Nursing homes are working to prevent spread of virus.
Data shows seniors vulnerable to virus
Early data from the Centers for Disease Control suggests older people are twice as likely to attract coronavirus, putting senior care centers around Wisconsin on guard about the possible spread of the disease.
“It is far more than business as usual,” said John Sauer, the president and chief executive officer of LeadingAge Wisconsin, an advocacy group for senior care centers in the state.
The Centers for Disease Control said infections kill 380,000 people in longterm care facilities every year. Now, they’re facing a disease that spreads “easily and sustainably.”
In a suburban Seattle nursing home, more than 50 residents and staff members have shown symptoms of coronavirus.
“When you hear the situation out in the state of Washington, it raises questions throughout the country,” Sauer said. “Wisconsin is not immune to those concerns.”
Sauer said state public health officials have been responsive to nursing homes’ needs for information. He’s expecting the state to have a webinar for long-term care facilities soon.
Seventy-five percent of U.S. nursing homes have been cited for failing to properly monitor and control infections in the past three years — a higher proportion than previously known, according to a USA TODAY analysis of federal inspection data. Those citations have been as mild as a paperwork problem, and as serious as a nursing home not telling state officials about an outbreak as unmonitored workers spread disease to patients.
In Wisconsin, 71.8% of the 362 nursing homes were cited in least one infection-control inspection in the last three years. Of the 260 cited nursing homes, 80 had infection-control inspections at least as bad as Life Care Center of Kirkland, a Washington state nursing home tied to an outbreak of the coronavirus. And 103 nursing homes got at least as many points for violations over three years.
Luther Manor, a senior living center with about 600 residents in Wauwatosa and 16 residents in Mequon, has a fulltime staff member dedicated to infectious diseases.
In a recent renovation, Luther Manor changed paints to an anti-bacterial and anti-microbial option and changed floors to an option easier to clean. Antimicrobial paint has agents in it that can kill bacteria.
The senior care facility also has a quarantine protocol in place and has plenty of masks and gloves.
Similarly, North Shore Healthcare CEO David Mills said “already established infection control policies is critical to successfully addressing this health concern.”
Patrick Hansen, the chief resident experience officer at Luther Manor, said the constant risk of “somebody (infected) goes to visit mom or dad or grandma or grandpa” during influenza season prepares Luther Manor for the spread of coronavirus.
“We’re dealing with contagious environments with our seniors all the time,” Hansen said. “So much of this for us is second nature.”
Sauer said senior care facilities’ inventory vary for personal protective equipment, including N95 masks, a mask intended to fit closer to someone’s face than the typical surgical mask. The CDC does not recommend buying N95 masks for the public.
“The suppliers of PPE (personal protective equipment) and N95 masks are running a very tight supply,” Sauer said. “Some seem to say, ‘Well, we think we have an adequate supply.’ And others are in direct contact with public health departments and their medical suppliers.”
Nursing homes across the state are screening visitors to make sure they haven’t been overseas in the last two weeks or are showing symptoms, Sauer said. Hansen said Luther Manor requires employees to reach out to the infectious control staff member before traveling.
Sauer said people who might feel sick should stay away from senior care facilities.
“If you’re sick or otherwise feeling ill, think twice about visiting and whether or not visiting can be done through Skype or FaceTime or any of the other options that are out there,” Sauer said. “Let’s not put people unnecessarily at risk.”