Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Monday 9 March 2020

Nursing homes face unique challenge with coronavirus

By KELLI KENNEDY and Pittsburgh Department of
ADRIANA GOMEZ LICON Medicine. He oversees 300
MIAMI (AP) — From Miami facilities in Pennsylvania.
to Seattle, nursing homes For now, facilities in most
and other facilities for the states are stressing ba-
elderly are stockpiling sic precautions, including
masks and thermometers, hand washing and cough-
preparing for staff short- ing etiquette.
ages and screening visitors Centers throughout the
to protect a particularly country are also trying to
vulnerable population from prepare their staffs for the
the coronavirus. worst.
In China, where the out- An adult day care center
break began, the disease in Miami's Little Havana
has been substantially neighborhood bought
deadlier for the elderly. In long-lasting prepared
Italy, the epicenter of the meals in preparation for
virus outbreak in Europe, possible shortages. The He-
the more than 100 people brew Home in Riverdale,
who died were either elder- New York, is running nurs-
ly, sick with other complica- ing staff through drills to see
tions, or both. how they will handle situa-
Of the 21 deaths across the tions at the 750-bed facility
U.S. as of Sunday, at least if the virus progresses. Their
16 had been linked to a In this March 4, 2020, photo, nursing assistant Natasha Borges, right, helps Rene Gonzalez, left, IT department is setting up
Seattle-area nursing home, dry his hands after washing them at Little Havana Activities and Nutrition Centers of Dade County, infrastructure for staff to
along with many other in- Inc., in Miami. work remotely if they be-
fections among residents, Associated Press come sick.
staff and family members. "If one of our sites has an
The Seattle Times report- quire the homes to have an are now giving all visitors a sibility of contracting the outbreak, we quickly will
ed that a second nursing infection prevention spe- short questionnaire asking coronavirus scares him. deplete the staff in that
home and a retirement cialist on staff, and many about symptoms, recent "It's a concern," Marchand location," said Randy Bury,
community in the area had have long had measures in travel and contact with said. "It really is." CEO of The Good Samari-
each reported one case of place to deal with seasonal others, said company Vice Many facilities across the tan Society, one of the
the virus. flus and other ailments that President Luke Neumann. country have said they largest not-for-profit provid-
That has put other facilities pose a higher risk to the el- Neumann said the nurs- were having trouble get- ers of senior care services
in the U.S. on high alert, es- derly. ing homes also have pur- ting medical masks and in the country, with 19,000
pecially in states with large Even so, facilities' response chased extra thermom- gowns because of short- employees in 24 states.
populations of older resi- to the coronavirus has var- eters in case they need to ages. Some families are consider-
dents, such as Florida and ied across the country. check visitors' temperatures More intensive screening ing pulling their loved ones
California. About 2.5 million In Florida, where about and stockpiled preventive of visitors, meanwhile, is not out of facilities.
people live in long-term 160,000 seniors live in nurs- supplies, including medical sitting well with some. Kathleen Churchyard said
care facilities in the United ing homes and assisted- masks, protective eyewear "Some of the visitors have her family has decided
States. living facilities, mandatory and gowns. In the laundry been quite reluctant to to move her 80-year-old
"For people over the age visitor screening is not in rooms, they are making comply, and that has been mother out of her retire-
of 80 ... the mortality rate place "because we're not sure to use enough bleach stressful," said Janet Snipes, ment community near
could be as high as 15 per- at that stage," said Kristen and heat to kill any linger- executive director of Holly Jacksonville, Florida, and
cent," said Mark Parkinson, Knapp, a spokeswoman for ing virus germs, he said. Heights Nursing Center in into her sister's home near-
president of the nursing the Florida Health Care As- At the South Shore Reha- Denver. by if the virus is confirmed in
home trade group Ameri- sociation. bilitation and Skilled Care Under federal regulations, the area.
can Health Care Associa- But elder care centers are Center south of Boston, pa- nursing homes are consid- Churchyard, who lives in
tion. posting signs urging visitors tient Leo Marchand keeps ered a patient's residence, Concord, North Carolina,
The federal government to stay away if they have a container of disinfecting and the facilities want to worries her mother is not
is now focusing all nurs- symptoms, and are look- wipes on a shelf by his bed keep them connected with taking it seriously, and is
ing home inspections on ing into alternate ways for that he uses several times a family, especially when particularly worried about
infection control, singling families to connect, such day. The 71-year-old Viet- they are near death. her dining hall.
out facilities in cities with as through video chats, nam veteran and retired "I don't think you can flat- "I tried to get her to buy
confirmed cases and those Knapp said. truck driver has chronic out prevent visitors," said Dr. some stuff to prepare. ...
previously cited for not fol- Concierges in the 14 Florida obstructive pulmonary dis- David A. Nace, director of She said, 'No. If (the virus)
lowing protocol. nursing homes run by the ease that makes it difficult long-term care and flu pro- takes me, it takes me,'"
Federal rules already re- Palm Gardens corporation for him to breathe. The pos- grams at the University of Churchyard said.q