If there’s any silver lining to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s the speed with which we’ve all developed innovative solutions to try to return to some form of normal. Whether it’s restaurants shifting focus to takeout and delivery or zoos and museums reopening with reservation-based models or neighborhood driveway happy hours, everyone is doing their best to make this work.
And senior living is no exception to that. With lockdowns enforced rapidly to reduce the risk to residents, that meant social interactions—particularly valuable visits with friends and family—were shut down, too. But as quickly as we saw the orders put in place, we also saw solutions emerge. Take Lantern of Chagrin Valley Senior Care Center in Ohio, which created a “hug booth” with thick, clear plastic separating residents from family members and arm holes cut in to allow hugs (with shoulder-length gloves on each person). Aegis Living in Bellevue, Wash., similarly created outdoor living rooms, a cozy seating area for residents and guests but with plexiglass walls separating them.
While we all hope these solutions are temporary, they’re also imperative. The social isolation that all of us are feeling is only exacerbated for seniors who may be largely restricted to their units, as communities begin carefully reopening dining services and other social programs. It was an important topic explored during the recent EFA Virtual Conference held June 1-2—our own response to the environment we’re working in today. When the EFA Expo & Conference scheduled for April had to be canceled, we decided not to miss the opportunity to bring this industry together, albeit virtually, and to offer a selection of the educational content we already had lined up.
Part of the event included a keynote panel discussion on the future of senior living design in a post-pandemic world (for a recap of that discussion, go here). One of the major issues covered was how old, institutional models for skilled nursing played a role in the spread of COVID-19, while smaller, household-based communities have fared much better.
While there’s long been an argument for enhanced resident dignity when we talk about private rooms and baths and smaller neighborhoods to create a truly residential feel, the finances of a shift away from multibed, institutional environments don’t make it an easy transition. But these past few months may now bring valuable data showing that these approaches also help control the spread of infection thanks to smaller clusters of residents, the ability to isolate in place, and dedicated staff to each household.
This could be what inspires greater change—whether that’s in the form of investment or regulatory changes, or both—that could spur a new era of skilled nursing. Now that would be a silver lining.
To share your perspectives and insights, email Editor-in-Chief Jennifer Kovacs Silvis at jennifer.silvis@emeraldx.
