CORONAVIRUS DEATH AT CARE HOME
Staff at Paisley site left ‘saddened’
A resident at a Paisley care home has died after falling ill with coronavirus.
Health chiefs at Elderslie Care Home, in Fulbar Road, last night revealed other residents are also showing symptoms of the virus.
Advinia Health Care, the company, which runs the nursing and residential homeconfirmed the death yesterday but would not reveal the person’s gender or age.
A spokesman for the home said: “We are saddened to confirm that a
resident from Elderslie Care Home has passed away at the home after testing positive for coronavirus disease.
“Our most sincere condolences go to the resident’s family and friends at this sad time – they are all in our thoughts and prayers.
“Like many care homes across the country, Elderslie continues to care for many very unwell residents, a small number of which are showing symptoms consistent with Covid-19.
“Ou r d e d i c a t e d and compassionate colleagues are doing everything in their power to provide the best care for each resident in the days and weeks ahead as this virus reaches its peak.”
The care home is following the latest guidance from Health Protection Scotland to prevent further onward transmission of the virus, where possible.
This includes operating the strictest isolation protocols in the home to care for symptomatic resident s, and following procedures regarding infection control and barrier nursing.
These actions are in addition to the home’s existing infection control measures including: proper hand-washing techniques, additional training for staff and the provision of appropriate personal protective equipment as required.
The spokesman added: “Our highest priority now is the safety and well-being of the residents who have made Elderslie their home and also that of our brilliant care teams who are working selflessly to help others at this unprecedented time.
“Once again, we send our deepest condolences to the family who has lost someone dear to them – you are in our hearts.”
Elderslie Care Home is amongst the 37 per cent of care homes in Scotland to have been hit with the virus.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman confirmed earlier this week the scale of the problem in the residential care sector, stating the number of people who have died of Covid-19 in care homes will be published tomorrow.
The Care Inspectorate has been compiling figures on the number of people in care homes who have died from Covid-19, or when the virus has been a contributory factor, but have to date refused to publish the data.
So far, 575 people have died of coronavirus in Scotland, with nine deaths recorded in the past 24 hours. That number is expected to grow following the bank holiday weekend. Across the health board area, which includes Renfrewshire, 1,486 people have tested positive for Covid-19.