80 p.c. of providers expect COVID-19 in their communities
MELBOURNE: Senior living providers nationwide have been working diligently to prevent Covid-19 infections in their buildings — but an overwhelming majority believe that the coronavirus will appear in their communities.
Nearly 80% of respondents to a survey said that Covid-19 is likely to appear in their buildings that have not yet had diagnosed cases. Out of those respondents, about 23% said the odds of this happening are “extremely likely” and 13% said it “definitely will happen.”
The survey gathered responses from 92 people employed by senior living provider companies over the past 10 days. All the respondents work for providers that offer assisted living, while most also offer independent living and memory care, with active adult, skilled nursing and CCRCs also represented.
Though small, the survey reflects many of the major concerns put forward by providers and large industry groups. For instance, these associations have been sounding the alarm over shortages of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, gowns and masks. The top challenge related to Covid-19 is a lack of equipment and supplies, according to about 42% of survey respondents.
The lack of masks is specifically troubling, with about 42% of respondents saying their supply is low and 29% saying it is extremely low.
The shortage of PPE has been a central concern not only for senior living but for other health care providers since the start of the pandemic. Several leaders in senior housing and care spoke up in recent days about the worsening situation.
