Statewide alert: FL nursing homes limit visits; suggest text, Facetime, Skype; suspend large group

[TexasTowelie]

Statewide alert: FL nursing homes limit visits; suggest text, Facetime, Skype; suspend large group activities.


With mounting fears over coronavirus’ threat to senior communities – including deaths at a Seattle-area nursing home — Florida nursing homes are under a statewide alert, restricting visitors and essentially telling loved ones: don’t come inside.

Texting, Skype, FaceTime and other new technologies are better options. “We recognize visitors want to check in with their loved ones,” said Kristen Knapp, director of communications at the Florida Health Care Association.

The organization representing nursing homes across the state is establishing screening procedures and other safety measures to safeguard seniors.

In Florida, about 71,000 residents occupy nursing home beds, with 691 licensed nursing homes, according to the FHCA.

Read more: https://www.floridaphoenix.com/2020/03/06/statewide-alert-fl-nursing-homes-limit-visits-suggest-text-facetime-skype-suspend-large-group-activities/

[Chainfire]

1. That probably makes sense

But as long as the staff comes and goes every eight hours, I am not sure how effective it would be in the long run.

The only way to effectively quarantine is to seal the staff in too. The average rate of pay for Florida nursing home workers is $16.88 per hour. (That includes the administrators) Most of the workers would swap jobs to working for McDonalds rather then be isolated at work 24/7.

I wonder what happens to staff when the first case is confirmed in a facility? I would think it would be mass resignations. Let the old bastards take care of themselves, the are just warehoused until they die anyway.

[Jarqui]

2. Sadly, I suspect there will be a number of medical workers who will take

an extended vacation at their cottage.

Death rate appears to double for those over 60, triple for over 70 and quadruple for those over 80.

Care for these people once their facility gets quarantined with an infection is a good question/concern. It's like a cruise ship in dry dock except they may be grossly understaffed to care for those stuck there.

We've got front row seats to some upcoming heart wrenching scenes - some that may involved us directly.

[csziggy]

3. I don't know about nursing homes

But the rehabilitation hospital I was in after my knee replacements had twelve hour shifts - still a problem but not as much daily turnover. The facility included a LOT of elderly patients, many of whom had broken hips, dementia, and other age related medical issues. They also had a ration of patients to RNs of about 10-12 to 1. Aides, often in training (sometimes in nursing school), were about 6 patients per aide.