LANSING, Michigan – The most recent data from Michigan showed that 51% of nursing home staff and residents have been vaccinated against COVID-19, despite the disproportionate share of deaths this group has experienced since the start of the pandemic.
More than 5,700 residents and staff of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in Michigan have died from COVID. They account for about 27% of the state’s total deaths, but less than 1% of the population.
Lisa Dedden Cooper, advocacy manager for AARP Michigan, said her group is calling on nursing homes to demand that residents and staff get vaccinated.
“Raising vaccination rates in nursing homes is just one of the most sensible and powerful actions we can take to protect the lives of these vulnerable seniors,” said Cooper.
President Joe Biden has previously said nursing homes must require vaccinations in order to continue to receive Medicaid and Medicare funding. Opponents of a vaccination mandate fear it will exacerbate already severe staff shortages. But Cooper argued that it’s clear there needs to be greater investment in caregivers and alternatives to nursing home care.
Cooper added that AARP is calling on Michigan to use some of its funds from the American rescue plan invest in alternative models of long-term care delivery. There are home and community services that allow nurses and caregivers to reach people’s homes, but she noted that many will need residential care at some point.
“Overall, people don’t want to have to go to a nursing home as they get older; they don’t want a family member to go to a nursing home,” Cooper observed. . “But access to alternatives has been limited.”
She noted that the Green House or “small nursing home” model of care has been shown to be safer against infectious diseases like COVID than the larger and more typical nursing home model. She hopes that alternative investments could prevent future epidemics that disproportionately harm the elderly and more vulnerable.
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RALEIGH, NC – North Carolina residents who rely on Medicaid have until September 30 to change health care plans under new managed care system.
Almost 1.6 million people are currently receiving Medicaid benefits.
Rebecca Friedman, a lawyer in the Family Support and Health Care Unit of the Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy, explained last month that the state has moved from a fee-for-service model to one where individuals need to access care through personal prepaid health care. plans run by a handful of private companies.
“It works more like private insurance, which is familiar to a lot of people,” Friedman said. “But for so many people on Medicaid in North Carolina, it’s just completely new and completely different from what they’ve known all their lives.”
Medicaid recipients can visit ncmedicaidplans.gov to ensure that the providers they need to see are in the network of the prepaid health plan they have selected or to which they have been assigned.
Friedman advised if your doctor is not in the network for this plan, you should request to change the plan.
Friedman added in order to avoid problems accessing care, its critical residents pay attention to the plan they are in, and people who need enhanced behavioral health services for mental illness, addiction or disability. intellectual can fill out a form online form ask to stay in NC Medicaid Direct.
“We really want to make sure that people now find out about their vendors’ plans and move on to that plan,” Friedman urged.
She stressed that resources are available to help.
“For people who need to change plans or find out about their providers’ plans, the Enrollment Broker is the resource they can contact to change their plans or inquire about provider networks,” Friedman said. .
The listing broker can be contacted by phone at 1-833-870-5500.
Individuals can also contact North Carolina Medicaid Mediator, a resource providing education, counseling, referrals, and informal problem solving for Medicaid recipients as they transition to the managed care system. The Ombudsman can be contacted by phone at 877-201-3750 or online.
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HAMPTON ROADS, Virginia – With many schools in Virginia starting next week, experts say parents and teachers need to take extra steps to protect children’s mental health, which may have suffered during pandemic isolation.
Eric Sparks, deputy executive director of the American School Counselor Association, said that for a smooth transition into the new school year, counselors and teachers should prioritize meeting mental and behavioral health needs.
His group has a new guide to help support teachers and students, and he advised school counselors to re-accustom students to in-person learning.
“They will go into the classrooms and talk to the whole student body about transitioning to student groups, bonding with other students in those big groups,” Sparks explained. “But then they will also look at the follow-up of students, who might demonstrate some needs that they are having difficulty with.”
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam issued a Emergency public health order last week, requiring the wearing of a universal mask in all public schools from kindergarten to grade 12 in the state.
Sparks suggested that even this precaution may not reduce stress levels for some children.
The Centers for Disaster Control and Prevention Reported visits to emergency departments for mental health issues by children aged 12 to 17 increased by 31% during the pandemic.
To help mitigate the trend, Sparks recommended teachers and administrators create welcoming environments for students, some of whom need to relearn social skills.
“Most of the tips for helping students socialize are to take things at their own pace, not to rush if you don’t feel comfortable,” Sparks said. “There may be physical barriers, but really, looking for ways to help these students connect with other students, even though there may be things in place that are usually not there.”
The American Heart Association also has tips to support the emotional well-being of students when they return to in-person learning. The group pointed out that stress and trauma can lead to unhealthy behavior and even an increased risk of heart disease.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Homebound Ohio residents interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine have a new option, which can come right to their doorstep.
Columbus-based healthcare company OFFOR Health partnered with the Ohio Department of Health on the Regional Rapid Response Assistance Program, which identifies people in Ohio in need of health care who cannot easily leave their homes.
Jamie Wilson, director of clinical operations for OFFOR Health, said that with statewide collaboration they are able to reach more homebound residents who lack transportation or have comorbidities.
“For us, the advantage is that we can go anywhere for any patient,” Wilson explained. “It doesn’t have to be a patient tied to a zip code or a health system, or a home nursing agency, and so I think that’s the benefit, the flexibility, the customization of our program. “
Now in its third week, OFFOR health workers travel twice a week throughout the state and reach five to 10 patients per day. They have the capacity to supply Johnson & Johnson, Moderna or Pfizer vaccines.
Wilson pointed out that some of their biggest challenges are reaching people in areas with low vaccination rates. And as the Delta variant continues to rise, reaching people who are hesitant about the COVID vaccine is critical to reducing hospitalizations.
Wilson noted for some in rural areas, a lack of transportation held back some patients. But for those wary of the vaccine, Wilson observed that a personalized approach to the home program can sometimes help convince people to get the vaccine.
“Being able to provide information that the patient feels they haven’t received or is not accurate has really changed a lot of mind, and it’s not something we really planned for when we started the program,” Wilson pointed out. “So we want to make sure that we are that voice that clarifies a lot of these misconceptions and gives them accurate information so that they can make an informed decision.”
OFFOR is also working with partners such as CareSource and Buckeye Health Plan to host pop-up neighborhood vaccination clinics across the state every week.
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