What to Consider Before Moving a Parent Into Assisted Living During COVID-19

Moving a parent into assisted living is especially fraught during the coronavirus pandemic, reports Next Avenue . Argentum has been urging assisted-living communities to obtain federal funding and priority access to COVID-19 tests and personal protective equipment for frontline staff. With live tours of assisted-living communities rare at the moment, families could tour them via Facetime or Zoom and speak with managers about their concerns via phone. Among the most frequent questions that are being asked include the community's procedures for testing residents and staff for the virus, whether the community has had COVID-19 cases, and what the community's plans are in the event of a coronavirus outbreak. Moreover, it is critical to know the safety protocols in place to prevent the spread of the virus and whether new residents are quarantined or tested before or upon arrival. Finally, with the pandemic exacerbating the sense of isolation in older adults, which can cause or worsen depression and cognitive decline, caregivers and staff should expect to be asked about what measures they are taking to keep residents engaged.