Assisted living and other long-term care facilities in the Cornhusker State will receive expert mentorship to guide them through the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to funding from the Nebraska Health Care Foundation. The resulting program could provide a model for use in other states, including ones with providers in rural locations.
The foundation received $250,000 in funding from the Donald E. Nielsen Foundation to enhance COVID-19 pandemic response through mentors in facilities. The funds are designated for the University of Nebraska Medical Center Partners in Preparedness Mentor Project.
UNMC’s model is based on a practice used by the infection prevention arena for more than 30 years. Infection preventionists were assigned a mentor through their professional association and they became a “lifeline” for vetting ideas and strategies as well as seeking consensus. The Partners in Preparedness Mentor Project will provide the same type of system to long-term care and critical access hospitals to help them navigate through the COVID-19 response.
“There is so much information from a variety of sources, and it changes rapidly,” said Matthew Beacom, M.D., director of rural health for UNMC College of Public Health and co-primary investigator for the Partners in Preparedness project. “It is helpful to have a team of experts watching for these recommendations and delivering them to the facilities in a uniform manner. The live mentorship and COVID-19 call center add great value in a very stressful situation.”
Long-term care facilities and critical access hospitals that opt into the service will have an individual mentor who will connect with the facility daily to help brainstorm strategies for following national and state guidance, help interpret changing recommendations, connect providers with resources, provide examples of best practices and offer encouragement.
The project also will provide ongoing support and education to rural Nebraska assisted living and nursing facility providers through a COVID-19 call center, as well as evaluate the adequacy of personal protective equipment at these facilities and provide assistance to secure necessary items.
Jeff Fritzen, executive director of Gold Crest Retirement Center in Adams, NE, said finding resources can be challenging for a small, independent, rural facility.
“This mentorship allows us to have access to medical professionals, as well as education and resources to help us through this pandemic,” Fritzen said. “Our facility is allowed multiple opportunities to connect with subject matter experts to work through daily challenges and make sure we are doing everything we can to care for the seniors in our community.
“Through this mentorship, I feel confident we can ensure that our seniors are getting quality care and are protected in the best way possible during this challenging pandemic.”
Fifty-six facilities are participating in the program, including 28 of the state’s 286 assisted living communities.
Tracy Rathe, senior vice president of organizational performance and development for the Nebraska Health Care Association, which established the Nebraska Health Care Foundation, said the mentorship project could serve as a model for other states.
“Each state has public health preparedness, hospital preparedness and infection control champions that could fill the role of mentor,” Leslie Gunning-Scofield, program coordinator for the Partners in Preparedness project, told McKnight’s Senior Living. “Mentors are mentioning that the relationships they are building are rewarding, and mentee facilities have provided positive feedback.”
Barb Nuxoll, administrator at Stone Hearth Estates in Gothenburg, NE, which offers independent living, assisted living and memory care, said she initially was skeptical that the program would be an effective use of her time.
“My mentor is really busy on top of responding to me but always responds quickly and efficiently. What she is most helpful on is answering questions directly, not just sending me to a website,” Nuxoll said. “I feel more comfortable knowing that I have a person that I can call on to help with a slew of government oversight. This has been especially important as we are a standalone facility without corporation guidance or direction.”
