Remote support for families and caregivers during transitions from skilled nursing facilities to home

Images of family caregivers looking through windows to see their loved ones in nursing homes have come to characterize a serious challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic: supporting families who are separated from their loved ones. Family and caregiver involvement has long been considered essential in transitions of care from short-term, skilled nursing facility (SNF) stays back to the community to ensure the patient’s safety and recovery at home. However, isolation and quarantine policies aimed at reducing the risk of infection have severely curtailed the efforts of family and informal caregivers who wish to be present and involved during transitions of care management.