Many families are taking their loved ones out of Assisted Living and Nursing Facilities for fear of infection and the sadness of isolation. Mark Mullahy of Holly Hall Retirement Community hasn't seen a fall-off, though. His staff practices the same anti-Covid routine in their private lives they observe at work. And they actively fight isolation.
"We set up regular face-time calls. We go into a resident's room. We initiate a face-time call and let them have their privacy...and then go on to the next resident's visit.," says Mullahy.
The decline in other nursing-home resident numbers is causing such an income loss, some economists are predicting a change in the industry. The Nursing Home industry is seeing a loss in residents because people are in fear of their parent living in a possible Covid infestation and the isolation it brings. Some companies say they might be going out of business. Mullahy says they haven't seen a drop off, probably because his staff has made a commitment to follow strict Covid protocol both at work and away from work...and they actively combat isolation. "Once we were allowed to have outside visitation, we set up some outside visiting booths. We had to create a new position to disinfect the visiting areas in between visits, and then guide visitors to the specific location."
Nursing home experts say the numbers of aging baby boomers will need assisted living in time to save the industry.