Shannon Fyfe stares out at the ocean just a few yards across from her. Contemplating the best way to react to the current state of the world. She inhales sharply and fiddles with her fingers.
“Once you enter this world, there’s only one way out. Dying,” says Shannon. Ms. Fyfe and many other employees in the hospice industry are ramping up to face what could be their biggest challenge yet.
The second the World Health Organization (WHO) labeled COVID-19 as a pandemic, the entire world went into a mass panic. But those who are most terrified are medical officials, especially those working in geriatrics or end of life care.
Numbers from Wuhan, China show that people over the age of 80 have an 18 percent chance of dying due to Coronavirus. The risk of death is astronomically higher for elders compared to any other age group, leaving many hospice companies wondering if the United States is ready to protect its most vulnerable population.
Unfortunately, events over the past few weeks have shown that the answer is probably no. At least 73 senior living facilities across 22 states have reported COVID-19 infections and the numbers continue to increase daily.
And despite a great majority of American Coronavirus related deaths occurring in senior living facilities, many end of life care companies have done the bare minimum to tackle this crisis. A Washington Post investigation finds that nursing facilities across the nation are not requiring visitors to wear protective gear like gloves and masks.
The intentions of this movement sound great on paper, with companies attempting to curb the use of protective gear so more is available to medical officials. But its horrible repercussions have led to the spread of COVID-19 amongst elderly populations to occur more smoothly and rapidly.
Major precautions must be taken when it comes to our elderly population over the next few months. But where do we draw the line between our sanity and our safety?
The Importance of Social Work
Social Work and Bereavement Services are two of the most underlooked factors of the Hospice Industry even when the globe isn’t struggling with a pandemic. Many families believe that in the status quo having a social worker handy is not necessary.
However, studies have shown that social work makes the end of life process much easier on the patient and their family. Harbor Light Hospice explains that nationally social workers not only support patients as they approach their death through conversation and defending their decisions but also by providing emotional support to their family after they’re gone.
Unfortunately with rising concerns of COVID-19 outbreaks in senior living facilities, many social workers have been prevented from entering buildings. While many companies have labeled social workers as essential personnel, the word has not spread to every employee.
For social workers who do make it to the frontlines, they are faced with possibly the biggest challenge in their professional career. Many families have been prevented from seeing their loved ones causing emotional distress and trauma.
Now social workers are having to organize FaceTime calls with family members as they consider pulling their grandparents out of senior living facilities. During this pandemic, social workers have become possibly one of the greatest emotional crutches for one of the globe’s most vulnerable populations.
Close The Gates
But it’s not only employees who are being blocked out of senior living facilities. Now there is a call for better patient screening before they are admitted into a care facility.
Organizations like the Los Angeles Times have recently highlighted how facilities have downplayed the effect COVID-19 has on senior living facilities. Specifically, a Silverado Hospice facility came under fire for completely overlooking a newly admitted patient who had the virus, which eventually led to an outbreak.
In recent Zoom calls between company executives and family members, many have begun to lose their temper. Children with family members in Silverado facilities feel as though the company is putting greed and money over care and patient lives.
Silverado claims their “patient-zero” showed no symptoms when he was admitted to the facility but even so many are questioning why new patients aren’t being tested since many COVID-19 cases are asymptomatic.
The decision on which patients to admit is being left in the hands of company executives who are waiting for advice from governmental organizations. Families across the nation are sitting and waiting for what decisions will be made about their family member’s future.
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