Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
announced updated and simplified
respiratory virus recommendations for the general public.
These recommendations do not apply to health care settings, including nursing homes. However, in certain circumstances, they may apply to assisted living (AL) providers. AL is a unique setting where the type of care provided varies greatly. For this reason, NCAL sought additional guidance and clarification from the CDC.
Frequently, the care provided in AL communities fits into what the CDC defines as “non-skilled personal care”, similar to what can be provided by family members in the home setting. This type of care would include helping with activities of daily living, such as bathing and dressing. However, some AL communities provide care that could be described as ‘healthcare’ or nursing care. This could include medication administration, symptom monitoring, or wound care.
The CDC clarifies that AL communities, who know their residents and community best, need to assess their own risk factors and level of risk tolerance in deciding about whether they follow the health care infection prevention and control (IPC)
guidance or adopt the new
updated community guidance. However, the CDC also clarifies that
health care personnel who are providing health care or nursing care to assisted living residents must follow the healthcare IPC guidance.
Regardless of the care provided, AL residents have many of the same risk factors for respiratory virus transmission and severe infection seen among residents in nursing homes, which AL communities should take into consideration when making the decision to either follow the community guidance or health care guidance for respiratory viruses. AL communities should also refer to their state and local authority where more detailed guidance may be provided.