Senior care facilities should share stats

The Kaiser Family Foundation has noted that “Nationwide, deaths in long-term care facilities account for 40% of all COVID-19 deaths.” Those running these facilities owe their communities attention and details. They must be transparent about their case numbers and deaths caused by the disease.

December 16, 2020 - 8:53 AM

Pauline Crum, a resident at Menorah Park, reaches out and touches the glass as she talks to her daughter, Connie Nusbaum. Nursing homes across the state are closed to visitors because of the Coronavirus. To keep in touch with her mother, Nusbaum talks to her by cell phone while standing outside her window. [Gus Chan/The Plain Dealer]

We’ve known for some time that COVID-19 poses a great risk to those in long-term care facilities. Put simply, residents are likely to be older and diagnosed with significant health conditions, both of which can worsen coronavirus outcomes.

The toll has been substantial. The Topeka Capital-Journal’s India Yarborough reported last month that “70% of the county’s coronavirus-related deaths have been associated with long-term care facilities.”

That’s a stunning total. But it aligns with information from across the rest of the country.

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