Their caregivers. And that has brought us right to the front lines of the covid pandemic because many of those with alzheimers and dementia happen to be at highest risk for covid19. To early thisk year as the pandemic was becoming known and the first cases in the u. S. Being identified in february. How did your organization brace for what was to come . Were watchings we the news about covid19 and thinking and thinking in very operational terms. Fly in ofvery large people from around the country to washington, d. C. That was supposed to take place in march. We were looking at whether it was responsible for us as an wasnization to figure out it responsible to ask people to come into washington for this event. In hindsight of course its a clear decision. At the time the first cases we identified in the united states, we were talking to Public Health authorities and other sources. Apparent thatame was not a good idea. The first fatalities were in Washington State in longterm care community. As we saw who was most vulnerable, we realized not just with this impact our operations but there would be a distinctive Important Role for us to play in safeguarding those at highest risk. Also share your thoughts on the comments of a viewer on twitter saying it seems that Nursing Homes were caught sitting on their hands when the pandemic first began. Didnt take precautionary members or were too busy counting their profits. They abdicated their responsibility to protect their vulnerable residents. What are your thoughts on that . Generally, no. I dont see it that way. Theway we see it is that globe, america was caught on our hands in a sense. Its largely unproductive especially in those early months certainly to look backward. Across the board we were scrambling to adapt to an unprecedented situation. Many of theded in communities has been deeply upsetting. I know it has been to those who have been working so hard within these facilities. Communities, to take care of people they often are deeply attached to themselves as workers as much as family or others. It has been a very difficult situation. These cases are unacceptable. Or blamefingers doesnt change the fact that whats going on with these communities has to be very top priority and some facts make this really clear. The most recent that i saw his we are trying to piece together with incomplete information what is really going on. It was reported by the New York Times just about a week ago and the basic facts are striking. Context, less than 1 of americans live in these kinds of settings. These longterm care nursing home settings. Less than 1 . Of cases, a bit more are people who are within these settings. 43 of deaths are among this 1 nationwide. 43 of those who died across the country have been among these less than 1 of People Living in those communities prethat should point us to the fact that we are not talking enough about this issue. At our guest is the executive director of the Alzheimers Impact Movement and chief Public Policy officer for the alzheimers association. We welcome your calls and comments. We have rocha and the lines by time zones. Eastern and central 202 7488000. Pacific 202 7488001. If you had experience with alzheimers, you a Family Member or friend, 202 7488002. Definition on alzheimers. What that means, what it encompasses and does it expand into other forms of things like dementia. As americans in general we use somewhat interchangeably but they are important distinctions. Americans have alzheimers disease. It is a disease of the brain. There are other diseases of the brain that also cause dementia. Basically the is symptoms of cognitive decline. When you cant think the way you wants could or you are forgetting things. Those are the common presentations. There are others that are more nuanced. Alzheimers is the largest cause of dementia. Of cases of dementia is caused by alzheimers disease. There are other important triggers such as strokes for instance. The new opinion piece of last week or so. Back to the issue of Nursing Homes. Why covid19 took a devastating toll on people in Nursing Homes. What was the number one factor . Imhe number one factor, tempted to cheat and say a few of them. Probably the number one factor is that Nursing Homes tend to have the people that are most vulnerable to severe cases and death from covid19. As a matter of their age and many underlying conditions. Go ahead and finish your thought. A second cause is the fact that the settings here where these Vulnerable People are, we know this is another major cause. You can break it into how likely are you to get the exposed to covid19 and then what happens when you are exposed to this virus that can lead to covid19 the disease. On the first part, how likely are you to be exposed. Thats where a lot of problems came as well. You have People Living very close together in what is called congregant care settings. People are sidebyside often sharing rooms. There can be that exposure and then the second part that i mentioned is once you have that exposure, how vulnerable you are because of your age and other health conditions. That combination together has really caused these terrible cases that weve been hearing and reading about. Were most Nursing Homes prepared to deal with it . I dont think so. I dont think others were as well. Who did feel prepared . I havent met that person yet. That certainly applies to Nursing Homes who are very much at the frontlines, the toughest conditions along with hospitals of course. Absolutely right there with them and as a matter of fact the interplay between hospitals and Nursing Homes and other settings like this has been one of the toughest scenarios as people try to figure at figure out when to move someone from a nursing home to a hospital and went to move them back to a nursing home. You are the policy director for the Alzheimers Impact Movement. You have advanced some policy recommendations for a federal and state response to the coronavirus. We have been talking about the surge in cases across the country. Recommendations