As Monroe County reports that more than 85% of the COVID-19 related deaths in the county are people over the age of 75, we continue to delve into the problem.
More information has been released about just much our local nursing homes are affected.
"It is very difficult not to see your families and for families it's heartbreaking, it's really the calls we're getting from our families, so concerned about their loved ones, and they need to know,” said Ann Marie Cook, president and CEO of Lifespan of Greater Rochester.
Lifespan says relatives of the most vulnerable population hit by the pandemic want answers, as the data is still not clear.
We have confirmed that one local nursing home has had eight deaths. Those deaths were residents of St. John's Health Care Corporation, according to the New York State Health Facilities Association and the New York State Center for Assisted Living.
The St. John's president and CEO says its COVID-19 positive patients are isolated and there is increased safety and care. In a statement, Charlie Runyon says, in part:
"Overall, we advocate for the people behind the tallies. Each person is an individual whose family is facing grief, worry, stress, and uncertainty. We extend our thoughts and prayers to all families facing COVID-19, including our own staff members that have been directly impacted."
Lifespan of Greater Rochester, which provides services for older adults and care givers, says residents and families need information.
"We have Lifespan or getting calls, as you can imagine, families are worried families, are scared, and families are very anxious because they can't see their loved ones. And we all know that this disease can be devastating to older frail and vulnerable people. So of course families are worried. So information is being required now is needed to relieve their fears to help them understand what's going on, and families need and deserve this information,” said Cook.
St. John’s says there are safeguards in place and it's following guidelines from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Health.
The facility says it has implemented several measures, including:
- Moving all COVID-19 patients to separate locations
- Having all employees wearing masks
- Screening anyone who enters one of its buildings
- Using an ultraviolet disinfecting machine
The New York State Health Facilities Association and the New York State Center for Assisted Living says it's deeply concerned about the high mortality rate and how widespread COVID-19 has become in long-term care facilities.
Its president released a statement which, in part, reads:
“In light of this data, it is absolutely critical that the State ensures that long term care providers, residents and staff be designated as a top priority with staffing, PPE and testing in order to safeguard our most vulnerable citizens and the men and women who provide essential care.”
The state says about 2,500 nursing home residents have died in New York state from COVID-19.
The state health department is still gathering data to determine how many of those deaths come from our area. But the number is significant enough for the county to assemble a task force to oversee the issue.
“If we look at the numbers from across the country, a huge portion of the deaths that have occurred because of COVID has been in the elderly, and we're looking at what is occurring across the country, what is working, what isn't working and what direction we can go,” said Dr. Thomas Mahoney, Monroe County Long-Term Care Task Force.
The New York State Public Health Department oversees the nursing homes.
The COVID-19 fatality data is self-reported by the nursing homes and does not include the names of the facilities that have had fewer than five deaths.