POLITICO: ‘The Situation in the Hospitals Is Grim,’ States Face Brutal Virus Fallout

According to POLITICO, the number of people who are hospitalized and have tested positive for COVID-19 has increased by 30% since Thanksgiving. CNBC reports that eight people per 100,000 are hospitalized due to the flu, and older adults are at a greater risk.

In recent years, the demand for in-home health care has spiked as seniors look to receive the care they need in a safer environment. Instead of moving into a crowded community or risking exposure to a virus by visiting a medical facility for a simple or low-risk need, individuals can receive the attention they need in the safety of their own homes.

“With the pandemic, more families are looking to move loved ones out of assisted living facilities and bring them back home where they have more control over their safety. That change, in general, is certainly making our role even more important in the health care industry,” Margaret Haynes, CEO of Right at Home*, told 1851. “We are also seeing a rise in telehealth and hospital-at-home models, with more health care moving to the home care environment in general.”

Though the prevalence of the COVID virus has had ebbs and flows, other respiratory risks are becoming more problematic. It is likely that families nationwide will respond similarly — by working to create the safest environment for their senior loved ones, and franchisees and franchisors should be prepared to take on this demand and leverage the community-level need for additional growth.

Read more at politico.com.