Agenda 05-24-22; 8-a - Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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9 1 Shade Little and Autumn Cox presented virtually for the Adult Care Home Community 2 Advisory Committee. 3 Shade Little said there are no activities for this committee due to the pandemic. He said 4 they are charged to make visits and that due to COVID they have not made any. He said they 5 try to offer suggestions when they can for improving care. He said the people in these homes 6 are most vulnerable to COVID-19. He said they cannot make unannounced visits due to the 7 potential of bringing in infections. He said they are hopeful that issues noticed in the past have 8 not gotten worse. 9 Commissioner Hamilton asked who is keeping the committee from going into the adult 10 care homes. 11 Autumn Cox said that the state ombudsman, Victor Orija, makes that decision. She said 12 that there are numerous groups that are working on reentry plans. She said that ombudsman 13 program has been going into facilities, it is just that the CAC cannot go in. 14 Commissioner Hamilton asked if there is any indication of when they will be allowed 15 back in. 16 Autumn Cox said she heard perhaps August 1St, but that is not official. 17 Commissioner Hamilton said it is important to have more people's eyes on facilities to 18 make sure nothing is going poorly. 19 Autumn Cox said she agrees and that the decision for reentry is being based on the 20 entire state of North Carolina. She said that COVID is still present in some long-term care 21 facilities. 22 Vibeke Talley and Autumn Cox presented for the Nursing Home Advisory Committee. 23 Vibeke Talley said that her committee is in the same boat and have not been able to 24 make the visits, but they have resumed their business meetings. She said that they have been 25 given information about PPE and what they will need to know once they are allowed to reenter 26 facilities. She said that the nursing homes are open to visitors so family and friends can go in. 27 She said that those are eyes on the care, and they will report anything that is amiss. She said 28 that pay has increased for nursing assistants to try to encourage them to stay and to help 29 recruit. She said there are not enough nursing assistants to provide really excellent care in 30 Orange County. She said she did not have much to say because they have not made visits. 31 Commissioner McKee asked what the difference is between Autumn Cox is visiting 32 versus the committee. He said that he has a concern about the lack of oversight in these 33 facilities. 34 Autumn Cox said the committee makes advocacy visits. She said she does complaint 35 management for residents. She said the committee brings general concerns to the manager. 36 Commissioner McKee said he wants to know who is restricting the visits and the 37 reasoning for the decision. 38 Autumn Cox said it is not the facility, but it is the state ombudsman who restricts 39 visitation. 40 Commissioner Bedford said that mask requirements in licensed congregant facilities 41 have not been lifted. 42 Commissioner McKee said his concern is oversight, and these facilities are open to 43 visitors and family and friends. He wonders why they would not be open to a committee that 44 provides oversight. 45 Vibeke Talley said she agreed. 46 Autumn Cox said she could share the contact information for the state ombudsman with 47 the Board. 48 Shade Little said that when his committee visits, they have random conversations with 49 anyone who will talk with them. He said that it is more free range.