Nursing home deaths soar past 3,600 in alarming surge

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By BERNARD CONDON and RANDY HERSCHAFT

NEW YORK (AP) — More than 3,600 deaths nationwide have been linked to coronavirus outbreaks in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, an alarming rise in just the past two weeks, according to the latest count by The Associated Press.

Because the federal government has not been releasing a count of its own, the AP has kept its own running tally based on media reports and state health departments. The latest count of at least 3,621 deaths is up from about 450 deaths just 10 days ago.

But the true toll among the 1 million mostly frail and elderly people who live in such facilities is likely much higher, experts say, because most state counts don’t include those who died without ever being tested for COVID-19.

Outbreaks in just the past few weeks have included one at a nursing home in suburban Richmond, Virginia, that has killed 42 and infected more than 100, another at nursing home in central Indiana that has killed 24 and infected 16, and one at a veteran’s home in Holyoke, Mass., that has killed 38, infected 88 and prompted a federal investigation. This comes weeks after an outbreak at a nursing home in the Seattle suburb of Kirkland that has so far claimed 43 lives.



A patient is evacuated from the Magnolia Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Riverside, Calif., Wednesday, April 8, 2020. More than 80 patients from a Riverside skilled nursing facility are being evacuated this morning to other healthcare locations throughout Riverside County, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)


Read more: https://apnews.com/efbc89ad4533d40eabb22f4ebf846e48

[HarlanPepper]

1. Yikes. And people fixate on cruise ships...

[KatyMan]

2. Yep

And this is only going to get worse. This is Mrs. KatyMan- I am a community health nurse for a Medicaid contractor in the Houston and surrounding areas. It is hard to explain to people the lack of staffing, lack of equipment, lack of pay and lack of family visiting their loved ones in nursing facilities. I am always so dismayed during care planning meetings when there has been little or no contact with family members. You would be shocked at how many residents go months without family involvement.

The one biggest thing that can make a change in nursing home outcomes---- the family has to be actively involved. I am not making excuses- but the staff do not have time to provide the care that needs to be given. They don't have the staff to feed, change, turn, transfer and engage with all residents in a meaningful way.

And Medicaid (biggest payor source for nursing homes) will only pay for semi-private rooms in most cases- this only compounds the "infection control" issue.

Sad state of affairs. I am not making judgments on others- but I would never put a loved one in a nursing home unless there was absolutely NO other choice. (And my siblings and sibling-in-laws) have kept a father dying of lung cancer home; a mother who had a stroke and subsequent CVA-related dementia; and a mother dying of heart failure at home. If you do have to put a loved one in a nursing facility- please, please, please have someone visit them daily. This is the only way to have at least a somewhat positive outcome.

Off my soapbox now.

[LisaL]

3. Right now nursing homes don't allow family members to visit (because of covid).

So not exactly sure how family can visit at this time, daily or otherwise. What you are suggesting is currently impossible.

[KatyMan]

4. I was speaking in general terms nt

[LisaL]

5. Well, we are discussing what is happening right now, considering we are talking about people dying

from covid.

[Delphinus]

6. I appreciate

your first-hand response.

A friend of mine's mother is in a nursing home with dementia that is getting worse ... and can't see her. It's heart-breaking.

When my Mom was in the rehab hospital, we saw her every day (either my husband or I). Family involvement is quite important.

Thank you for the work you do - it is hard.