support
and any caregivers who reside separately,
whenever and wherever services are provided.
Also, distancing people receiving
services from caregivers who are unwell
or who have been exposed to viruses minimizes
risks.
As guidelines rapidly evolve, especially
for those who are vaccinated, those
receiving care and their caregivers are
encouraged to visit the CDC website for
the latest recommendations.
Encourage paid sick leave
Caregivers typically don’t receive paid
sick leave, which oft en has unintended
consequences. Without paid leave, caregivers
may feel fi nancial pressure to work
while ill. Not only may this slow their own
recovery, but it increases the risk of exposing
the person they care for to illness.
The Families First Coronavirus
Response Act (FFCRA) has made it possible
for people receiving long-term services
and support to provide paid sick
leave to their employees or caregivers
due to pandemic-related reasons. Regular
caregivers can address their health, protect
their employer and avoid fi nancial
stress. At the same time, people receiving
care can work with their self-direction
partners to fi nd substitute care. Such
partners may maintain networks of vetted
caregivers to ensure continuity of service
and support.
Th e FFCRA has been a lifeline for many
caregivers, and it has already been extended
twice. Lawmakers should be encouraged
to make paid sick leave a viable
option for caregivers beyond the pandemic.
Prioritize HCBS options
HCBS programs have proven successful
in terms of quality of life and cost
eff ectiveness, but caregivers and programs
need recognition and support to ensure
people understand their options. A 2018
Bureau of Labor Statistics report indicated
the average healthcare support worker
made $28,720, and a Paraprofessional
Healthcare Institute study shows homecare
workers average $13,300 a year. Increased
pay would help retain and attract qualifi ed
caregivers. Direct-support professionals
are needed to reduce HCBS waitlists for
safe and eff ective services.
More people are experiencing the positive
impact of HCBS. Prioritizing this
option can reduce strains on local healthcare
systems while reducing stress and
fi nancial burdens on families. Funding
can help inform people of their choices,
get them enrolled and expand benefi ts for
participants. It can also help cover transition
costs from institutional settings to
an individual’s home, helping remove the
cost barrier.
Th e American Rescue Plan has allocated
more funding for HCBS programs
nationwide and participants and caregivers
have the opportunity to infl uence their
state and local representatives on how to
best improve the program in their areas.
COVID-19 took long-term care providers
by surprise. By learning from experience
and working to expand access to
HCBS, families and caregivers will have
better choice and control to minimize
impacts next time.
— Courtesy of BPT