How quickly do I need to complete the course?

There is no specific time interval in which this course must be completed. Each lecture is short and learning can be modified in order to address the specific needs of your community. The total estimated time to take the course is 10 hours.

Can our community do contact tracing without notifying public health authorities once we complete this course?

While this course can help identify first steps in contact tracing and who to prioritize for testing, quarantine, and isolation in your community, this needs to be performed as part of a coordinated initiative led by the appropriate public health authorities.

Is this course a good place to get medical advice?

No, this course is not a source of personal medical advice. Please contact your doctor or local healthcare provider if you have questions about your specific symptoms or circumstances.

What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?

When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Is financial aid available?

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

Strategies for Assisted Living Communities during COVID-19

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Strategies for Assisted Living Communities during COVID-19

Instructors: Morgan Katz

9,017 already enrolled

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6 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

6 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Beginner level

Recommended experience

1 week to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Develop comprehensive emergency preparedness plans related to COVID-19 practices and procedures
Employ effective COVID-related infection prevention strategies and communication methods within your community
Understand effective testing strategies and the utility of contact tracing and cohorting within Assisted Living Community settings
Identify methods for promoting staff and resident well-being during COVID-19

Details to know

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Assessments

11 assignments

Taught in English

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There are 6 modules in this course

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, poses a high risk for assisted living communities due to residents’ age, health status, and communal living environment. The COVID-19 response has largely focused on nursing homes, leaving assisted living communities in the United States with fragmented guidance on how to respond to COVID-19 challenges. This course provides comprehensive instruction and resources for administrators and direct-care staff of assisted living communities.

Learners will hear from experts about best practices to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks and promote well-being. Topics discussed include development of emergency preparedness plans, infection and outbreak prevention, staffing considerations, testing, and contact tracing. The course also covers strategies for communicating with stakeholders, promoting resident and staff well-being, and leveraging health departments and other agency resources, including a collection of resources for COVID-19 vaccination guidance. Learners are encouraged to concurrently develop and enhance their own community’s policies, procedures, and practices. This course was developed in partnership with the Baltimore City Health Department.

This module provides a foundational understanding of Coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19), why Assisted Living communities are at high risk of infection, and how to structure your emergency preparedness plan for the pandemic.

What's included

5 videos4 readings1 assignment

5 videosTotal 66 minutes

COVID-19 Background, Transmission and Infection11 minutes
Special Risks for Assisted Living Communities8 minutes
Assisted Living COVID-19 Responses Challenges (Interview)21 minutes
Emergency Preparedness Plans11 minutes
Emergency Preparedness and COVID-19 (Interview)14 minutes

4 readingsTotal 13 minutes

Course Resources and Technical Support1 minute
Glossary of Terms1 minute
Assignment Instructions and Goals1 minute
References for Developing an Emergency Preparedness Plan10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 30 minutes

Getting Started with your Community's Emergency Preparedness Strategy30 minutes

This module covers several infection prevention topics to help you develop and implement practices to reduce COVID-19 transmission. First, it distinguishes how policies, procedures and practices each play a role in preventing and responding to COVID-19. Then it describes factors that contribute to COVID-19 outbreaks and how to prevent them, the proper use of PPE, cleaning and disinfection, staffing considerations, and communication strategies for different stakeholders.

What's included

9 videos2 readings4 assignments

9 videosTotal 112 minutes

The 3 P’s of Infection Prevention and Control: Policies, Procedures, and Practice 11 minutes
Outbreak Prevention, Control Measures and Challenges21 minutes
Managing COVID-19 Exposures and Infections12 minutes
Responding to COVID-19 Exposures and Infections (Interview)14 minutes
Infection Prevention Strategies18 minutes
Staffing Considerations11 minutes
Engaging Staff in COVID-19 Prevention and Response (Interview)10 minutes
Strategies for Communication with Stakeholders and Media5 minutes
Optimizing Communication with Stakeholders and Media (Interview)10 minutes

2 readingsTotal 10 minutes

Resources for Infection Prevention 5 minutes
Resources for Staffing Considerations5 minutes

4 assignmentsTotal 55 minutes

Assessing your community's training methods10 minutes
Analyzing a COVID-19 Outbreak Case Study10 minutes
Creating Infection Prevention and Staff Contingency Plans30 minutes
Identifying your Communications Strategies with External Stakeholders5 minutes

This module addresses the fundamentals on how to create and implement testing policies in your community. It explains the various types of tests available, including the pros and cons of each, and how this may impact practices and outcomes in your community. It also provides a background on how to contact trace in Assisted Living Communities and cohort infected or exposed residents and staff accordingly.

