CDC Seeks Prompt Notification of Covid at Assisted Living Homes

Assisted living facilities, which primarily provide personal care to aging residents in a home-like social setting, should promptly inform federal health officials about residents and personnel with suspected or confirmed Covid-19, the CDC said Friday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommended that those homes implement a range of infection controls such as face masks, social distancing, and alternatives to in-person visits like video conferencing as local jurisdictions emerge from lockdowns.

The guidelines are a nod to a largely overlooked part of the long-term care industry responding to the coronavirus pandemic. Assisted living facilities have yet to receive any direct aid to battle Covid-19, even though they also serve vulnerable seniors and are generally required by state or local authorities to impose stringent protections like limiting visitors or isolating residents.

Skilled nursing facilities, by contrast, received $4.9 billion in aid last week to scale up their testing capacity and provide protective gear to staff and visitors. Industry representatives are asking for similar dedicated funding or other aid for assisted living homes.

The money for nursing homes may not be enough, however, given the Department of Health and Human Services’ recommendation that nursing homes test staff and residents on a regular basis.

Assisted living facilities are distinct from skilled nursing homes that provide medical and personal care in a clinical setting. They aren’t required to report infections or suspected cases to the National Healthcare Safety Network like skilled nursing homes, but the CDC recommends they follow similar practices.

The health safety network provides facilities with a customized system to track infections and prevention process measures in a systematic way. Tracking that information allows facilities to identify problems, improve care, and determine progress toward facility and national health care-associated infection goals.

“Given their congregate nature and population served, assisted living facilities (ALFs) are at high risk for SARS-CoV-2 spreading among their residents. If infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, assisted living residents—often older adults with underlying medical conditions—are at increased risk for severe illness,” the CDC said.