was surge activation. Hotspots must be dealt with urgently and effectively. Any reported case should trigger ongoingerral careful modeling. What will you be looking for across the country . Key part of our principal recommendations. The ability to respond rapidly. The fundamental notion here is that a nursing home can be doing , neverthelessould there can be that first exposure. That first case that developed. And then what needs to happen even if theres a single case in one facility, we should treat it as a crisis. Nursing homes can have a lot of expertise and wherewithal within their facilities. Some of them are quite good at this now. Some are not. Able to tap into outside support that can be rapidly deployed to make sure it stops ideally with that one person who receives the best of care but is no risk to others whether they be workers, residents or visitors as well. Surgets the idea of the that we have people responding with outside support. In the numerous congressional enough been done across the country . I dont think so yet. I think we are all figuring out whats needed and there is more certainly that is needed. There have been important each package so far and we are very thankful for them. There is a provision that addresses this idea of strike teams. Having more funding to provide that. States have been innovators in this approach. Some have shown they can be very powerful. That got to be successful. They need support to do that right if that is going to be part of the solution. A special line for those experienced with alzheimers or dementia. First up is steve in florence, alabama. Morning. My mother had a stroke almost two years ago. My sisters and i have been with her every day of the week for a year and eight months. Until i was put out. We were all put out and locked out. My complaint is that the nursing , they have a lot of patience. And i can understand how they would want to do Everything Possible to save the lives of the patients. But they put everyone out while theyve got all their employees, all the nurses, all the aids, all the cooks, all the servers. A tremendous number of employers and three shifts seven days a week getting their temperature to check. Theyve had one test since this started. Test since this started. Her mind,still has but shes like three or four years old and her memory comes and goes. Looking through the glass and talking on the phone doesnt cut it because she cant hear good enough. Every time she sees me or my sister standing outside the window and the nurses point us out, she cant hear us. If they give her a phone she cant hear the conversation. She starts crying. She always motions with her one hand guest weve heard so many cases about this. Should who cap savingd it poignantly, people from covid19 only to lose them to isolation. That is not just a qualityoflife issue. If it were just that, we should all be deeply concerned for the reasons outlined. We know that when people are isolated, especially those with dementia, they can decline much more quickly, perhaps never recover to the same way prior to isolation. It is important that we allow people in these homes, these settings, to be together with their loved ones. On the other hand, as you put it to come but we have to be deeply concerned about protecting them. This to limit is a terrible one. Why ourthe recommendations hinges on. Problems,ogy has its but basically when you want to protect these homes, almost like a walled castle, if you can keep the virus out, which sometimes means the unknowns of who has it coming in is how it comes in. If you keep them out, there is a promise. You have many Vulnerable People you could protect together if you could keep them separated from the virus, but when you do that, if you do it in the way that you just stop there, nobody wants to be inside of a walled castle, cut off from those they love, especially if you cannot understand they cannot understand what is going on. So we have to do better than just that, just a walled castle approach. That is what leads us to emphasize, first of all, these foundations are making this work beyond treatments and vaccines, which are critical, and we call for support, but beyond that we need testing. And not just the kind of testing that gives you results a week later. But testing that needs to be better, right at the point of care, at the home, where you can get results rapidly within 15 minutes to an hour. This is the standard we need to reach so we can have visitors, and workers come. Ise we know the facility free of infection, we keep it that way so we do not have to stop people from coming in. That is a commitment. We are not ready to do that, but that is what we need to be successful. We should not set up for anything less. These are very important initiatives being funded by congress, which we deeply appreciate, the work going on to develop these capabilities to be widely dispersed. That needs to be at every single Long Term CareCommunity Across the country. Host lets hear from frank. You might, arizona. Good morning. My mother, i have not been able to see her for months. She is in the special ward for these illnesses. In the nursingd home in a special unit. So we have not been able to see her through a you a window or anything. Itherinlaw with is a fatherinlaw lives with us. We are afraid of him getting covid. We can do, butg it hurts for me to not be able to see my mother. I worry about how she is doing. How much time does she have. They do not tell you anything. It is really sad. Host how do you get information from her . Do you have to call the nurses . Do they give you regular updates . The power brother has of attorney and he calls when he can. Then he will let us know how she is doing, but they really do not tell you too much. Yeah, shes find it and that is all. I went to see her face she recognizes our face. It will come to her. What is your guidance for how families i am delighted to welcome you all to this important event on the coronavirus pandemic and global cooperation. Let me underline that globa