ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has had an enormous impact on older adults and people with disabilities everywhere, but one area that has not been fully examined is how it affected home- and community-based services (HCBS) systems. This article fills some of that gap and identifies how policy responses to COVID-19 deprioritized HCBS systems. It discusses the implications of this for consumers, providers, and government programs. The authors make recommendations for action to prepare for and better support HCBS in the future. The article also discusses the urgent need to strengthen the HCBS workforce. COVID-19 exacerbated the long-existing worker shortage, which must be addressed to meet the large and growing demand for HCBS.
ABSTRACT
The Future of Nursing 2020-2030 report identifies coalitions as a driving force for advancing health equity. Five coalitions provided insight into their accomplishments, lessons learned, and role in advancing health equity. The exemplar coalitions included Latinx Advocacy Team and Interdisciplinary Network for COVID-19, Black Coalition Against COVID, Camden Coalition, National Coalition of Ethnic Minority Nurse Associations, and The Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action. While all exemplar coalitions, credited relationship building and partnerships to their success, they used unique strategies for striving to meet their populations' needs, whether the needs arose from COVID-19, racial and/or ethnic disparities, socioeconomic disparities, or other barriers to health. Research and policy implications for coalitions are discussed. Nurses play a critical role in every highlighted coalition and in the national effort to make health and health care more equitable.
Subject(s)
Health Equity , Nursing , Humans , COVID-19/ethnology , Ethnicity , Health Equity/organization & administration , Minority Groups , Racial Groups , Nursing/organization & administration , Nursing/trends , Health Status Disparities , ForecastingABSTRACT
Nurses have the opportunity to make a difference for caregivers.
Subject(s)
Caregivers/psychology , Health Facilities , Quality of Health Care , COVID-19 , HumansABSTRACT
This article reviews recent federal and state policy changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that affect health care and quality of life for older adults. Specific regulations and guidelines issued at the state and federal level have increased access and provided additional funding for essential services and supports. Many of these changes are temporary and have the potential to improve care beyond the immediate crisis. This period of greater flexibility offers the opportunity to accrue evidence on quality and access to influence sustained change. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 46(6), 19-23.].