SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, poses a high risk for senior housing communities and the people who live and work there. The COVID-19 response has largely focused on nursing homes, leaving independent living communities serving older adults in the United States with fragmented guidance on how to respond to COVID-19 challenges. This course provides comprehensive instruction and resources for property owners and managers, senior housing staff, service coordinators and providers, community housing leaders, and other senior housing stakeholders to build upon their emergency preparedness and response strategies related to COVID-19. The course lectures, interviews, and assignments are largely geared toward federally-subsidized, multifamily senior housing providers, but the material is relevant for all senior housing providers.
Learners will hear from experts about best practices to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks and promote well-being. Topics discussed include unique challenges for senior housing communities, development of emergency preparedness plans, outbreak prevention, and coronavirus-adapted housing operations. The course also covers strategies for communicating with stakeholders, promoting pandemic-safe behavior on site, and leveraging health departments and other agency resources, including a collection of resources for COVID-19 vaccination guidance. Learners are encouraged to concurrently develop and enhance their own community’s policies, procedures, and practices.
This course was developed in partnership with the Baltimore City Health Department.
This module provides a foundational understanding of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), challenges specific to Senior Housing communities, and how to structure your pandemic emergency preparedness response strategies.
What's included
5 videos4 readings1 assignment
Show info about module content
5 videos•Total 77 minutes
COVID-19 Background, Transmission and Infection•10 minutes
Unique Response Challenges for Senior Housing•13 minutes
References for Developing Emergency Preparedness Strategies•5 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
Assessing your Emergency Response Strategies•30 minutes
Infection Prevention
Module 2•3 hours to complete
Module details
This module covers several infection prevention topics to help you develop and implement practices to reduce COVID-19 transmission. First, it distinguishes how policies, procedures and practices each play a role in preventing and responding to COVID-19. Then it describes factors that contribute to COVID-19 outbreaks and how to prevent them, mask usage, cleaning and disinfection, staffing considerations, and communication strategies for different stakeholders.
What's included
8 videos1 reading3 assignments
Show info about module content
8 videos•Total 90 minutes
The 3 P’s of Infection Prevention and Control: Policies, Procedures, and Practice •11 minutes
Outbreak Prevention, Control Measures, and Challenges•18 minutes
Managing COVID-19 Exposures and Infections•10 minutes
Responding to COVID-19 Exposures and Infections (Interview)•24 minutes
Staffing Considerations•6 minutes
Engaging and Supporting Staff (Interview)•11 minutes
Strategies for Communication with Stakeholders and Media•5 minutes
Communicating with Stakeholders (Interview)•6 minutes
1 reading•Total 5 minutes
Infection Prevention Principles•5 minutes
3 assignments•Total 55 minutes
Assessing your Community's Training Methods•10 minutes
Creating Infection Prevention and Staff Contingency Plans•30 minutes
Examining your Communication Strategies•15 minutes
Senior Housing Operations
Module 3•2 hours to complete
Module details
This module covers how senior housing operations are impacted by the pandemic and suggests adaptations to occupancy procedures, community access, and behavior management to lower the risk of COVID-19 transmission on site.
What's included
6 videos1 reading1 assignment
Show info about module content
6 videos•Total 80 minutes
Managing Occupancy•8 minutes
Occupancy and Property Operations (Interview)•16 minutes
Managing Community Access•6 minutes
Restricting and Monitoring Community Access (Interview)•16 minutes
Evaluating your Community's Operations Policies•15 minutes
Promoting Mental Health and Well-being
Module 4•2 hours to complete
Module details
This module discusses reasons for increased stress, anxiety, and feelings of isolation among staff and residents during this time and what types of programs and policies can be implemented to promote well-being.
What's included
6 videos1 reading1 assignment
Show info about module content
6 videos•Total 96 minutes
Supporting the Mental Health and Well-being of Staff•10 minutes
Strategies for Supporting Resident Well-being (Interview)•23 minutes
Service Coordination•5 minutes
Adapting Service Coordination (Interview)•12 minutes
Safe Visitation Strategies (Interview)•14 minutes
Resident Well-being: Special Populations (Interview)•32 minutes
1 reading•Total 5 minutes
Resources on Well-being •5 minutes
1 assignment•Total 5 minutes
Implementing Well-Being Strategies for Staff and Residents•5 minutes
Health Department Partnerships & Vaccination Guidance
Module 5•2 hours to complete
Module details
This module discusses how to create partnerships with local and state health agencies to support your community’s response to COVID-19. It also provides resources about the COVID-19 vaccinations, distribution, and messaging.
