Hi Everyone,
So I just got off another CDC call and have some more interesting news for you. We’ve all heard the dreadful news about Seattle WA and their nursing homes. CDC wanted to tell us what we providers could do to prevent this from ever happening again…
First of all, if you are caring for or worried about someone over 65 years old, you must think of THEIR home as a “long-term care facility” – just like nursing homes, assisted living, memory care, and independent over 55+ communities.
How serious is this? CDC tells us they are getting their knowledge and insight from China, Korea, and Italy’s coronavirus history. It’s not pretty.

Now…here are your rules and regulations. These are precautions that ALL Long Term Care facilities must now take.
Caregiver’s alert…treat your elder’s home like a long-term care facility and use these precautions…
1) No one comes in AND out of the house (or facility) without going to a sink and washing their hands.
2) Hands are to be dried on paper towels ONLY, no towels.
3) All visitors AND workers MUST have their temperature taken before entry and AGAIN, when they leave.
4) 65+ persons (residents) must have their temperature taken daily.
5) If the 65+ person starts to show respiratory symptoms like cough or congestion, then their temperature should be taken 2-3 times a day.
6) If anyone in the home develops symptoms, isolate them for 14 days. If this is not possible, isolate to their room with the door shut and door handles washed daily. They must eat in their room. Masks must be worn before entry, and hands washed before and after entry.
7) Pay close attention to washing their hands, eyeglasses, and face regularly. Do not take eyeglasses off someone’s face without first washing your own hands. After touching them, wash your hand again.
8) DAILY wash down bathrooms, linens, medical devices, doorknobs, counters, tabletops and cups, and drinking glasses.
9) Since the 65+ patients can go from well to severe in a matter of hours, watch them closely. Do not delay if you see them struggling to catch their breath but get them to a hospital immediately. I know some older folks can be stubborn but tell them they’re going anyway or call 911.
10) Persons testing positive for the FLU can ALSO get COVID-19 and other lung infections like pneumonia. Don’t think that just because they have the FLU, you can stop all these precautions.
11) Persons 65+ infected with COVID-19 will not always start with a temperature but may become confused or fatigued or sleeping more. Don’t let this virus fool you.
12) No group activities larger than 10 and all folks must be healthy.
**If you have a loved one in a long term facility, delegate ONE family member to be the spokesperson for the family and call daily for a check-in. Know that the facility MUST abide by these guidelines and trust them to do this.
Chronic Conditions to be Concerned About…
And they added one more…SEVERE OBESITY (anyone with a BMI over 40).

Be sure to sign up for my newsletter. I am trying to get the RIGHT information out to you as quickly as I get it. And thank you all for your encouragement and good wishes as I head back into the clinic every week to else those less fortunate than us. – Suzanne