Coronavirus Concerns ... (Continued from page 45)
She said there could also be an influx of experienced nurses coming into home health care.
“I think there’s going to be a huge, growing demand. This has been the fastest-growing need for home
care services,” she said. “I think we’re going to see a tremendous growth.”
Warren Hebert, chief executive officer of the HomeCare Association of Louisiana, said he also
believed there would be increased skilled nursing in the home setting, as well as more communitybased
services and more palliative and hospice care in the home.
Hebert said families might begin seeking out additional home care options and maintaining
independent living at home following reports of how coronavirus spread widely in nursing homes
and other facilities. According to data collected by NBC News, at least one-third of the 90,000
known coronavirus deaths in the United States are linked to nursing homes and other long-term care
facilities.
“I think that we’re going to see families
thinking much harder and having much
more conversation about whether that’s the
right choice or not,” he said.
Hebert said in light of the pandemic and
fears of infectious diseases, going forward
“we need to be more intentional about the
way we go about building the relationship
between the health care provider and the
patient and the patient’s family.”
Some families have been refusing home
visits from a nurse or therapist because of
those fears, he said, so it was critical for
providers to communicate protocols and
ensure the safety of their patients.
“That home health nurse needs to find the
way to build trust and confidence with the patient and their family,” he said. “If that nurse can help
to manage the person’s chronic illness well, then it keeps them out of the hospital or an urgent care
center or the emergency department.”
Roger Noyes, director of communications for the Home Care Association of New York State, said the
“pandemic has really required all sectors of health care to rethink everything.”
“For home care, that includes everything from basic supply issues to the role of technology in
providing care,” he said.
Noyes said in New York City, home
care providers have long employed
telehealth monitoring and a range
of telecommunication systems that
have been important in keeping
patients safe during a pandemic.
But to date, Noyes said, that has not been covered by Medicare.
Beyond medical services, video technology is
providing much-needed mental and social services
during a time when so many have been isolated
from their loved ones, Noyes said.
(See Coronavirus Concerns on page 47)
46 Adviser a publication of LeadingAge New York | Summer 2020