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An independent commission set up by the Trump administration has unveiled a host of recommendations it says could help nursing homes "reduce the suffering and to save the lives of residents and staff" as they continue to wage a deadly battle against the coronavirus, though some critics say the commission didn't go far enough to help America's most vulnerable because it does not address enforcement of federal quality of care standards. (Romero, 9/17)

The Trump administration is claiming “resounding vindication” from an independent commission’s report on the coronavirus crisis in nursing homes, but some panel members say that’s a misinterpretation of their conclusion that much remains to be done to safeguard vulnerable residents. People in long-term care facilities represent less than 1% of the U.S. population but more than 40% of the coronavirus deaths, according to the COVID Tracking Project, which has tallied 77,000 deaths among residents and staff. Those harsh numbers are a sensitive political issue for President Donald Trump, who is trying to hang on to support from older voters. (Alonso-Zaldivar, 9/17)

Three studies on COVID-19 prevention in nursing homes published today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report suggest that regular testing of residents and staff to identify asymptomatic infections may help contain outbreaks and that Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) star ratings could serve as a proxy for coronavirus outbreak risk. (Van Beusekom, 9/17)

The state will allow family members back inside nursing homes for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic closed the facilities to visitors six months ago, officials announced Thursday. Nursing homes can choose whether to open their doors to certain visitors starting Sept. 24. The state has not laid out all the rules yet, however, leaving facilities with many unanswered questions, industry leaders said. (Morris, 9/17)

Kaiser Health News: A Pandemic Upshot: Seniors Are Having Second Thoughts About Where To Live 

Where do we want to live in the years ahead? Older adults are asking this question anew in light of the ongoing toll of the coronavirus pandemic — disrupted lives, social isolation, mounting deaths. Many are changing their minds. Some people who planned to move to senior housing are now choosing to live independently rather than communally. Others wonder whether transferring to a setting where they can get more assistance might be the right call. (Graham, 9/18)

An 80-year-old Holocaust survivor who spent 81 days on a ventilator in a Pennsylvania hospital as he battled coronavirus is thrilled to be home in time to celebrate Rosh Hashana with his family. “I feel happy to [have] another Rosh Hashana in my life,” said Avram Woidislawsky, who was born in the Siberian mountains after his family fled the Nazi invasion in Poland. “It’s great.” (Hein, 9/18)