How Beaufort Co. senior living facilities are preventing coronavirus spread
Update: On March 13, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control issued an order restricting all visitation to nursing homes and assisted living facilities, with case-by-case exceptions being made in end-of-life care situations.
After 23 deaths were linked to the spread of the COVID-19 virus at a Life Care Center nursing home in Washington state, Beaufort County senior living facilities are taking precautions to limit the possibility of coronavirus exposure among elderly residents.
As of Thursday afternoon, several had restricted visitors and instituted screening procedures.
“The grim reality is that, for the elderly, COVID-19 is almost a perfect killing machine,” Mark Parkinson, president of the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living, told CNN. Parkinson’s organization represents more than 11,000 nursing homes and care centers and is encouraging family members and loved ones to avoid visiting facilities and instead communicate remotely with residents.
“It’s going to test the country,” said Randy Lee, president of the S.C. Health Care Association, representing 90% of long-term care facilities in the state. The association’s members are following federal guidance and setting their own policies. “We all obviously understand that the less people are in the nursing home, the better,” Lee said.
On March 14, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control announced three people had tested positive for the coronavirus in Beaufort County and said all were in isolation at home.
Here are the measures being put in place in local senior care facilities.
Bloom Senior Living
Effective 8 p.m. on March 12, three area Bloom Senior Living locations suspended all visits from non-essential personnel, according to a news release. Only new or admitted residents, family members of residents in hospice care, facility employees, and EMS will be allowed entry, pending screening measures.
“We strongly urge residents not to leave the community,” said the release. Bloom has facilities in Bluffton and on Hilton Head Island.
The release said Bloom is “planning for a prolonged battle with the virus” and can’t say when the restrictions will be relaxed.
Benton House at Bluffton
The Benton House assisted living and memory care facility in Bluffton is not allowing visitation, other than for necessary medical personnel and “family time-sensitive issues,” said Mike Allard, CEO of Principal Senior Living Group, which owns the facility.
Allard said employees will institute a screening procedure requiring temperatures to be taken, starting March 13. Benton House has not had difficulty ordering medical supplies, and all internal activities are continuing, said Allard.
Life Care Center of Hilton Head
In an emailed statement, Executive Director Daniel Lewis said the Life Care Center of Hilton Head is encouraging “families to establish alternate ways of communicating with our residents, such as by telephone, texting, video conferencing or other means.”
“We understand family members are an integral part of our residents’ lives,” said Lewis.
Employees are being screened upon arrival to work, with temperature checks. In accordance with guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, employees will be sent home if they record a fever over 100.4 degrees, said Lewis.
The Seabrook of Hilton Head
The Seabrook of Hilton Head is restricting visitation to its skilled nursing facility, said Executive Director Rob Lee. Family members and primary caregivers who have been screened for current symptoms and past travel history to affected areas will still be allowed access, he said.
Lee said the facility has adequate medical supplies for its current needs, and private residents are still able to take visitors at their apartments. Employees are being asked to stay home if they display symptoms, pending an evaluation from a doctor. Further measures will be taken if COVID-19 cases are confirmed in Beaufort County or the surrounding areas, he said.
TidePointe, a Vi Community and Broad Creek Care Center
TidePointe, a Vi Community on Hilton Head is closed to visitors, according to a statement on its website updated March 12.
The facility may make exceptions in “certain instances, such as end-of-life visits or visits to residents with dementia who need emotional support,” according to the statement. Authorized visitors will be screened.
Sprenger Health Care Bluffton
On March 11, Sprenger Health Care Bluffton stopped allowing visitors, according to a notice posted on its website. Medical personnel will now enter via one entrance and will undergo screening, including having their temperatures taken, according to Kevin Kauffman, Executive Vice President of Operations for Sprenger Health Care Systems.
“While we understand this is difficult for many, our actions are all in an effort to prevent the spread and limit the impact of this virus,” wrote Kauffman in an email. Limited visitors are being allowed, only in the case of end-of-life care, he said.
Helena Place Assisted Living, Port Royal
All communities operated by Enlivant, the company that owns Helena Place in Port Royal, have tightened their visitor policy, said Louis Kievit, vice president of sales and customer engagement on March 13. Helena Place will follow CDC and state guidelines, he said.
Kievit said tours for new residents will now begin virtually, and potential residents will only be invited into the community after a health screening.
This article will be updated as assisting living and senior care facilities respond to The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette’s requests for comment.
Do you have questions about the coronavirus? The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette will get the answers for you. Go to bit.ly/virusBeaufortCounty and let us know what you need to know.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhat you should know about the coronavirus
The coronavirus is spreading in the United States. Officials are urging people to take precautions to avoid getting sick, and to avoid spreading the disease if they do contract it.
Click the drop-down icon on this card for more on the virus and what you should do to keep yourself and those around you healthy.
What is coronavirus?
Coronavirus is an infection of the respiratory system similar to the flu. Coronaviruses are a class of viruses that regularly cause illnesses among adults and children, but this outbreak has spawned a new disease called COVID-19, a particularly harsh respiratory condition that can lead to death.
Health officials believe COVID-19 spread from animals to humans somewhere in China. It spreads among humans by physical person-to-person contact, including via coughs. That’s why health officials urge sick individuals to avoid contact with other people.
For more information, visit the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms are similar to the flu and include fever, coughing and shortness of breath.
How can I stop the spread of the coronavirus?
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, and cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
If you develop symptoms similar to the coronavirus, you should seek medical attention. Stay home from work or school and avoid contact with others. It can take up to 14 days after coming into contact with the virus to develop symptoms.
COVID-19 is a new condition and there’s much about the disease we still don’t understand. For now, taking precautions is the best way to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 3:37 PM with the headline "How Beaufort Co. senior living facilities are preventing coronavirus spread."
