22% of MD’s cases and 50% of the deaths are in nursing homes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We need higher wages for those who work with the elderly, but also more use of technology and robots.

Because that is what seniors need: Even less contact with humans.

It is with bitter irony that I post this:

Thank you for posting this. It is beautiful and tore at my soul. I am most disappointed in how so many in our country are happy to treat these people as disposable. They did their part for our country and we should do ours for them. Remember a day will come when you are old too.

Exactly. I had a Professor from Africa who said we live two infancies/childhoods, at the beginning and at the end (going on to say that in her country elders were cherished and loved). The people on here seeing them as worthless bodies only make me ill and scared for their futures as the elderly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Because it’s such a high turnover and hard job and they need to meet staffing 24/7 even when people are sick or don’t show many facilities rely on agencies to fill openings or gaps and those agency workers go to multiple places.

My father lived in a skilled nursing unit at a local, “fancy” nursing home for nearly 4 years.

Very common to hire a “private duty” aide (a CNA) to simply “sit with” (a common term) a skilled nursing care resident. Ugly truth is that the few nurses on staff are all business and overworked and underpaid. Yes, a nurse is available but otherwise, the skilled nursing resident just sits or lies down alone, in maybe a shared room for hours. Call buttons are ignored.

Learned quickly that to guard against negligence, you have to supplement care. These are unlicensed,
independent caregivers and they typically approach family members, hoping to be hired.

Its only common for rich parents like yours. Most are on medicaid in some nursing homes and no one has a private duty nurse.

My point was to illustrate that there are lots of unregulated, unmonitored freelancers in and out of nursing homes. This is a potentially dangerous situation, especially since these caregivers are paid under the table and still attempt to come in even under a lockdown situation. They become part of the family.
I happen to know that some of these caregivers slip in before or after hours to help residents bathe or grab their laundry. Often the private duty aides are hired when you first move to independent living, then they stay with you through until the end.

So they are "sneaking in" to help residents bathe, do their laundry, maybe sit and chat with them. They enhance the care given to the resident and lighten the load of the onsite staff. This to you is a problem? Do you also hate it when family members sit by their loved one's bedside at the hospital?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Except it IS community spread, and workers there can and do spread the infection outside of their workplace and into the community, including hospitals, other nursing homes, group homes, and prisons... all places with people highly likely to catch it, and perhaps die from it.

No. It’s not. Treat nursing home workers totally differently. You can isolate them until this is over. We need a strong public health response to this. This is NOT the same as general community spread.

How do you isolate people who need nursing care? If health care workers are bringing the virus to work, from their communities that's absolutely community spread, and policies that increase the exposures of health care workers, because of more cases in their communities, will mean more deaths in nursing homes.

[Anonymous]

You are not going to be able to keep this virus out of the nursing homes. Patients are transferred into nursing homes all the time form lower care settings. Current residents go back/forth from the hospital and other medical facilities.

The best you can hope to do is isolate symptomatic residents away from the asymptomatic residents.

This is a common virus that is all over the world now and all over a country. People in assisted living and even in nursing homes sometimes get taken out to lunch and to family celebrations. They are not captive prisoners and should not be treated like they are criminals.

The staff members have their own families and children to take care of, they have their own medical appts to go to and their own personal lives outside of work. To expect them to go into some sort of quarantine after work is crazy talk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We need higher wages for those who work with the elderly, but also more use of technology and robots.

Because that is what seniors need: Even less contact with humans.

It is with bitter irony that I post this:

Thank you for posting this. It is beautiful and tore at my soul. I am most disappointed in how so many in our country are happy to treat these people as disposable. They did their part for our country and we should do ours for them. Remember a day will come when you are old too.

I think that these people should be able to enjoy dining with their friends and that they should be able to enjoy group activities again. I also think that they should be able to visit with their families. Because life is short and no one should die all alone in a hospital, have their body stored in a freezer truck, knowing that their family members won't even be able to give them a proper funeral.

The sick should be quarantined. The well should be able to live. That is my opinion based on the facts.

Depending on the person, most get to the point they cannot socialize and are kept in a group as its easier on staff, not the resident. Family and friends are a huge issue if they bring in the virus. You clearly are clueless about nursing care. Many people die alone. And, what do you think happens to the bodies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We need higher wages for those who work with the elderly, but also more use of technology and robots.

Because that is what seniors need: Even less contact with humans.

It is with bitter irony that I post this:

Thank you for posting this. It is beautiful and tore at my soul. I am most disappointed in how so many in our country are happy to treat these people as disposable. They did their part for our country and we should do ours for them. Remember a day will come when you are old too.

