ECRI and LeadingAge PA Align on COVID-19 Safety Initiatives for Aging Services Providers

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., April 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- ECRI, an independent nonprofit organization improving the safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness of care in all healthcare settings, and LeadingAge PA, an association of nonprofit senior services providers in Pennsylvania, announce a new alignment aimed at protecting Pennsylvania's older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The coronavirus has demonstrated that it can spread rapidly through long-term care facilities and that older adults can be particularly vulnerable to its harmful effects, so it is imperative that we do everything we can to keep older adults and their caregivers safe," said Victor Lane Rose, ECRI's director of aging services. "This new alignment with LeadingAge PA will help us provide the safest possible care to our most vulnerable older populations, and importantly, the providers that care for them."

Through the new alignment, ECRI and LeadingAge PA will bring actionable, trusted educational guidance to leaders of nonprofit continuing care, skilled nursing, and home care organizations to minimize risk and protect the safety of seniors and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.

One area the two groups will collaborate on immediately is a webinar addressing the mental health effects of COVID-19 in older adults, due in part to the visitation restrictions in aging care facilities. The April 29, 2020, webinar features experts from ECRI and LeadingAge PA who will discuss current issues in aging care, along with the steps providers can take to help prevent equally harmful side-effects, such as depression, which can result from prolonged isolation. 

"By joining forces with ECRI," says Adam Marles, president and CEO of LeadingAge PA, "our two organizations bring a unique set of knowledge and expertise on reducing risks, improving quality, and increasing the safety of aging services providers and residents during this global health crisis."

For decades, ECRI has worked closely with aging care communities in Pennsylvania and throughout the nation on emergency preparedness, disaster planning, and resident safety. In early April 2020, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced that ECRI was selected to support the PA Department of Health with individualized infection control and prevention assistance for Pennsylvania's aging care facilities.

Additionally, ECRI has many resources for aging services providers in its public-access COVID-19 Resource Center. The site includes best practices for infection prevention, medical device guidance on PPE, ventilators, and infusion therapies, and clinical evidence assessments on coronavirus-related treatments, therapies, and interventions. LeadingAge PA also offers valuable resources and information for aging services providers on their dedicated COVID-19 webpage.

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About ECRI
ECRI is an independent, nonprofit organization improving the safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness of care across all healthcare settings. With a focus on patient safety, evidence-based medicine, and health technology decision solutions, ECRI is respected and trusted by healthcare leaders and agencies worldwide. Over the past fifty years, ECRI has built its reputation on integrity and disciplined rigor, with an unwavering commitment to independence and strict conflict-of-interest rules.

ECRI is the only organization worldwide to conduct independent medical device evaluations, with labs located in North America and Asia Pacific. ECRI is designated an Evidence-based Practice Center by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and a federally certified Patient Safety Organization by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In 2020, The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) formally became an ECRI Affiliate.

For more information about ECRI, or to request support, visit www.ecri.org, call (610) 825-6000, or e-mail [email protected]. Follow @ECRI_Org.

About LeadingAge PA
LeadingAge PA is a trade association representing more than 360 nonprofit senior housing, health care and community services across the commonwealth. These providers serve more than 75,000 older Pennsylvanians and employ over 50,000 dedicated caregivers on a daily basis. Services our members offer include Life Plan Communities/Continuing Care Retirement Communities, skilled nursing communities, assisted living residences, personal care homes, and affordable senior housing. LeadingAge PA advocates on behalf of our members at the state and local levels to influence positive change and affect a healthy vision for the delivery of quality, affordable and ethical care for Pennsylvania's seniors. For more information about LeadingAge PA and our envisioned future of senior services, visit LeadingAgePA.org.

SOURCE ECRI