As more events and schools shut down to follow social distancing and prevention protocols, the most vulnerable group, the elderly, are living in close quarters in assisted living centers around Hays County.
“Given their congregate nature and residents served (e.g., older adults often with underlying chronic medical conditions), nursing home populations are at the highest risk of being affected by COVID-19,” according to the CDC website page about nursing homes.
The Hays Free Press has called several assisted living centers and few have responded, but most are following strict CDC guidelines.
Under guidelines issued on March 9, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) urged facilities that are in counties, or counties adjacent to other counties where a COVID-19 case has occurred to limit visitation to essential (medically necessary or extenuating circumstances) visits. Two days later, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared Coronavirus a pandemic. During President Donald Trump’s coronavirus address that day, he stated that “…we are strongly advising that all nursing homes for the elderly suspend all medically unnecessary visits.”
Although assisted living communities are not categorized as nursing homes, they are considered long-term care facilities for the elderly, which is the most at-risk demographic for this virus. Therefore, due to the continued pattern of transmission of COVID-19 in the United States and the evidence of community spread, local assisted living centers made the tough decision to stop allowing nonmedical visitors into the community.
Community administration is instead urging residents and their families to employ technologies such as Skype or FaceTime to keep in direct touch, even though they are aware of the possible hardships that might present.
Physicians, nurse practitioners, home health and hospice providers will still be granted access, and will undergo a travel screening, symptoms screening, and have their temperature checked prior to being allowed inside the community. If there are extenuating circumstances in which a family member needs to visit a loved one, the executive director should be contacted.
Additionally, all community events have been cancelled for March and April.
The Hays Free Press has not been able to contact corporate and learn more about what will happen if the resident has a high fever.
The CDC encourages family members of older adults, prone to the virus, to know what kind of medications your loved one needs and help them get extra supplies on hand, and to stock up on medical supplies such as oxygen, and items relating to incontinence, dialysis and wound care.
The following statement was issued by Deer Creek of Wimberley:
“We have been closely monitoring the situation and have reviewed the latest information provided by the Centers for Disease Control, the American Health Care Association, local health departments, and the Society for Post-Acute and Long Term Care Medicine.
“We are using those protocols and the latest-available information to develop education and tools for the Centers related to the Coronavirus or COVID 19. We are screening our vendors and staff to be sure that they are safe to be in the Centers.
“Furthermore, we are keeping in regular contact with our suppliers and vendors, as well as our pharmacy providers.”
