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
Show info about module content
5 videos•Total 66 minutes
COVID-19 Background, Transmission and Infection•11 minutes
Special Risks for Assisted Living Communities•8 minutes
Assisted Living COVID-19 Responses Challenges (Interview)•21 minutes
Emergency Preparedness Plans•11 minutes
Emergency Preparedness and COVID-19 (Interview)•14 minutes
4 readings•Total 13 minutes
Course Resources and Technical Support•1 minute
Glossary of Terms•1 minute
Assignment Instructions and Goals•1 minute
References for Developing an Emergency Preparedness Plan•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Getting Started with your Community's Emergency Preparedness Strategy•30 minutes
Infection Prevention
Module 2•3 hours to complete
Module details
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
Show info about module content
9 videos•Total 112 minutes
The 3 P’s of Infection Prevention and Control: Policies, Procedures, and Practice •11 minutes
Outbreak Prevention, Control Measures and Challenges•21 minutes
Managing COVID-19 Exposures and Infections•12 minutes
Responding to COVID-19 Exposures and Infections (Interview)•14 minutes
Infection Prevention Strategies•18 minutes
Staffing Considerations•11 minutes
Engaging Staff in COVID-19 Prevention and Response (Interview)•10 minutes
Strategies for Communication with Stakeholders and Media•5 minutes
Optimizing Communication with Stakeholders and Media (Interview)•10 minutes
2 readings•Total 10 minutes
Resources for Infection Prevention •5 minutes
Resources for Staffing Considerations•5 minutes
4 assignments•Total 55 minutes
Assessing your community's training methods•10 minutes
Analyzing a COVID-19 Outbreak Case Study•10 minutes
Creating Infection Prevention and Staff Contingency Plans•30 minutes
Identifying your Communications Strategies with External Stakeholders•5 minutes
Testing, Contact Tracing, and Cohorting
Module 3•2 hours to complete
Module details
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
Show info about module content
7 videos•Total 87 minutes
Testing Strategies•6 minutes
Testing Strategies in Assisted Living Communities•10 minutes
Diagnostic Tests in Assisted Living Communities•14 minutes
Monitoring and Surveillance for Residents, Staff, Vendors, and Visitors•16 minutes
Screening Staff for COVID-19•16 minutes
Contact Tracing•12 minutes
Cohorting Strategies (Interview)•13 minutes
2 readings•Total 15 minutes
Resources for Testing Strategies•10 minutes
Resources for Monitoring and Surveillance•5 minutes
2 assignments•Total 45 minutes
Evaluating your testing strategy•30 minutes
Developing your community's monitoring policy•15 minutes
Promoting Mental Health and Well-being
Module 4•1 hour to complete
Module details
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
Show info about module content
4 videos•Total 40 minutes
Supporting the Mental Health and Well-being of Staff•10 minutes
Strategies for Supporting Resident Well-being (Interview)•12 minutes
Visitation and Communication Strategies for COVID-19•7 minutes
Special Populations: Dementia and COVID-19 (Interview)•10 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
Resources for Supporting Staff and Residents•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
Implementing Well-Being Strategies for Staff and Residents•10 minutes
Health Department Partnerships & Vaccination Guidance
Module 5•2 hours to complete
Module details
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
Show info about module content
1 video•Total 5 minutes
Collaborating with Health Departments and Other Agencies•5 minutes
4 readings•Total 85 minutes
Locating Local Support and Guidance•5 minutes
Vaccination Webinars for Assisted Living Communities•60 minutes
General Resources & Toolkits•10 minutes
Topic-Specific Articles and Guidance•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 10 minutes
Identifying and Utilizing Partnerships•5 minutes
Vaccination Rollout Reflection•5 minutes
Final Assessment
Module 6•1 hour to complete
Module details
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
Show info about module content
1 reading•Total 5 minutes
Overarching Resources•5 minutes
1 assignment•Total 10 minutes
Assessing your Enhanced Emergency Response Strategies•10 minutes
1 plugin•Total 15 minutes
End of course survey•15 minutes
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J
JK
5·
Reviewed on Apr 23, 2021
Now I have detailed understanding of strategies for assisted living communities during SARS 2 COVID 19. Thank you.
M
MC
5·
Reviewed on May 9, 2021
cousre was nicely designed so that every one understand. smoothly & easily.course content,interviews,refernce documents very informative & practical.Thank you
K
KD
5·
Reviewed on Jan 1, 2021
It was interesting, and gave historical medical background to preconceived notions.
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.
How can I enroll for free?
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.
Who should take this course and how should we incorporate it in training practices?
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.
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.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
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.
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.