On February 24, WQED, with host Lynne Hayes-Freeland, held a virtual event to spark discussion about how the current COVID-19 crisis unveiled the underlying systemic issues facing long-term care facilities and threatening the safety of residents and workers. Drawing 219 attendees, the event featured a screening of the JHF-produced documentary short, What COVID-19 Exposed in Long-Term Care, which explores the causes behind the COVID-19 crisis in long-term care facilities across the United States.
Following the screening, a national panel of experts discussed what is happening in the industry, what it means for boomers and their children, and the necessary policy changes to care for our frail seniors in the decades ahead. Speakers included:
- Alice Bonner, PhD, RN, FAAN, Senior Advisor for Aging, Institute for Healthcare Improvement; and Director of Strategic Partnerships, Center for Innovative Care in Aging
- Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN, FAAN, President and CEO, John A. Hartford Foundation
- Bill Thomas, MD, Founder and Chairman, Minka; Founder, Green House Project; and Co-founder, ChangingAging.org
- Bobbi Jo Haden, Vice President Retirement Services, Presbyterian SeniorCare Network
- Karen Wolk Feinstein, PhD, President and CEO, Jewish Healthcare Foundation
The event also featured cameo appearances by:
- Stuart Altman, PhD, Brandeis University; and Chair of the Health Policy Commission, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- Denise Octavia Smith, MBA, CHW, PN, Executive Director of the National Association of Community Health Workers
- Deborah Winn Horvitz, MS, President and CEO of the Jewish Association on Aging