Join us Thursday, May 28 (noon ET), with guest speaker Steve Byrum, expert behind the Judgment Index™, to learn how measuring judgment ensures you put the right people in the right jobs.

Proven to improve recruitment, retention, and customer satisfaction, participants will have a chance to sample the assessment, with results explained in a follow-up webinar.

As if all-time high staff turnover during the last several years wasn't enough, COVID-19 emergence has brought about staffing challenges that require innovation, creativity and adaptability at all levels of skilled nursing.

According to a Senior Housing News survey, staffing challenges are second only to adequate PPE right now. In addition, SNFs can expect an entirely new segment of displaced workers as applicants, so creativity in recruiting from this group can only help.

Consider these tips in terms of messaging to new applicants:

1. Above all, be empathetic to their situation
2. Rather than canned job descriptions, paint a day in the life for applicants
3. Communicate how they can help others and the rewarding aspects of senior care (Millennials are most interested in careers that give back)
4. Explain how proven customer service skills will be of valued by working directly with residents
5. Promote perks, benefits and job security
6. Underscore safety and health as top priorities
7. “Experience not required.” Share what kind of training will be provided
8. Be flexible with scheduling and shift swapping for part-time employees – many people are juggling child care and other family situations

Finally, consider collaborating with other industries that have been impacted, with the understanding that some hires may wish to return to former careers in customer-service fields.  

For scientific advice on how to hire the right people for the right job, don't miss our May 28 Webinar: When Staffing Takes a 180, Assess Don't Guess with life-long Judgement Index™ expert, Steve Byrum. And, get a free assessment for participating!

Coronavirus fears continue to escalate across the country. As the number of confirmed cases continues to rise, senior care communities are growing increasingly nervous — and rightfully so. In a previous article, we stated that we didn’t believe COVID-19 to be the world-ender that many media outlets were making it out to be. And, while we still don’t believe this is the beginning of the post-apocalyptic societies so many science-fiction movies have warned us about, we can admit that things have taken a more serious turn. Our initial response could potentially be seen as dismissive, and COVID-19 is something that should not be dismissed.

Schools have shut down, closing their doors until April or later. The CDC released a statement that any gatherings of 50 people or more should be cancelled or postponed for at least eight weeks to help slow the spread of the disease. Guidelines released by the White House on March 16th suggested avoiding gatherings of ten or more people. Nursing homes have begun limiting or outright denying guest access to facilities in order to protect their residents, upsetting many families.

In the midst of the escalation, Argentum has released Coronavirus Preparation & Response Toolkit, giving senior care providers a one-stop shop for COVID-19 information and suggestions for dealing with the fallout of this pandemic.

What Resources Are Included?

Argentum’s toolkit includes up-to-date information from the CDC, resources from the U.S. Department of Labor, a preparedness checklist for nursing homes and long-term care settings, and updated guidelines for public health and safety, among other links.

What Can I Do Right Now?

The toolkit also provides an overview and instructions on five critical actions senior care providers and their staffs can take beginning now. The safety of your residents is paramount, and their demographic is the one hardest hit by this disease.

What Other Information Is Included?

The toolkit also includes everything that is known about the virus and the disease it causes so far. You can learn about the disease’s symptoms, how it spreads, and updates on testing availability. It ends with best practice ideas and suggestions for how your community should respond.

We applaud Argentum for putting this toolkit together, taking the time to gather the information and resources available and compile them into one easy-to-access location. You can find Argentum’s Coronavirus Preparation & Response Toolkit right here.

You can’t turn on a TV or read a news story without hearing about the continuing spread of coronavirus. Travel plans are being postponed, events and conventions are being cancelled, and sales on products like hand sanitizer are spiking. Coronavirus has kept cruise ships from docking and reminded the entire world how important it is to wash your hands. Many workplaces and colleges are encouraging remote work from the safety of home. It’s even been blamed for a recent thousand-point drop in the stock market.

A quick browse over the internet would be enough to convince anybody that the world is ending. But the situation isn’t that dire, we promise. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take precautions, particularly as a senior care provider. Here’s what we know about coronavirus, how it can affect your senior care community, and what you should do:

The Facts on 2019 Novel Coronavirus

Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in people as well as a variety of animals. This particular virus, designated as SARS-CoV-2, causes a disease called COVID-19 (short for COronaVIrus Disease 2019). The virus originated in China and has spread throughout the world in just the last few months. As of this writing, the worldwide death toll is just under 4,000 people, and confirmed cases number in the hundreds of thousands. Also important to note is that over 60,000 people have already made a full recovery from the virus, a fact that is not being reported as often as it should be.

Coronavirus infects the lungs. According to experts interviewed by BBC News, the disease seems to begin with a fever, followed by a dry cough and shortness of breath. Other symptoms include headache, muscle pain, and fatigue.

How Dangerous Is Coronavirus to Senior Care Communities?

Novel Coronavirus 2019 is most dangerous to the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. People with pre-existing medical conditions like asthma, diabetes, and heart disease are also more susceptible.

Because the virus is particularly dangerous to the elderly, it’s not hard to see why senior care communities would be on alert. Due to the proximity of residents to each other and to staff, one senior contracting the disease would increase the likelihood of the virus spreading throughout your community. However, just because something is possible doesn’t mean it’s likely.

Should We Be Worried About Coronavirus?

On the surface, the facts about coronavirus are scary. Almost 4,000 people have died from COVID-19 so far. However, when compared to more common diseases, it loses a bit of its fear factor. For example, over 16,000 people (and counting) have died from the flu during the 2019-2020 flu season. And that’s with widespread availability of flu vaccines.

Looking only at the numbers, COVID-19 is only lethal for a very small percentage of the people it infects. Of the cases reported so far, only 3-4% of those infected have died.

That’s not to say that the virus and the disease it causes aren’t serious. But we don’t believe it’s the world-ender the media is making it out to be.

What Can We Do to Safeguard Our Community?

That being said, there are some simple things you can do to help keep your community safe from COVID-19:

• Wash, wash, wash your hands. It goes without saying, but we’re going to say it anyway. Your staff should be washing their hands frequently. Many media outlets have released instructional videos and guides, but we like the video offered by USA Today. Click here to watch.
• Flu shots all around. While flu shots will not help stop the spread of coronavirus, fewer cases of the flu mean more resources for fighting COVID-19. Also, the healthier your residents are, the more resilient they will be toward other viruses.
• Invest in sick days. Encourage your staff to stay home when they are feeling sick. Yes, we know you’re short-staffed. Everyone is. But the ramifications of them coming to work when they’re sick aren’t worth it. Even if they don’t have coronavirus, infecting your residents with any kind of disease will weaken their immune systems and make them more susceptible to other infections.

Despite what the media coverage might make you think, coronavirus is not the end of the world. While it is dangerous, particularly for the elderly and the immunocompromised, there are steps you can take to ensure you and your senior care community remain unaffected.

Under PDPM, ICD-10-CM codes and diagnoses will impact OT, PT, SLP, NTA, and nursing components – so it's essential to stay on top of these critical operations. 

On March 25, we'll kick off a series of educational webinars with Pathway Health to help you "operationalize PDPM," starting with ICD-10 Code Management - presented by Karolee Alexander, ICD-10-CM expert and trainer.

We'll offer Q&A after, so don't miss this lunchtime learning  to keep the positive PDPM momentum going!