[On Demand Webinar] Mental Health in Senior Care: COVID-19’s Impact on Your Residents & Staff

What are some effective social distancing activities for senior residents?

Social distancing activities such as hallway bingo, books on tape, virtual game of The Price is Right for friendly competition, armchair travel (everyone sits in their doorway and staff come down the hall like flight attendants with snacks; have the residents recall where they have traveled) and any other socially distanced indoor and outdoor activities, as weather permits.

What are the best ways to train my staff to help them work with residents during this time?

Staff need to understand that social isolation is physically and emotionally harmful to all people, including seniors. Focusing staff training on the mental health effects of social isolation (as discussed in this presentation) would be good to share with all levels of staff.

What do you recommend for a resident who wants to be left alone?

If this is new behavior, it is certainly okay to speak with your resident about why they want to be left alone. If there is something wrong, ask questions and offer help. If they still want to be left alone and are refusing services, food, medications, etc. you need to seek help from a medical provider. If the resident appears stable, is eating, taking medication and participating in other clinical services – and it is not new behavior, being alone may not mean the resident is lonely or has any additional needs at this time. Seniors are just as individual and independent as the general population.

What is your suggestion if a resident does not want to comply with social distancing requirements?

If the resident is not complying because they are somewhat cognitively impaired, then frequent reminders to social distance are required. Regardless, enlisting the help of family or significant others may be helpful to convince the senior that is important for the health of everyone.

How do I identify staff members that need assistance with their own mental health?

Mental health issues can show up in a variety of ways. An employee may be more irritable than usual, begin to be late for work or be absent more often than usual. They may begin to have a negative attitude, display insubordination, or even withdrawal. It is always acceptable to speak with an employee about a specific performance issue you’ve noticed and ask if anything’s wrong or if you can help them in any way. Additionally, it is always good practice to provide general mental health care resources to all staff members. Remember that managers are not allowed to ask specifically about health issues or conditions unless that employee’s ability to perform essential job functions will be impaired, or if they could pose a direct threat to residents or other staff. If either of those conditions are met, supervisors will want to engage their HR team to ensure the ADA Interactive Process is followed.

Members of my staff are stressed and worried about COVID-19 infection. What can I do to encourage them?

Reinforce all the safety and hygiene practices your company is taking to keep them healthy, and to minimize exposure. Educate employees on the data and facts surrounding COVID-19, according to the CDC. Communicate regularly about the resources your company has made available through your health plan, employee assistance program and/or stand-alone mental health resources. Finally, check in with employees regularly to see how they are doing, or set up a buddy system to provide an accountability partner for them.

How do I figure out what are the best/ most effective mental health resources to offer my staff?

That’s a great question! You should begin by looking at your health plan claims and pharmacy claims. This will help you understand how many employees are already dealing with depression or anxiety through the use of prescription medications. You could also provide a survey or assessment to both check the level of stress in your population, and ask what types of resources would be most helpful to them.