The Devastating Effect of Lockdowns on Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities During COVID-19

On March 13, 2021, it will be one year since the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued an order preventing everyone but essential healthcare workers from entering facilities. To date, despite some loosening of visitation restrictions, tens of thousands of residents have still not seen their families and loved ones in person. Chronic short-staffing of nursing homes that plagued facilities before the pandemic has gotten worse, with almost 1 in 5 facilities reporting staff shortages in aides. As a result, the lockdown has resulted in many residents suffering from isolation and neglect. In late 2020, The Consumer Voice conducted an informal survey of families that had visited with their loved ones to learn how the lockdown has impacted residents' condition. The overwhelming response was that families met residents who had experienced significant declines in their physical and mental health. In this episode of the Pursuing Quality Long-Term Care podcast, Sam Brooks and Lori Smetanka of Consumer Voice will discuss the survey results and Consumer Voice’s call to safely reopen facilities so that families can provide necessary care and support to residents.