Social Media Is Becoming Essential for Nursing Homes During COVID-19 Crisis
Before the COVID-19 crisis, nursing homes tended to consider social media as more of a nuisance than a help. However, when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the mandate instructing nursing homes to close their doors to visitors and non-essential staff, the important role that the connection with families and friends played in the lives and well-being of their residents zoomed in importance.
Realizing the emotional impact that being isolated from family and friends had on their residents, nursing homes have turned to various social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Zoom, Skype, and Face Time. These platforms are not only proving valuable in helping to connect residents with their families and friends, but as a way for facilities to share vital information regarding residents’ care and other information.
One company that operates several nursing homes in the Midwest reported that before the crisis, it had used Facebook no more than one time per week to share significant events with the residents, family members, and others. Since the crisis, the company reports that the usage is accelerating daily and is highlighting the range of socially distant activities that staff members have implemented throughout the facilities. For example, residents have turned hallways into bowling alleys, taking turns to try and knock down the pins, and playing bingo while staying six feet apart.
Another official of a facility reported that prior to COVID-19, an individual facility’s page would have 50 to 100 views per week, but recently a Facebook screenshot indicated 1,300 views and 538 engagements over a seven-day period. He also made this statement, “We see there’s more connections with children and their parents, or grandchildren with their grandparents, on Facebook due to all the posting and all the media that we’re putting out.”
Compliance Perspective
Allowing the use of social media to help alleviate some of the emotional impact that the CMS ban on visitors and non-essential staff has created might be considered a breach of residents’ rights to privacy should the facility fail to establish and implement specific guidelines for protecting residents’ privacy, i.e., inappropriate posting of pictures and communicating private health information regarding persons with COVID-19. This could be deemed violation of state and federal regulations.
Discussion Points:
- Review policies and procedures regarding CMS allowable information disclosure of persons with COVID-19 and the use of social media to ensure that specific guidelines are developed and implemented to prevent privacy breaches.
- Train staff regarding the specific guidelines for using social media platforms to create ways to foster communication and social interaction between residents, families, and friends.
- Periodically audit to ensure that the privacy of residents is not being violated.
