Coronavirus and Nursing Homes

Coronavirus and Nursing Homes

As the coronavirus continues to plague nursing homes nationwide, the Virginia Department of Health has been monitoring the outbreak in Virginia’s senior care facilities.  In our local area, the Accordius Health facility in Harrisonburg as well as Skyview Springs in Page County have reported new cases of COVID-19 and have begun testing all residents.  Recently, it was reported that 59 residents of Skyview Springs tested positive for the virus.  The Accordius Health facility in Harrisonburg, Virginia, has also reported numerous positive cases.

Some families are planning to remove their loved ones from the nursing homes if the test results reveal that their family members are not infected.  If you have a loved one who is currently in a nursing home, ask your care facility the following questions to determine how prepared it is for an outbreak of the coronavirus:

Questions for the Nursing Home

1. Does the nursing home dedicate space in the facility to care for residents with confirmed COVID-19 diagnoses?
2. Do you have health care workers who are assigned to work only with residents who have been diagnosed with coronavirus?
3. Is there an observation area designated for managing residents who show symptoms of COVID-19 in residents who don’t have (or don’t yet have) positive test results?
4. Do all health care workers wear the recommended personal protective equipment with residents under observation or in quarantine?
5. Does the facility ask residents to report feeling feverish or having symptoms consistent with COVID-19?
6. Are the residents evaluated for symptoms including new or worsening malaise, new dizziness, or diarrhea?
7. Are residents showing the symptoms outlined in Number 6 above isolated and given further medical evaluation?
8. Does the facility monitor ill residents at least daily for fever and symptoms of COVID-19?
9. Does the facility notify the local health department about residents with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 diagnoses?
10. What are the signs and conditions that the facility looks for when it is evaluating whether to move a resident to a hospital?
11. Does the facility immediately notify family members when a resident is experiencing symptoms of the virus, is transferred to an observation or isolation ward, or is transported to a hospital?

As we all work together to protect our loved ones and each other from the spread of the coronavirus, the answers you receive to the questions above can play an important role in helping you determine whether your family member is receiving the care he or she needs.  Check out our article “Nursing Homes Struggle To Control Coronavirus” here.