NIC Notes

Insights in Seniors Housing & Care

COVID-19  |  Ideas and Discussion  |  Senior Housing

A New Age in Caregiver Training: Virtual Reality’s Immersive Experience

By: Ryan Brooks  |  March 23, 2021

Nestled among the many pain points of 2020 were a smattering of bright spots for the seniors housing and care industry. For one, the year ushered in a wave of innovative strategies to combat loneliness in the face of social distancing. Among the top strategies was the use of virtual reality – an area which saw a lot of growth and adoption among operators during the public health emergency. As I delved deeper into researching the topic, I learned that virtual reality – in addition to creating opportunities for socialization and stimulation – has been gaining traction as a staff training tool as well. Embodied Labs’ person-centered caregiver training, for example, provides immersive learning experiences that mimic many of the common conditions and life transitions that impact people as they age. These lab experiences cover vision and hearing loss, Alzheimer’s Disease, end-of-life conversations, cognitive decline, and LGBT and transgender health and aging. In each of these experiences, the trainee becomes the viewer, and assumes a first-person perspective of how older adults experience different aging challenges.

COVID-19  |  Skilled Nursing  |  Skilled Nursing Tracker

Visitation Restrictions Ease at Nursing Homes as Vaccinations Rise and COVID-19 Cases Fall

By: Omar Zahraoui  |  March 16, 2021

As vaccinations rise and COVID-19 case counts fall in skilled nursing facilities, CMS has revised its guidelines for nursing home visits. Effective on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, nursing homes are allowing residents and their loved ones to finally reunite, hug and hold hands after one year of isolation and psychological burden. This is a long-awaited relief for both residents and loved ones.

COVID-19  |  Economic Trends  |  Regulatory Environment  |  Senior Housing  |  Skilled Nursing

The American Rescue Plan: A Sector Summary

By: Ryan Brooks  |  March 12, 2021

On March 10, the House passed the American Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion economic relief bill aimed at helping the country recover from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. On March 11, President Biden signed the bill into law.

COVID-19  |  Executive Survey Insights  |  Senior Housing

Executive Survey Insights | Wave 23: February 22 to March 7, 2021

By: Lana Peck  |  March 11, 2021

“The pandemic has necessitated many changes in the way seniors housing and care operators do business. In the NIC Executive Survey Insights Wave 23 results, respondents were asked to list one of the things that their organization plans to keep doing, stop doing, bring back and further develop. In addition to maintaining COVID-19 and infection mitigation protocols, organizations will continue leveraging virtual technologies for a variety of uses including digital marketing campaigns, entertainment, remote visits, and some activities. With 80% of survey respondents’ residents fully vaccinated on average, seniors housing and care operators are looking forward to bringing back communal dining, group activities, resident/employee gatherings, and discontinuing visitation restrictions, meal delivery, pandemic staff benefits, and frequent COVID-19 testing.”

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