What's included
1 video4 readings2 assignments
Show info about module content
1 video•Total 5 minutes
Collaborating with Health Departments and Other Agencies•5 minutes
4 readings•Total 85 minutes
Locating Local Support and Guidance•5 minutes
Vaccination Webinars for Senior Housing Communities•60 minutes
General Resources & Toolkits•10 minutes
Topic-Specific Articles and Guidance•10 minutes
2 assignments•Total 10 minutes
Identifying and Utilizing Partnerships•5 minutes
Vaccination Rollout Reflection•5 minutes
Final Assessment
Module 6•1 hour to complete
Module details
The Final Assessment asks about changes you've made to your community's emergency response strategies while taking this course. Prior to starting the Quiz, read the Overarching Resources section and revisit any uncompleted assignments or items that may have required follow up with others in your community.
What's included
1 reading1 assignment1 plugin
Show info about module content
1 reading•Total 5 minutes
Overarching Resources•5 minutes
1 assignment•Total 15 minutes
Assessing your Enhanced Emergency Response Strategies•15 minutes
1 plugin•Total 15 minutes
End of course survey•15 minutes
Instructors
Instructor ratings
Instructor ratings
We asked all learners to give feedback on our instructors based on the quality of their teaching style.
The mission of The Johns Hopkins University is to educate its students and cultivate their capacity for life-long learning, to foster independent and original research, and to bring the benefits of discovery to the world.
Due to a generous grant, you can enroll in this course for free! The promotional price will be applied to your purchase automatically. You will need to enroll via a web browser on either a computer or a mobile device and not via the Coursera mobile app to enroll for the course and certificate for free. Unfortunately, the promotional price is not redeemable through the mobile app. If you have paid for this course because you enrolled through the app, please contact Coursera’s Learner Service team to arrange for a refund.
Please note the difference between auditing the course and enrolling for free. While both options cost nothing, “auditing” the course means you will not have access to the assessments nor will you be issued a certificate upon completion of the course. Choose the “Enroll for free” option to access the assessments and get a certificate upon completion. For a full explanation of all enrollment options, review the Enrollment Options article on Coursera’s Learner Help Center.
How long is the course and how quickly do I need to complete it.
This is a self-paced course that could take up to 8 hours depending on the learner’s engagement. There is no specific time interval in which this course must be completed. Each lecture is short and interspersed with housing provider interviews; learning can be modified in order to address the specific needs of your community.
What does this course cover?
This course provides comprehensive instruction and resources for property owners and managers, senior housing staff, service coordinators and providers, community housing leaders, and other senior housing stakeholders related to COVID-19. Learners will hear from experts about best practices to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks and promote well-being. Topics discussed include unique challenges for senior housing communities, development of emergency preparedness plans, outbreak prevention, and coronavirus-adapted housing operations. The course also covers strategies for communicating with stakeholders, promoting pandemic-safe behavior on site, and leveraging health departments and other agency resources. Learners are encouraged to concurrently develop and enhance their own community’s policies, procedures, and practices.
Who should take this course?
This course is directed towards property owners and managers, senior housing staff, service coordinators and providers, community housing leaders, and other senior housing stakeholders interested in learning best practices to prepare and respond to outbreaks of COVID-19 at senior housing communities. It can be incorporated into training practices of staff as an important component of your community’s response to the pandemic.
Why should I take this course?
Johns Hopkins University has been on the forefront of the country’s COVID-19 response through data, training, and response resources. For housing communities left out of the national’s broader response, this course gives insight into current guidance and real-life examples that will help keep senior housing residents and staff as safe as possible.
What type of Senior Housing settings does this course content apply to?
COVID-19 poses a high risk for senior housing communities and the people who live and work there, and yet the United States’ COVID-19 response has largely focused on nursing homes, leaving independent living communities serving older adults with fragmented guidance on how to respond to COVID-19 challenges. The course lectures, interviews, and homework are largely geared toward federally-subsidized, multifamily senior housing providers, but the material is relevant for all senior housing providers.
What will I take away from this course?
The course lectures and homework materials draw on COVID-19 guidance and recommendations from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other federal agencies; learners will have the chance to review requirements and strategies for combatting COVID-19 at senior housing communities, accompanied by additional reading and exercises for deeper comprehension. Throughout the course, learners will also hear applied examples of key concepts through interviews with housing providers in the field.
Learners will develop an understanding of emergency preparedness plans related to COVID-19 policies, practices and procedures; review effective COVID-related infection prevention strategies and communication methods; understand COVID-19 adapted requirements for managing occupancy, community access, and resident behavior at senior housing communities; and identify methods for promoting staff and resident well-being during and beyond COVID-19.
Is this course a good place to get medical advice?
No, this course is not a source of personal medical advice. Please contact your doctor or local healthcare provider if you have questions about your specific symptoms or circumstances.
Is this course a good place to get legal advice?
Always consult your legal teams, as well as the most recent HUD and CDC guidelines before implementing any procedures.
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.