Webinar | COVID-19: The Mental Health Effects in Aging Care

With the far-reaching effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and its potentially devastating effects on older adults, more aging care facilities are forced to restrict visitation from friends and family. Coupled with the care-critical need to follow social distancing practices and the looming threat of the virus, many older adults are battling new complications: feelings of isolation and depression.

Join leadership from ECRI and LeadingAge PA as they discuss these current issues in aging care, along with the role they can play to help prevent the equally harmful side-effects such as depression which can result from prolonged isolation.

Webinar recording

Slide presentation

COVID-19: The Mental Health Effects in Aging Care

Learning objectives

At the end of this webinar, attendees will be able to:

• Assess for changes in condition and evaluate ways to monitor for changes in behavioral/mental health
• Identify strategies for assessing and addressing residents’ emotional health and the supports they may need to manage stress and isolation
• Describe practical tips for effectively providing support services provided by health care and community-based organizations (e.g., telemedicine, video chats, etc.) for diagnosing and treating the mental health symptoms
• Incorporate strategies for managing the mental health care needs of residents and staff in this time of social distancing

Victor Lane Rose, MBA, NHA, FCPP, CPASRM

Director of Aging Services, ECRI
Mr. Rose has worked in the healthcare and non-profit sector for more than 25 years. In his current role, he is responsible for coordinating business development and consulting in safety, risk management, and quality improvement to providers nationwide and across the aging services care continuum. He is a Fellow at The College of Physicians of Philadelphia, and is a licensed nursing home administrator in Pennsylvania. He has taught management at DeSales University, served on LeadingAge PA’s Public Policy Committee, and authored numerous healthcare management and aging services articles and white papers.

Megan Stedjan, MSW, LCSW

Director of Member Engagement, LeadingAge PA
A licensed clinical social worker, Ms. Stedjan has over 20 years of direct case management and leadership experience in independent living, assisted living, nursing care, and home and community care services throughout Pennsylvania and Maryland. A Mechanicsburg native, Ms. Stedjan began her career serving older adults with her first after-school job where she worked in the kitchen of a local Continuing Care Retirement Community. Since then, she has received a Bachelor's of Science in Social Work from Messiah College and a Master's Degree in Social Work from Temple University.

Jean Harpel, MSN, RN, GCNS, CPASRM

Operations Manager, PSRQ Aging Services, ECRI
Ms. Harpel is a geriatric clinical nurse specialist and a risk management analyst. In her present role, she provides environment-of-care safety and security and quality and risk management consultation to aging services/post-acute care providers. She has developed institutional- based learning programs utilizing electronic media, traditional lecture, just-in-time activities and bedside initiatives that have focused on safe and efficient care delivery.

Nancy Napolitano, BS, PCHA

Patient Safety Analyst, Consultant, ECRI
Ms. Napolitano came to ECRI in 2015 with over 35 years of behavioral health experience in successful programming and collaboration for overall patient safety and satisfaction. She has presented numerous times on Behavioral Health and Workplace Violence, Suicide and Safety for several of the member organizations since coming to ECRI. Prior to joining ECRI, she worked for over 30 years managing inpatient and outpatient adult/ geriatric psychiatric programs within acute care hospitals and outpatient in Suburban Philadelphia.