A group of Arizona health practitioners and business owners is attempting to open new temporary housing facilities for elderly COVID-19 patients but is waiting on state approval for the project to go forward.

The group, Senior Healthcare Solutions of Arizona, is expecting an increase in the need for assisted living as hospitals prepare for a surge in COVID-19 cases.

The new facilities would specifically accommodate seniors with COVID-19 who hospitals have discharged to make room for patients in critical condition. The facilities could also quarantine seniors exposed to the virus.

SHSA's leader, Voss Speros, told The Republic that seniors recovering from COVID-19 cannot return to senior living facilities that house other elderly individuals vulnerable to the disease.

"If someone is in an assisted living facility and they get COVID-19, they can't go back into that facility when they leave the hospital," Speros said.

Nursing home populations are at the highest risk of being infected with COVID-10, according to the CDC.

Speros said he hopes the plan will provide relief for seniors and help to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Making use of area resorts left vacant by COVID-19

Arizona's tourism industry brings in $22.7 billion in visitor spending annually and provides over 487,000 direct and indirect jobs, according to the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association.

As local events and seasonal travelers canceled plans because of COVID-19, local hotels have had trouble filling rooms, with some shuttering altogether. Recent estimates from the American Lodging and Tourism Association indicate 26,000 direct hotel jobs have been lost in Arizona.

Senior Healthcare Solutions is asking for vacant hotels and health care facilities to contact the group if owners are willing to convert properties into temporary senior living homes.

The group already has one such facility lined up but is waiting for the Arizona Department of Health Services to review its licensing request, made by association member Dynamic Assisted Living.

If approved, the license would allow Dynamic Assisted Living to transform part of the Arizona Golf Resort, located at 425 S Power Road in Mesa, into approximately 60 private rooms. Each room would house two seniors.

The resort is a 48-acre property that includes an 18-hole golf course, convention space, restaurants, and hotel.

One of Dynamic Assisted Living's owners, Gina Rodrigez, told The Republic the resort was hard hit by COVID-19 related cancellations and that its agreement to allow part of the facility to be used for patient housing is a win-win.

"They're willing to give us 60 rooms to house COVID patients, and that includes providing those patients breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their kitchen staff, who is now laid off, can come back to work," said Rodriguez.

According to Rodriguez, rooms housing COVID patients would be kept separate from the rest of the resort, including the resort's golf course, which remains operational. Under Gov. Doug Ducey's March 30 "Stay Home, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected" Executive Order, golfing, along with other "outdoor exercise activities, are designated as "Essential Activities'' and are allowed to continue operating.

Resort member and golfer Sharon Tarten said she supports SHSA's plan to house COVID-19 patients.

"They have the rooms available, there's no reason for this not to be a viable situation," said Tarten, "The patients need further recuperation and care, they can't go home yet. Other people in our community are opening their doors to similar situations."

The resort's ownership declined to comment.

Funding and Operations

SHSA set up a public gofundme page to raise start-up funds for costs like state-required licensing fees and city permitting. As of Thursday afternoon, it had raised $2,700 towards a $30,000 goal.

Rodrigez said she will set up a 501(c)(3) for the donations and that state licensing and start-up costs can run upwards of $10,000. The gofundme page indicates any funds not used for start-up costs will be put towards personal protective equipment for staff.

Rodrigez had asked the state to waive its licensing fee so that they could get up and running quickly, but on Thursday received notice that the state could not do so. The Arizona Department of Health Services did not immediately respond to The Republic's request for comment.

Dave Voepel, chief executive officer of the advocacy organization Arizona Health Care Association, told The Republic he is concerned that new facilities have the right staffing so that professionals stay within their scope of practice.

"If someone is on a ventilator, the right staff need to be there," he said. "Rright now, the state's medical providers need more resources like personal protective equipment and skilled (nurses)."

Several of SHSA's members are pitching in to help the project get off the ground and address such concerns. One member, Jaime Wasden Ryum is a registered nurse who is working on staffing and education for the new facility.

"We want to make sure all staff and caregivers have the most up to date information and education," Ryum said, "We have so many great professionals who are a part of this project. We can make sure the quality and right processes are there, which is key."

As the state's COVID-19 case numbers tick upwards, the association says, the need will only increase for such facilties to care for discharged patients who aren't ready to go to their regular homes.

"Right now, hospitals are going through a decompression stage where they're trying to push patients out to skilled nursing and other entities that can handle acute folks," said Voepel. "A surge is coming and as the governor just said, Arizona needs more hospital beds. This is a scenario where we're planning for the worst, but hoping for the best."