“How will we remember this pandemic?” asked Susan McFadden, PhD, Professor Emerita of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. “And how will we act on the lessons we have learned?” She was speaking to UW–Madison students and community members about the suffering and resilience of older people in response to COVID-19. McFadden’s career includes …
Following the tragic impact of the ongoing COVID pandemic on nursing home residents and staff, is there new momentum for reform? Some signs point to yes. In February 2022, the White House outlined actions through the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The measures would establish minimum staffing levels for nursing homes, encourage …
From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, long-term care staff knew they were facing multiple challenges. “When we closed the doors of nursing homes and visitors were no longer allowed, I went home, I packed my belongings, and I moved into the nursing home,” says Janelle Zacho, RN, DNS-CT, the Director of Nursing at Columbia …
Public health practitioners across Wisconsin can now estimate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in their communities. By looking at color-coded maps based on health care data, they can tell how many people in a single zip code are at risk for severe complications from the novel coronavirus. Several University of Wisconsin–Madison research groups collaborated to …