Guidance for families worried about COVID-19.
Is it a good idea to bring a loved one home from a long-term care setting during the coronavirus epidemic?
“There are no easy answers that apply to all situations, and for most people … the answer is to stay put,” writes a group of long-term care and medical experts in a recent article for Next Avenue. “But there are some who may benefit from temporarily moving out and into their family’s home or another non-institutional setting. The answer depends on individual goals and preferences.”
The authors include Robyn Stone, co-director of the LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston.
The Next Avenue article guides families through a series of questions they should ask before deciding to move a loved one:
- Can the loved one get appropriate care outside of the care setting?
- Will you be allowed to continue visiting him or her in the care setting?
- Will the person be able to return to the care setting at a later date?
- How will a move impact your family?
- How well can your household control infection risk?
- How accessible is your home?
- What will happen if your loved one contracts COVID-19 after moving out of the care setting and then needs medical care?
The authors also encourage families to pose a series of questions to their long-term care provider, including how well the care setting is reducing infection risk, whether staff members are screened for signs of illness, and how staff are trained to reduce their exposure to COVID-19 in other health care settings and the community.
“Clarifying our individual goals and preferences now can be the starting point for making decisions that are best for loved ones, for long-term-care facilities, and for our society,” conclude the authors.