Patti's Blog - Advocate for Elders, People with Disabilities and Their Families

Influenza outbreaks hit long-term care

Excerpt from: McKnight's (click for full article)

 

Influenza has hit our industry these past two weeks with no decrease in cases in sight. The spread on influenza officially hit epidemic levels last week based on the number of cases, deaths and correlating pneumonia according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is indicated that this outbreak in one of the worst in over 10 years! CDC says that 41 states are experiencing widespread flu activity, and the agency estimates 128 million doses of the flu vaccine have been administered this month, which constitutes 95 percent of the estimated 135 million doses manufacturers planned to make this year.

In the post-acute care industry, providers are reporting record number of outbreaks in skilled nursing and assisted living communities nationwide.

Prevention, preparation and outbreak response are necessary steps for providers in light of continued increase of this virus. Our employees need to be hyper vigilant at this time to avoid the spread of influenza. 

Elders and Influenza

Excerpt from: Time Goes By (click for full article)

 

This is the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's [CDC] most recent flu map:

 

WHY ELDERS NEED THE FLU VACCINE
The flu can be particularly dangerous – that is, life threatening – to elders because our immune systems do not function as well as they did when we were young and cannot fight the virus as effectively.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging old people to get the flu shot:

”Vaccination is especially important for people 65 years and older because they are at increased risk for complications from flu.”

As Flu Rages, Caregiving Suffers

Excerpt from: The New York Times (click for full article)

 

New data released Friday by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention underscores how vulnerable older adults are to flu and how many are being affected by the current outbreak. In the week ended Jan. 5, the rate of flu-related hospitalizations for people 65 and older was 53.4 per 100,000, more than twice that of another vulnerable group, newborns and children up to 4 years old. Hospitalizations are an indicator of the most serious flu cases.

That’s a big jump from the week before, when the rate of flu-related hospitalizations for people 65 and older stood at 29.3 per 100,000.

Flu cases skyrocket, putting long-term care facilities on alert

Excerpt from: McKnight's (click for full article)

 

With cases of the flu reaching near-epidemic levels in many parts of the country, long-term care operators are on especially high alert.

Between Monday night and Tuesday morning, hospitals throughout the Chicago area, for example, were on bypass status, rerouting ambulances because their emergency rooms were at capacity, due largely to a high number of flu patients. More than 500 people in New York City are seeking emergency room treatment for the flu each day, ABC News reported. And it's not just the country's big cities that are seeing cases skyrocket.

Long-term care facilities are especially at risk during flu outbreaks. Individuals older than 65 account for an estimated 60% of flu-related hospitalizations and 90% of deaths caused by the seasonal flu annually.

Flu season typically peaks in January or February, but the 2012-2013 season began earlier than any season since 2003-2004, according to Tom Skinner, senior public affairs officer for the CDC. The 2003-2004 season was “early and severe,” and this year could follow a similar trajectory, Skinner said in a December call with reporters.