Credit: Jessica Griffin/Philadelphia Inquirer
In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bucks County’s long-term care facilities were hit hard.
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COVID-19 spread through communal-living facilities with already at-risk residents and staff coming and going. The situation proved to be the perfect kindling for the novel coronavirus.
Many of the roughly 30 facilities in Bucks County were inundated with cases among staff and residents. The pandemic claimed the lives of many and left others needing hospital interventions.
This week, the Bucks County Health Department was approved by the county salary board to add a position to coordinate between county government and the long-term care centers.
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The Bucks County Emergency Management Agency currently has a staff member in a similar role, but that employee will be moving to the health department, according to county Health Director Dr. David Damsker’s comment to the salary board.
The staff will work in coordination with the Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership and other county agencies. The position will include oversight of the Bucks County Long-Term Care Consortium.
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The position will be similar to one at Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership, which is a partnership between the health department, Bucks County Medical Society, and the six hospitals in the county, Damsker explained.
The coordinator will meet with long-term care facilities, work on planning, run an outreach program to get people to plan ahead before they need long-term care, and act as a liaison between Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership, county government, and the long-term care facilities.
Damsker said the job was created to fill the gap in communication between long-term care facilities and other agencies. Long-term care centers can take part voluntarily.
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“We feel this is a good position,” Damsker said, citing the “weakness” exposed by COVID-19.
Damsker said the county could decide to fund the program through other means starting in 2025, but the position could also end when the federal money runs out.
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“This [position] is a hole that needed to be filled,” said Bucks County Commissioners’ Chairperson Bob Harvie, who is also a member of the salary board.
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