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Nursing homes, care facilities remain cautious about COVID-19 spread

Standard-Speaker - 7/4/2020

Jul. 4--Although Pennsylvania went green, nursing homes and other large residences remain cautious about COVID-19.

While the last of Pennsylvania counties moved to the green phase of recovery on Friday, nursing homes and facilities such as White Haven Center and United Charities remain careful about admitting visitors.

At Fritzingertown Senior Living Community, people who have telephoned or held video chats instead of visiting since the pandemic began have a new option.

"We call them door visits," Paula Sagan Hahn, the executive director, said.

The resident waits in an apartment, while their visitors talk from the other side of a glass door.

"They can hear and see each other," Hahn said.

Workers at Fritzingertown continue to take precautions in place from the onset of the pandemic. They take their temperatures and temperatures of residents regularly, routinely wash hands and clean surfaces.

"No one here goes without a mask for a moment," except residents, said Hahn, adding that masks and other supplies are easier to get but more expensive than they were earlier in the pandemic.

Likewise, the Laurels Senior Living Community keeps away visitors, except for residents who are near death.

The Laurels also has trained workers on preventative measures that now are part of daily routines, as are extra cleaning practices. Group activities ceased, while everyone is screened before entering, according to the website.

Some states are considering laws that would allow family to monitor care by allowing cameras in rooms at nursing homes.

Even if a law made that legal and a resident agreed to be on camera, Hahn wondered how to address privacy concerns of other residents who entered a room with a camera in use.

Two studies released this week underscore why nursing homes remain vigilant.

More than 40% of deaths from COVID-19 have occurred in nursing homes or other long term care facilities, a report released by Bob Casey, D-Pennsylvania, and two other U.S. Senators said on Wednesday.

Also on Wednesday, a survey found nearly nine of 10 nursing homes and assisted living centers are waiting two to four days to receive results of coronavirus tests.

When releasing the survey, the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living said the level infection in the surrounding communities is the top precursor to an outbreak in a facility.

And the United States set a single-day record with more than 50,000 new cases on Wednesday when most states saw increases.

At White Haven Center, where none of 101 residents have contracted COVID-19, strict measures against visiting will remain in place for at least several more weeks.

That was good news to Tom Kashatus, a member of the advisory board, even though he hasn't seen his daughter for months. He and his wife call workers to check on their daughter, who cannot speak on the phone.

The other state centers in Ebensurg, Polk and Selinsgrove also have zero cases and continue to restrict visits.

At the United Charities Home in West Hazleton, the virus also has stayed away.

"We went into a kind of lockdown on March 16," Jill Zapotocky, the executive director, said.

The 15 boys who live in the home talked to their parents on the phone and video applications while finding things to do inside on the grounds.

They built a teepee, cooked s'mores, and went down a slippery slide.

"We have been very creative," Zapotocky said.

More recently, family have been allowed to visit, but everyone wears masks, takes their temperatures and meets in a gazebo outside.

Contact the writer: kjackson@standardspeaker.com; 570-501-3587

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