As coronavirus continues to gain a foothold in Massachusetts and the rest of the United States, there are many questions about safety, particularly for those residing in nursing homes. Here, the team at Colucci, Colucci & Marcus, P.C. wants to bring you information concerning Covid-19 and how it could impact your loved ones who reside in long-term care facilities. Our Boston nursing home abuse lawyers are fierce advocates for the elderly, and we want to make sure you are armed with the latest information.
Nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in Massachusetts are already dealing with a severe shortage of direct care workers. Now, officials fear that coronavirus exposure could make the situation worse, particularly if staffers are not able to come to work due to a quarantine.
Nursing homes are particularly vulnerable to Covid-19. We have learned this after watching what happened in Kirkland, Washington. There, the Life Care Center of Kirkland has seen 13 residents die due to coronavirus exposure.
For those in Boston, there are two concerns – the health of nursing home residents and the health of nursing home workers.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the following people are more at risk of getting very sick or dying due to Covid-19:
Unfortunately, those descriptors align with those who reside in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. It is vital that nursing home operators as well as state and federal agencies take steps immediately to ensure the safety of residents.
According to a report by the Boston Globe, area nursing homes are already short-staffed. While nursing homeowners and operators will do their best to provide good infection control, this will be very difficult to do if Covid-19 forces workers to stay home. The Boston Globe says that Massachusetts long-term care facilities have approximately 5,600 unfilled jobs.
How will patient care be affected due to the coronavirus outbreak?
Will residents be at-risk?
If nursing home workers become sick or are forced to self-quarantine, an already bad situation could become worse. Infection control protocols may not be followed, and nursing home residents may not get the care they deserve.
If you or somebody you care about has any questions related to nursing home safety in the wake of the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak, please refer to federal and state agencies. If your loved one has been harmed or has died due to Covid-19 in a nursing home, contact the team at Colucci, Colucci & Marcus, P.C. today. We will investigate what happened in order to secure any compensation you may be entitled to, including:
When you need a Boston nursing home abuse attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation of your case by clicking here or by calling 617-917-3917.