Senior Living Facilities Lack Supply of Protective Gear, Survey Finds

The findings from Premier, an alliance of 4,000 hospitals and health systems and 175,000 other providers, come with seniors facing heightened risks from the coronavirus — and as public health officials grapple with the effects of an outbreak in a Washington state facility linked to 29 deaths.

“We’ve already seen a COVID-19 outbreak in a senior living facility in the United States, and now we know this setting is at the greatest risk for shortages,” John Sganga, senior vice president of alternate site programs at Premier, said in a statement.

Hospitals and health systems continually order protective gear, but the practice is uncommon in senior living facilities since they typically don’t perform surgeries and other critical care. That leaves some without an established channel to stock up supplies.

Premier conducted the survey from March 6 to 15. Nearly 180 skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities participated.

The challenges for nursing homes to gain access to masks and gowns could be a harbinger of broader supply challenges.

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