We can all agree that our society has an obligation to care for and protect the most vulnerable among us. To that end, New Hampshire’s long-term eldercare communities serve thousands of our older adults and elders, and are there for us when our loved ones need care beyond what we are able to provide in the home. While we have much to learn about the COVID-19 global pandemic, we clearly see that long-term care communities serving the elderly have been disproportionately hard hit across the globe. In the coming months, it will be important to understand why, and to seek solutions quickly and collectively.

First, a bit of perspective. We know that New Hampshire has not been as severely impacted as most other states in terms of loss of life and total number of cases. Indeed, during this global pandemic, the Granite State continues to be one of the safest places to live. We are fortunate to have tremendously talented, hardworking healthcare workers, and competent leadership representing our state.

Unfortunately, we also know that the residents and staff in our long-term care communities have suffered the most during this pandemic. For those of us who work closely with these community owners and staff, and with seniors and their families to find an eldercare community to fit their needs, we can attest that these decisions are hard enough without the safety concerns brought on by COVID-19. Understand that in many of the cases we deal with, the families have no choice but to seek a community with a higher level of care for their loved one. And while the total number of lives lost is dramatically lower than other states, these losses are no less tragic, and we would be negligent if we did not immediately address the major contributing factors. Factors such as:

• The elderly are more likely to have pre-existing medical conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, hypertension, and cancer, which might make them more vulnerable to the coronavirus.

• Many of the elderly living in long-term care communities have some form of dementia such as Alzheimer’s disease, or some other form of cognitive impairment, which can inhibit their ability to comprehend the need for masks, social isolation, and frequent handwashing.

• Not all long-term care communities have the ability to effectively isolate, on an individual basis, residents infected with a contagious virus like COVID-19.

• Some long-term care communities are more susceptible to outbreaks because they are responsible for a larger number of residents with higher risk factors like those listed above. Not every community offers the same level of care.

It is imperative that we prioritize some of the solutions we know are available to us, and not become complacent. Solutions such as increased testing for all residents and staff in long-term care communities; increased funding for these communities to allow for increased supplies of protective gear, more training and better pay for staff, and alternatives for isolating residents during outbreaks.

Thankfully, our elected officials have been focused on immediate measures to protect our older adults and elders and the people who care for them. Recently, our Congressional delegation announced that New Hampshire nursing communities will receive $19.78 million in federal assistance through the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was passed by Congress and signed into law. And, Governor Chris Sununu established the COVID-19 Long Term Care Stabilization (LTCS) Program “to help stabilize front line work that is not able to be conducted remotely, of certain Medicaid providers that support aging seniors, people with developmental disabilities,” and others.

We wholeheartedly support these efforts and encourage all Granite Staters to express your support for increased funding, training and protections for the staff and residents living and working in our many long-term care communities across the state. We owe it to our elders and those who care for them.

Glen and Kristy Badger, of Meredith, are the owners of Assisted Living Locators of New Hampshire, providing a service free to clients searching for eldercare, and both hold CDC certifications in dementia care.