AARP COVID dashboard shows 18% increase in Florida nursing home staff and resident cases

In its latest report, AARP's coronavirus dashboard shows that while nursing home deaths due to COVID-19 have leveled off statewide, the number of positive cases for residents and staff members increased by 18% in December.

The dashboard, which was developed in early October, shows how the state fares compared to the national average at five points during the pandemic: August; September; October; November; and December.

The COVID-19 death rate in Florida nursing homes dipped slightly from 4.7 to 4.4 deaths per 1,000 residents since the previous report issued on Dec. 6. But the number of new cases for residents nearly doubled, increasing from 0.23 per 100 residents to 0.44 per 100 residents. Staff cases also increased, from 2.7 to 4.5 per 100.

While the number of new cases has increased by 18%, Florida still falls below the national average on all five indicators, according to the dashboard. Those indicators include the number of nursing home resident deaths due to coronavirus; the number of coronavirus cases in residents and staff members; and whether a facility provides adequate personal protective equipment and staffing.

"COVID-19 is not going away anytime soon and even before we had a pandemic, there were shortfalls in our long-term care system that we’ve sought to address," AARP Florida State Director Jeff Johnson said in a press release. "We’re re-doubling our efforts with the Florida Legislature to implement short-term solutions and devise long-term plans around quality, community-based, long-term care options where contagion is less likely.”

More: AARP COVID-19 dashboard shows Florida nursing homes are improving; below national average

More: New AARP COVID dashboard for nursing homes reveals Florida's standing nationwide

National numbers

While Florida is faring better than the national average, the rate of nursing home resident deaths has tripled nationwide and resident and staff infection rates have nearly doubled over the last six weeks, according to an AARP press release.

The average nursing home personal protective equipment supply level, averaged across five categories, remained relatively constant, with nearly 15% of nursing homes nationwide reporting less than one week’s supply.

About the dashboard

The dashboard, which is updated every four weeks, was created using data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the AARP Public Policy Institute in collaboration with the Scripps Gerontology Center at Miami University in Ohio. The goal is to identify specific areas of concern at the national and state levels in a timely manner.

The federal data does not include coronavirus cases among residents or staff of assisted-living facilities, group homes and other congregate elder-care facilities, which are included in the Florida Department of Health’s daily coronavirus update. Nursing homes are defined as facilities for older adults who require 24-hour supervision and medical care, while assisted-living and other elder-care facilities house mostly independent seniors who require some day-to-day help.

The dashboard was created to help improve transparency on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected vulnerable older Americans, according to the AARP press release about the new data.

What is being done

AARP continues to call on Florida legislators and community leaders to better protect residents and staff of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities from COVID-19, according to the press release.

Their priorities include:

Prioritizing regular and ongoing testing and adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) for residents and staff — as well as inspectors and any visitors. Ensuring quality care for residents through adequate staffing, strict regulatory oversight and access to in-person formal advocates, called long-term care ombudsmen. Rejecting COVID-19-related civil liability immunity for long-term care facilities.

“Even though Florida has been one of the first states to distribute the COVID-19 vaccines to nursing homes, it’s a complex and long pipeline to administer shots for all residents and front-line workers,” Johnson said in the release. “PPE remains among the most effective ways to protect our seniors and those who care for them.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has killed 8,613 Florida residents and staff in Florida’s elder-care facilities, as of the state’s Jan. 12 report. This is almost three times the number of deaths in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: AARP COVID dashboard shows 18% increase in Florida nursing home staff and resident cases

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