While hospitals and nursing homes are trying somehow to get the necessary number of coronavirus tests and personal protective equipment, millions of patients in need of home care have been left without any support from the state.
This is reported by the publication “Politico”.
According to the media, the crown-crisis has revealed serious gaps in the health system, affecting the elderly and disabled. Many of them have been left without any help in the current situation. They do not even have nurses under quarantine. The National Association for Home Care found in a survey that more than half of the disabled and the elderly had lost helpers due to the spread of coronavirus.
Kathy Smith Sloan, head of LeadingAge, said that attempts to get the federal government to provide this category of citizens with the necessary medical products, including tests, have not yet been successful. “It’s a real shame,” she says.
Last week, Washington took some steps in that direction. In particular, money was allocated to ensure that food was delivered to people with disabilities. However, the authorities again failed to take into account the need for protective equipment and tests. Experts believe that the reduction in care would be less significant if carers and patients were adequately protected.