I think that these people should be able to enjoy dining with their friends and that they should be able to enjoy group activities again. I also think that they should be able to visit with their families. Because life is short and no one should die all alone in a hospital, have their body stored in a freezer truck, knowing that their family members won't even be able to give them a proper funeral.

The sick should be quarantined. The well should be able to live. That is my opinion based on the facts.

Depending on the person, most get to the point they cannot socialize and are kept in a group as its easier on staff, not the resident. Family and friends are a huge issue if they bring in the virus. You clearly are clueless about nursing care. Many people die alone. And, what do you think happens to the bodies.

Of course it depends on the person. FWIW, my own dad spent his last years in a locked Alzheimer's unit. We visited him regularly, we were there with him when he passed away and we gave him a proper funeral. That, of course, was well before the Coronavirus.

As far as family and friends being a huge issue for bringing this virus into these facilities...I actually kind of doubt that. The people that I know who care enough about their elderly relatives to visit them are not the kind of people who would be careless and cavalier about bringing a virus like this into an eldercare facility. At the same time, the residents are going in/out of the facility enough that there is always going to be the risk that the virus can be brought into the facility. If the risk is there anyway (and it is a significant risk) you might as well allow visitors, too. Maybe have all visits take place in the resident's room or in some outdoor location or wherever else is practical.

You've got to weigh keeping them safe with allowing them to enjoy the best quality of life possible. Self isolating might be prudent in the short term scenarios but that is no way to live.

[Anonymous]

Pretty sure the virus is sweeping through nursing homes because people are all in close quarters there rather than because they're old. Same thing will happen in dorms, offices, subway cars if we re open too soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We need higher wages for those who work with the elderly, but also more use of technology and robots.

Because that is what seniors need: Even less contact with humans.

It is with bitter irony that I post this:

Thank you for posting this. It is beautiful and tore at my soul. I am most disappointed in how so many in our country are happy to treat these people as disposable. They did their part for our country and we should do ours for them. Remember a day will come when you are old too.

I think that these people should be able to enjoy dining with their friends and that they should be able to enjoy group activities again. I also think that they should be able to visit with their families. Because life is short and no one should die all alone in a hospital, have their body stored in a freezer truck, knowing that their family members won't even be able to give them a proper funeral.

The sick should be quarantined. The well should be able to live. That is my opinion based on the facts.

Depending on the person, most get to the point they cannot socialize and are kept in a group as its easier on staff, not the resident. Family and friends are a huge issue if they bring in the virus. You clearly are clueless about nursing care. Many people die alone. And, what do you think happens to the bodies.

Of course it depends on the person. FWIW, my own dad spent his last years in a locked Alzheimer's unit. We visited him regularly, we were there with him when he passed away and we gave him a proper funeral. That, of course, was well before the Coronavirus.

As far as family and friends being a huge issue for bringing this virus into these facilities...I actually kind of doubt that. The people that I know who care enough about their elderly relatives to visit them are not the kind of people who would be careless and cavalier about bringing a virus like this into an eldercare facility. At the same time, the residents are going in/out of the facility enough that there is always going to be the risk that the virus can be brought into the facility. If the risk is there anyway (and it is a significant risk) you might as well allow visitors, too. Maybe have all visits take place in the resident's room or in some outdoor location or wherever else is practical.

You've got to weigh keeping them safe with allowing them to enjoy the best quality of life possible. Self isolating might be prudent in the short term scenarios but that is no way to live.

You don't know what another family member or friend will do. Its very easy for them to carry in/out the virus. You are really minimizing it. Its very risky to let outside people in.

That's great you were able to do a "proper" funeral. We had no money so we had to settle for a cremation, cheap burial space (which was lovely) and a few family as her family were to crummy to come out or help in any way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are not going to be able to keep this virus out of the nursing homes. Patients are transferred into nursing homes all the time form lower care settings. Current residents go back/forth from the hospital and other medical facilities.

The best you can hope to do is isolate symptomatic residents away from the asymptomatic residents.

This is a common virus that is all over the world now and all over a country. People in assisted living and even in nursing homes sometimes get taken out to lunch and to family celebrations. They are not captive prisoners and should not be treated like they are criminals.

The staff members have their own families and children to take care of, they have their own medical appts to go to and their own personal lives outside of work. To expect them to go into some sort of quarantine after work is crazy talk.

Depends on the facility. At my parents assisted living they are being kept in their apartments with food brought to the door. They are not allowed out (granted they could probably leave) and no one but staff allowed in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Except it IS community spread, and workers there can and do spread the infection outside of their workplace and into the community, including hospitals, other nursing homes, group homes, and prisons... all places with people highly likely to catch it, and perhaps die from it.

No. It’s not. Treat nursing home workers totally differently. You can isolate them until this is over. We need a strong public health response to this. This is NOT the same as general community spread.

