May 31, 2020 The Healthcare Advocacy Council of North Carolina is calling immediate attention to the negative impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on seniors in North Carolina and points of action that need to be urgently implemented across our state. Mandated COVID virus lock-downs and quarantines went into place on March 10 without the checks and balances needed between patients, families, communities and governing agencies. Regulatory requirements and third party oversight previously in place have been relaxed under North Carolina executive orders, with the intention of giving facilities the ability to work effectively to control outbreaks in their communities. The result is restriction of any visitation by ombudsmen, advocates, family or friends and has left seniors isolated and without an outside voice. Our older citizens are now in jeopardy not just because of the virus but due to the extreme isolation. Seniors with less access and understanding of video communication are experiencing accelerated cognitive decline, increasing depression, intense grief and declining will to live. We are calling on our state and federal officials, to prioritize our seniors for PPE, testing and federal financial support over other commercial activities. We request that lawmakers take immediate action to ensure congregant resident rights are restored, essential workers are supplied with proper PPE, residents and staff are tested and communities restore surveillance and investigation by county ombudsmen.
Signed,
Healthcare Advocacy Council of North Carolina
Trusted and knowledgeable healthcare professionals working together to provide health advocacy through education, awareness, and empowerment for North Carolina.
https://www.healthcareadvocatesnc.com
Andrea Cudd Alemanni
Patient Navigation Team LLC andrea@patientnavteam.com patientnavteam.com
336-485-5427
Lana Benton RN, BSN
RN Patient Advocates of NC, LLC rnpanc@gmail.com
mypersonalrn.com
833-876-3084
Andrea Gill, RN, BSN, BCPA Carolina Patient Advocates, PLLC agill@carolinapatientadvocates.com carolinapatientadvocates.com
704-324-3582
Diane Halloran, RN, MPH Everybody Needs A Nurse yournurse@everybodyneedsanurse.com everybodyneedsanurse.com
919-606-1819
Jennifer Halloran, PhD
Everybody Needs A Nurse jhalloran@everybodyneedsanurse.com everybodyneedsanurse.com
919-606-1819
Cindy Hostetler, RN, MSN, BCPA Care Weavers, LLC
cindy@careweavers.com careweavers.com
704-577-2096
Amanda McGuire Johnson, MSN, ANP McGuire Health Advocates, PLLC amanda@mcguirehealth.com mcguirehealth.com
828-559-1591
Joan Moss RN, MSN
HealthCLEAR for You, PLLC
joan@healthclearforyou.com
919-710-8520
Thomas E. Nagle Jr., RN, MSN, MHA Carolina Patient Advocates, PLLC
tom.nagle@carolinapatientadvocates.com carolinapatientadvocates.com
336-793-8380
Elizabeth Pruett, RN, BSN, BCPA
Care Weavers, LLC
elizabeth@careweavers.com
careweavers.com
704-577-2096
Kimberly Rowell, RN, CCM, BCPA
Peak Patient Advocacy & Consulting,
RN@PeakPatientAdvocacy.com PeakPatientAdvocacy.com
828-354-3700.
Nancy Ruffner, BCPA
NAVIGATE NC, LLC
nancy@navigatenc.com
navigatenc.com
919-628-4428
Karen Sanders, MSN,RN,AHN-BC,HWNC-BC RN Patient Advocacy NC, PLLC rnpatientadvoacync.com
kcsanderella@gmail.com
828-778-8882
Cheryl Scharoun, RN BSN, BCPA
Babyboom Health
Babyboomhealth@gmail.com babyboomhealth.com
919-622-0840
Ann Thomas, BA, BCPA
Best Care Patient Advocacy
ann@bestcarepa.com bestcarepatientadvocacy.com
828-771-2262
David Whitley, BSRT, CRT, RRT, BCPA Whitley Patient Advocates
dwhitley@whitleyptadvocates.com
www.whitleyptadvocates.com
252-269-7073
Marilyn Whitley, MSN, RN, NE-BC, BCPA Whitley Patient Advocates
mwhitley@whitleyptadvocates.com
www.whitleyptadvocates.com
252-269-7073