|
|
|
CALTCM Wave Wellness Corner |
|
Dear CALTCM Colleagues,
Welcome to the kickoff of the WAVE Wellness Corner! This new feature is a product of the CALTCM Wellness Committee and has been a year in the making, so we’re excited to share the first edition with you.
A little background … The Wellness Committee was formally approved by the CALTCM Board in early February 2020. Recognizing the increasing challenges in geriatric care and burnout among long term care physicians, clinicians and teams (even before Covid-19), we felt it was time for a proactive effort to support our members. Little did we dream that a pandemic would ravage our nation and impact our patients, staff, colleagues, families and ourselves to the extent that it did.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
This was a picture I took in May of my 93-year-old mother-in-law who (along with all other long-term care residents) had been confined to her group home due to Covid-19. We could only visit her through the bars on her front door. We were not permitted entry and she was not allowed to come out to touch us or get a hug from us. She did not understand why this was happening or when it would end. The unhappy expression on her face speaks to the plight of these vulnerable elderly residents during Covid 19. It highlights the psychological impact Covid-19 has on older adults confined to long term care facilities. As a Geriatrician, this scene was heartbreaking and yet an honest depiction of what has been happening to these older adults.
Gary Salzman, MD, FACP |
|
Covid-19 Training Video Series: Brought to you by the California Partnership to Improve Dementia Care |
|
by Jennifer Birdsall, Ph.DChair, Education Committee of Dementia PartnershipClinical Director, CHE Behavioral Health ServicesLicensed Clinical Psychologist The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges for every aspect of our day to day routines. This is especially true of those living with dementia.
The California Partnership to Improve Dementia Care is pleased to present the following webinars to address the additional challenges that COVID-19 has brought to both staff and residents.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
by Shruti Patel, Pharm. D.
Ensure proper disposition of controlled substances is an essential function of the consultant pharmacist. In California, this is done with a registered pharmacist and a registered nurse with proper documentation of name, strength, and number of doses being disposed. Complex records are maintained by the medical records department to ensure proper compliance. With the COVID-19 outbreak many pharmacists are being requested to stay out of the facility. Many traditional tasks such as chart review maybe done off site with EHR review. If a facility has decided not to have a consultant pharmacist visit for medication disposition or secure storage space for the controlled substances is limited, the facility can request program flexibility by using form CDPH 5000-A (3/2020).
The facility must define how drug destruction can be done with consultant pharmacist being present virtually. California Department of Health will respond with a waiver. Medical directors, directors of nursing and consultant pharmacists should be aware of the response and expectations before proceeding with disposition. |
|
by Flora Bessey, Pharm.D., BCGP
In preparing and responding to the COVID-19 crisis, CALTCM has been conducting and continues to schedule a series of webinars discussing various aspects of this situation. The link to the previous webinars can be found on our website (links provided below). Please mark your calendar for every Monday at 4PM PDT to take part in the webinars “live.”
In addition, CALTCM has been working with state legislators to reconsider the all-facilities letter that was recently promulgated by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) delineating that SNF’s must accept (or readmit) patients that are positive for COVID-19, click here to view CDPH ALF 20-32. The resolution that is being considered (in partnership with California State Senator Stern) would enable a more nuanced approach to this mandate, and would take into account several factors that would be facility-specific, including but not limited to: ability to isolate these patients; access to appropriate personal protective equipment(PPE); staffing concerns.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
|
|
|
<< first < Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next > last >>
|
|
Page 7 of 80 |
