CANHR Alerts, News and Resources regarding the COVID-19 Crisis.
A study from the American Health Care Association has found that the COVID-19 vaccines are contributing to lower infection rates and COVID spread in nursing homes. This study, based on preliminary data gathered shortly after the introduction of the vaccine in nursing homes in late 2020, provides evidence in favor of reopening nursing homes after its residents and staff have been vaccinated.
On January 15th CANHR hosted a Zoom town hall for California residents of long term care and their families, friends, and advocates to discuss the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in nursing homes and other long term care facilities.
Speakers included Dr. Jonathan Evans, Mike Dark and KJ Page. Dr. Evans is the former President of the American Medical Directors Association and addressed the clinical side of the vaccine, including safety and effectiveness. Mike Dark is a staff attorney for CANHR and a member of the California Vaccine Community Advisory Committee. KJ Page is the Administrator of Chaparral House in Berkeley, and spoke about what the rollout of the vaccine at an actual Long Term Care facility has been like.
On October 13th at 11:00am CANHR hosted a town hall for California residents of long term care, their families, and their friends, addressing key developments including voting rights during the pandemic, rights to visit and to exit facilities, and how to craft effective complaints to regulators to safeguard these rights.
Speakers included CANHR Executive Director Pat McGinnis, CANHR staff attorneys Tony Chicotel and Mike Dark, and CANHR Program Director Julie Pollock.
CANHR’s Visitation Rights Fact Sheet
Looking up Facilities Approved for Indoor Visitation
Find your local Ombusdman Program office
California Department of Social Services Public Information Notice regarding Influenza, Pneumonia and COVID-19
California Department of Health All Facilities Letter regarding Influenza
Organizing Family Councils
Hosted by CANHR Senior Attorney Prescott Cole. During this pandemic, scams targeting seniors are increasing at an alarming rate. Criminals have latched onto COVID-19 as a way to steal money from seniors. In this townhall, we go through several scenarios where con artists use COVID as a pretext to defraud seniors, sometimes costing them their life savings. The information in this townhall is meant to help you and your loved ones protect yourselves from the scam artists taking advantage of seniors’ concerns and fears about the COVID-19 virus.
CANHR Consumer Publications Downloads
California State Controller – Defer Property Taxes
Free Credit Reports – Now Weekly Through April 2021
Report Online Vendors Selling Fake Products
IRS Coronavirus Stimulus Payment FAQ
Eldercare Locator – Report Phone Scams
Hosted by CANHR Staff Attorney Tony Chicotel.
Good long term care should not be a casualty of COVID-19; in fact, it has never been more important. But how can residents and their families ensure that good care is being provided when so many rules have been waived and accountability is missing? In this townhall, we reviewed the state of long term care, including visitation, understaffing, and evictions, and then answer questions about the best way to ensure residents are safe and well cared for during the pandemic.
California Department of Social Services COVID-19 in RCFEs Data < – To view RCFE data, go to the link on the right side of the page entitled “COVID-19 Positive Cases in Adult and Senior Care Facilities.”
The recent California state policies described in the summaries above may have been partially motivated by our #VisitationSavesLives campaign. Now that residents are having some of their rights restored, the campaign will advocate for better state enforcement.
To read more about this campaign and see how you can help, please visit our Visitation Saves Lives Website.
Courtesy of The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care Title: What to Look for and Questions to Ask as You Resume Visits in a Long-Term Care Facility Guest: Steven Levin, Michael Bonamarte, Levin & Perconti Date: October 21, 2020 Listen on iTunes and SoundCloud Description: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted residents of long-term care facilities and their families.
By Frank Shyong, Los Angeles Times, March 1 2021 A wave of coronavirus infections and deaths hit the Kei-Ai Los Angeles Healthcare Center over the holidays. It has recorded at least 97 COVID-19 deaths. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Tracy and her family agonized over moving her grandmother from the nursing facility in Boyle Heights where she had lived comfortably for four years, especially in the middle of a pandemic.