You don’t think nursing home workers have families, go to the grocery store, pick up kids from school, etc? They’re also low wage workers and are likely to supplement with gig economy jobs like instacart....

This is the definition of community spread!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Except it IS community spread, and workers there can and do spread the infection outside of their workplace and into the community, including hospitals, other nursing homes, group homes, and prisons... all places with people highly likely to catch it, and perhaps die from it.

No. It’s not. Treat nursing home workers totally differently. You can isolate them until this is over. We need a strong public health response to this. This is NOT the same as general community spread.

You don’t think nursing home workers have families, go to the grocery store, pick up kids from school, etc? They’re also low wage workers and are likely to supplement with gig economy jobs like instacart....

This is the definition of community spread!

Nope. Staff represent 1550 cases and 8 deaths. Very low fatality rate.

Plus you can isolate them. All it takes is some planning by the government and monitoring of that population.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Except it IS community spread, and workers there can and do spread the infection outside of their workplace and into the community, including hospitals, other nursing homes, group homes, and prisons... all places with people highly likely to catch it, and perhaps die from it.

No. It’s not. Treat nursing home workers totally differently. You can isolate them until this is over. We need a strong public health response to this. This is NOT the same as general community spread.

You don’t think nursing home workers have families, go to the grocery store, pick up kids from school, etc? They’re also low wage workers and are likely to supplement with gig economy jobs like instacart....

This is the definition of community spread!

Nope. Staff represent 1550 cases and 8 deaths. Very low fatality rate.

Plus you can isolate them. All it takes is some planning by the government and monitoring of that population.

Eight deaths out of 1550 cases is a very high death rate of 0.5%. The death rate for the flu is 0.01%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Except it IS community spread, and workers there can and do spread the infection outside of their workplace and into the community, including hospitals, other nursing homes, group homes, and prisons... all places with people highly likely to catch it, and perhaps die from it.

No. It’s not. Treat nursing home workers totally differently. You can isolate them until this is over. We need a strong public health response to this. This is NOT the same as general community spread.

You don’t think nursing home workers have families, go to the grocery store, pick up kids from school, etc? They’re also low wage workers and are likely to supplement with gig economy jobs like instacart....

This is the definition of community spread!

Nope. Staff represent 1550 cases and 8 deaths. Very low fatality rate.

Plus you can isolate them. All it takes is some planning by the government and monitoring of that population.

Eight deaths out of 1550 cases is a very high death rate of 0.5%. The death rate for the flu is 0.01%.

The fact that it’s higher than flu does not make it “very high.” Ebola is very high, this isn’t. Anyone who looks at 8/1550 and characterizes it as “very high” does not have credibility

[Anonymous]

My point was to illustrate that there are lots of unregulated, unmonitored freelancers in and out of nursing homes. This is a potentially dangerous situation, especially since these caregivers are paid under the table and still attempt to come in even under a lockdown situation. They become part of the family.
I happen to know that some of these caregivers slip in before or after hours to help residents bathe or grab their laundry. Often the private duty aides are hired when you first move to independent living, then they stay with you through until the end.

You really don't know what you are talking about. There are no visiting hours in nursing homes. They are required by regulation to allow visitors 24/7. They can limit now due to the state of emergency. But, under normal circumstances, visitors must be allowed anytime. But you are right that people who can afford them sometimes do get private duty caregivers to come in. They are not necessarily unmonitored though. If they pose a risk to the resident or others, they are not permitted in.

Also, at the time when nursing homes put into place Covid-19 precautions, one of those was to eliminate all visitors, including private duty staff. Only if a resident is at end of life can they get a visitor and even then, only one. Front desks are highly regulated to keep people out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Except it IS community spread, and workers there can and do spread the infection outside of their workplace and into the community, including hospitals, other nursing homes, group homes, and prisons... all places with people highly likely to catch it, and perhaps die from it.

No. It’s not. Treat nursing home workers totally differently. You can isolate them until this is over. We need a strong public health response to this. This is NOT the same as general community spread.

You don’t think nursing home workers have families, go to the grocery store, pick up kids from school, etc? They’re also low wage workers and are likely to supplement with gig economy jobs like instacart....

This is the definition of community spread!

Nope. Staff represent 1550 cases and 8 deaths. Very low fatality rate.

Plus you can isolate them. All it takes is some planning by the government and monitoring of that population.

Eight deaths out of 1550 cases is a very high death rate of 0.5%. The death rate for the flu is 0.01%.

The fact that it’s higher than flu does not make it “very high.” Ebola is very high, this isn’t. Anyone who looks at 8/1550 and characterizes it as “very high” does not have credibility

If you say so.

Smallpox wasn't as lethal as Ebola, btw. Do you know anything about medicine?