CNN with Anderson Cooper

Woke up a few times last night and actually added to my talking points.  Ironically, one of those ended up in the blurb that CNN posted on twitter.  I must have done something right.

https://twitter.com/CNN/status/1247993871847620608?s=20

Final Talking Points:

The first case of COVID-19 in the United States was a resident of a nursing home in Kirkland, Washington. Geriatricians and experts in long term care immediately knew the danger this virus poses to older adults. We’re working tirelessly to share this knowledge with policy makers.

“That's right, Anderson, my response was heartfelt, knowing that without adequate testing, PPE and good infection control practices, nursing homes can be an "Accelerant” for the COVID19 infection.  This can put both residents and staff at risk.  

Policy Makers haven’t been paying attention to nursing homes.  We need to build a “moat” around nursing homes immediately.  That requires testing, PPE, and stellar infection control practices.

Talking points:

1. There’s a reason they’re called nursing homes.  They are “home” to many vulnerable individuals.  There’s also a reason people are there. Half of them have dementia, and moving them can create a lot of problems. Only a small percentage, generally not more than 10-20% would normally be able to be taken care of at home.  

1. With that said, if you’re going to bring a loved one home, you need to have stellar infection control in your home and your family needs to have been self-isolating for two weeks, otherwise, you risk exposing Grandma to the virus anyway.  Families also don’t have the necessary caregiver training to deliver the type of care that nursing home staff provide.

1. This our “catch-22”:  nursing homes haven been given the tools and resources to adequately prepare to face this virus, which isn’t their fault.  We haven’t been given adequate PPE or testing. This has greatly hampered our ability to effectively fight the virus in nursing homes.  

1. Our first case came from a transfer from another facility that didn’t know the person was infected.  This is an example of how lack of testing hampers our ability to fight this infection. It also demonstrates the risks of any transfers, even to families. The staff at the LAJH are doing what they do best, caring for vulnerable older adults. 

1. The Los Angeles Jewish Home has finally been given some testing resources, working with the Mayor’s office. 

1. During a crisis we need to quickly educate policy makers, public health departments, and health care systems whose decisions have powerful effects.  This virus moves too quickly to be wasting time on ineffective approaches. We’ve put together actionable plans for more effective infection control practices.