What's included

7 videos2 readings2 assignments

7 videosTotal 87 minutes

Testing Strategies6 minutes
Testing Strategies in Assisted Living Communities10 minutes
Diagnostic Tests in Assisted Living Communities14 minutes
Monitoring and Surveillance for Residents, Staff, Vendors, and Visitors16 minutes
Screening Staff for COVID-1916 minutes
Contact Tracing12 minutes
Cohorting Strategies (Interview)13 minutes

2 readingsTotal 15 minutes

Resources for Testing Strategies10 minutes
Resources for Monitoring and Surveillance5 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 45 minutes

Evaluating your testing strategy30 minutes
Developing your community's monitoring policy15 minutes

This module discusses reasons for increased stress, anxiety, and feelings of isolation among staff and residents and what types of programs and policies can be implemented to promote well-being.

What's included

4 videos1 reading1 assignment

4 videosTotal 40 minutes

Supporting the Mental Health and Well-being of Staff10 minutes
Strategies for Supporting Resident Well-being (Interview)12 minutes
Visitation and Communication Strategies for COVID-197 minutes
Special Populations: Dementia and COVID-19 (Interview)10 minutes

1 readingTotal 10 minutes

Resources for Supporting Staff and Residents10 minutes

1 assignmentTotal 10 minutes

Implementing Well-Being Strategies for Staff and Residents10 minutes

This module discusses how to create partnerships with local and state health agencies to support your community’s response to COVID-19. It also provides resources about the COVID-19 vaccinations, distribution, and messaging.

What's included

1 video4 readings2 assignments

1 videoTotal 5 minutes

Collaborating with Health Departments and Other Agencies5 minutes

4 readingsTotal 85 minutes

Locating Local Support and Guidance5 minutes
Vaccination Webinars for Assisted Living Communities60 minutes
General Resources & Toolkits10 minutes
Topic-Specific Articles and Guidance10 minutes

2 assignmentsTotal 10 minutes

Identifying and Utilizing Partnerships5 minutes
Vaccination Rollout Reflection5 minutes

The Final Assessment asks about changes you've made to your community's emergency response strategies while taking this course. Prior to starting the Quiz, read the Overarching Resources section and revisit any uncompleted assignments or items that may have required follow up with others in your community.

What's included

1 reading1 assignment1 plugin

Instructors

Morgan Katz

Johns Hopkins University

2 Courses12,041 learners

Juliana Bilowich

Johns Hopkins University

2 Courses12,041 learners

Alice Bonner

Johns Hopkins University

2 Courses12,041 learners

Offered by

Johns Hopkins University

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Frequently asked questions

This course provides comprehensive instruction and resources for administrators and direct-care staff of assisted living communities on best practices for the response to COVID-19. Topics discussed include development of emergency preparedness plans, infection and outbreak prevention, staffing considerations, testing, and contact tracing. The course also covers strategies for communicating with stakeholders, promoting resident and staff well-being, and leveraging health departments and other agency resources.

Due to a generous grant, you can enroll in this course for free! The promotional price will be applied to your purchase automatically. You will need to enroll via a web browser on either a computer or a mobile device and not via the Coursera mobile app to enroll for the course and certificate for free. Unfortunately, the promotional price is not redeemable through the mobile app. If you have paid for this course because you enrolled through the app, please contact Coursera’s Learner Service team to arrange for a refund.

Please note the difference between auditing the course and enrolling for free. While both options cost nothing, “auditing” the course means you will not have access to the assessments nor will you be issued a certificate upon completion of the course. Choose the “Enroll for free” option to access the assessments and get a certificate upon completion. For a full explanation of all enrollment options, review the Enrollment Options article on Coursera’s Learner Help Center.

This course is directed towards training administrators as well as direct-care staff in best practices to prepare and respond to outbreaks of COVID-19 in your assisted living community. It can be incorporated into training practices of staff and administrators as an important component of your community’s response to the pandemic.

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.