If nursing staff still interacts with others when they leave work, then they still can bring the virus to work. I think you’d need a way to have them stay at the facility. And I’m not sure that’s possible, feasible, affordable. Even if they put themselves on lockdown at home and a spouse Is the one shopping or running errands, they could still get exposed.
No easy answers.
It’s true that if the nursing staff comes and goes, they Can being the virus in with them, as a symptomatic or asymptomatic carrier.
Aides, nursing staff, agency folks, private duty caregivers, receptionists, administrators, activity staff, dining and kitchen staff, so many people in and out. And most are also taking elevators.
Yes—could not even find staircases at the CCRC where my folks live. The wing mom’s unit is on has 2 elevators. The other wing (with memory care and AL has only one elevator (incredibly bad, especially when it needs servicing or breaks).
New cases (not tested yet) in AL, so finally residents are confined to their rooms. Waiting to hear numbers. Monday it was 4 residents and 2 staff testing positive.
It looks as if my dad’s caregiver who got so sick may not be returning. Not sure why. It leaves a gap for weekend nights. The advocate is gong to try to find agency people but she’s worried it will be difficult. My sister can’t keep filling in. She needs her sleep on the weekends since she has two demanding teaching jobs.
I had to drop off toiletries for my parents, so I added some magazines and a little plant to a bag with them. There are signs all over the doors that they are closed to everyone. As soon as you enter the lobby, there is a table with a sign that says “Drop offs” and “Pick Ups” on the other end.
I was able to wave to the receptionist and activities director across the hall. We were all wearing masks. It was sad and surreal.
We have been after my MIL for several years to move from her home to AL or to get a caregiver in a couple of days a week. She won’t budge. We are 1,000 miles away and SIL is 2,500 miles away. We both offered for her to come live with us. Nope, too many snakes and alligators in FL and too hot and dry in SLC! She has had 4 episodes of being dizzy and falling, hitting her head, no bleeds, but concussions. This means one of us flies up to NY to help care for her.
Today, SIL calls her to say hi and finds out she had another dizzy /fall/hitting head episode, some confusion, thinks her blood pressure was very high. Pushed the Life Alert button, (company was supposed to call my DH and didn’t.) EMS shows up, (volunteer) with hazmat outfits, calls in to the ER and is told not to transport her there, so they leave her, she told them not to call her family! Ugh. She couldn’t get 65mg Aspirin so she has been cutting a 325mg pill in half!
Thanks for the opportunity to vent.
My dad is living alone and doing okay except for being a step or two behind on the newest social distancing orders. I started reading his daily paper as well as my own to stay up to date. We have a mask order. He doesn’t yet, but I bet one is coming. He has an old surgical mask or two so he is okay for now. He doesn’t like to wear them, though, so I ordered him some that seem more comfortable. I’ll probably end up making some for him based on what he says.
My parents both have fevers. Dad’s temp is 100.3 but he’d taken Aleve not long before. Mom’s is 99.0. My BIL has strep but I don’t think he’s been around my folks.
My parents are going to be tested based on other symptoms I just learned about.
Oy, @MaineLonghorn. Tested for Covid or strep? Hope it’s neither. My MIL apparently ran a fever last night and the rehab doctor did a chest x-ray (negative) and immediately put her on hydroxychloroquin and doxycycline (not a Z-pak). They say they have no tests and are treating anyone with any relevant symptom as presumptive Covid. And her fever is down today - I suggested that perhaps they run a blood culture and urinalysis because she’s there as much for the infusion for the blood infection as anything else. Maybe rule out another kind of more likely infection first? We’ll see if it spikes tonight - she has no other symptoms.
Sorry for what everyone is going through.
Unfortunately, this article is pretty on target: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/coronavirus-claims-at-least-6900-nursing-home-deaths-in-us/ar-BB12NAte?ocid=spartandhp
My mother’s assisted living is now up to 6 residents and 4 staff, with 4 residents in the hospital and two deceased (one of whom is the mother of the executive director, I just found out). At this point the virus has spread into other floors, not just memory care floor.
Communal dining and activities are finally suspended. Finally residents are being told to wear masks. Many staff are absent, making dedicated staff difficult (dedicated to specific floors to avoid rotating). Many agency aides in and out. Most are low-income and go home to smaller homes with family, or have other jobs.
Residents are still allowed in common areas and outside for walks, but have to wear masks.
Our state has finally acknowledged that the testing being done in nursing homes also needs to be done in assisted livings.
Many of us are agonizing about taking our parents out and I appreciate the feedback I have gotten privately on this.
Infection rates are high in facilities but only a fraction die. My mother is susceptible but not a foregone conclusion, one hopes.
Doesn’t Aleve have the effect of lowering temp? So that 100.3 may be higher without the pill? You’d need to get a pro opinion. Maybe you have.
Ibuprophen is not recommended for many syndromes. I was advised to be very judicious about anything that could mask the true fever.
Yes we figure Dad’s real temp was higher. Aleve isn’t ibuprofen, is it?
No, Aleve is naproxen sodium.
I’m so glad I took my mother out of her IL facility back on March 13. So far they’ve had 3 deaths, 4 residents hospitalized and 3 or 4 staff members testing positive. At this rate, I don’t know when it will be safe to take her back, if ever!
I’m glad my mom’s place will give her a credit for her May rent since she hasn’t moved in yet but what happens in June? And now Dad is doing so well we might need to find a different place for the two of them. My sister and I think Mom’s unit is beautiful but Dad is convinced it’s too small. Sigh.
Maybe this time your mom could get what she wants and your dad can adapt to the smaller space.
I’m guessing the design of nursing homes or continuing care facilities may change drastically after this? Or perhaps the concept will change drastically as well. My parent was in a rehab center after a fall, and it was divided into totally separate communities of about 12 patients total. Each wing could be physically separated and independent as well. Same staff serviced only those 12. Meals were with only those 12. Granted, someone can still bring in a virus, but with proper caution, it seems this design would limit the severe spread seen in other types of facilities. Residential group homes may become more popular as well. Thoughts?
That’s how I feel! I told him we can get a storage room for his stuff (mainly books). As my sister said, he hasn’t looked at those foolish books for many years. He’s been talking about selling them on Amazon, anyway (not sure who he thinks is going to package them all up and ship them for him, ha).