In the trenches: Home healthcare providers take extra steps to keep everyone safe during visits

One positive side effect of the encouraged social distancing due to the novel coronavirus outbreak is the shift to telemedicine, specifically the chance to have therapy sessions over phone and video calls. At one health center in the Houston area, about 90% of its typically 2,000 weekly appointments have made the transition to online.

Cuyahoga County enlists medical students and residents to help the overwhelmed city health staff tackle the coronavirus chaos. Among other administrative tasks, students interview patients who have tested positive for coronavirus, noting their symptoms and underlying health issues to provide data and patterns to county health officials.

At nursing homes in the Long Island area, facilities and their staff have stepped up to ensure residents can use technology to stay connected. They have facilitated performances over Zoom, local school-children send videos to say hello, and lectures and games have been made available online, as well.

Many flight attendants for Scandinavian Airlines have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic but are now being given the opportunity to retrain as healthcare providers. The laid-off crew members already have emergency medical training and are "trained in how to handle difficult interpersonal situation," which makes the move to nursing homes and hospitals an almost natural transition.

As meetings and social gatherings of all kinds have been postponed or canceled altogether, the support group Alcoholics Anonymous faced a particular challenge given the imperative and power of their in-person meetings. Fortunately, many chapters have moved their meetings online, to video conference services like Skype or Zoom.

Hong Kong and Singapore are being looked to as potential models of how to contain the coronavirus pandemic, but they also offer lessons about how to keep the frontline health care providers safe during an outbreak as well. From specific protocols about when the use of a N95 mask is necessary to a precise definition of what justifies "close contact," these two countries are showing that occupational exposure isn't necessarily a threat when dealt with properly and proactively.

In Delaware, doctors have turned to telehealth amidst the COVID19 pandemic to treat patients safely and remotely. Using systems called ChristianaCare and CarVio, doctors are monitoring more than 350 coronavirus-positive patients, reaching out to them up to four times daily. The platforms are also being used for individuals without COVID19, who need to see a doctor for other reasons, but don’t want to risk visiting in person.

The Cedar Hill Continuing Care Community near Lebanon, New Hampshire, is one of many senior-assisted living facilities that has rapidly responded to the spread of coronavirus. The staff has set up personal bingo tables that allow residents to sit six feet apart, taught seniors how to call their loved ones while they're quarantined, and engaged in more personalized activities to keep morale high.

Social connection and support are crucial for people in the Alcoholics Anonymous program, so the social distancing mandated by COVID-19 has been particularly stressful. To try to recreate the same atmosphere and safe space, AA groups are moving their meetings online with Zoom. Participants describe it as a "godsend" and say that it helps fill that void during the crisis-filled time of a pandemic.

To help residents in nursing homes stay connected with their loved ones during the coronavirus pandemic, a nursing home in Pennsylvania has started using Facebook as a means to share photos and messages. Although the agency is still looking for additional ways to keep the lines of communication intact, this early approach has helped families know that residents are safe and healthy.