Nursing Homes Can Be Dangerous Places During a Pandemic

You expect nursing homes to care for your loved ones. It is reasonable to assume the home’s staff will do whatever is possible to protect your family members. The coronavirus has not changed those expectations, but it seems to have affected the care people are getting at nursing homes.

According to reports, about 24 nursing homes did not do enough to protect residents from the disease. It said those facilities did not disinfect appropriately. The care was also alleged to be below the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations.

A negative impact on the most vulnerable of our population

There are about 190 nursing homes in South Carolina. About two dozen nursing homes are under investigation by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control. Reports say the homes did not do enough to protect residents during the pandemic.

Many facilities are accused of not disinfecting appropriately. Many staff members are accused of not wearing adequate protective gear. There are also charges that facilities were aware of the problems, but that nothing was done to correct the issues.

Due to residents’ vulnerability, respiratory diseases tend to be worse in nursing homes.

The South Carolina Department of Environmental Control reported that by mid-June there were over 25,000 coronavirus cases and over 650 deaths. Of those, over 450 cases were in nursing homes. There were about 70 nursing home deaths.

One report that at some time during the infection, more than half of the state’s nursing home residents have been infected.

Your Loved Ones Need Your Protection

About 80 percent of South Carolina’s nursing homes were cited in recent years. Many of them did not meet safety standards designed to control the spread of infectious diseases. Those lapses may be impacting residents during this pandemic