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Amid coronavirus, retirement communities, veterans homes, assisted living centers tell families, visitors to stay away

Patriot-News - 3/13/2020

Messiah Lifeways in Mechanicsburg on Thursday afternoon restricted all visitors to the main entrance, the latest in the increasing number of precautions being taken across senior residential areas to protect residents and staff from the coronavirus pandemic.

Messiah Lifeways, home to about 800 elderly residents, is also screening all visitors to its personal care and skilled nursing areas.

The protocol was likely to change at any moment, spokeswoman Katie Andreano said.

“We are being very cautious and taking precautions along the guidelines from the CDC and the Department of Health,” she said. “We know our residents are more vulnerable than others in the population.”

Across Pennsylvania, nursing homes also have implemented strict guidelines restricting visitors, including family members.

Senior residential centers such as Messiah Lifeways typically also have independent living housing for residents.

As of Thursday Pennsylvania had 22 positive coronavirus cases.

Globally the virus has infected more than 125,000 people and has killed more than 4,600.

The state Department of Health recommends nursing homes implement a “no visitor” policy in areas there there are known coronavirus cases. This includes Montgomery County, where the bulk of the state’s coronavirus cases have emerged, and its neighboring counties: Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Berks and Lehigh counties.

However, the state health department also said it supports any nursing home that decides a policy barring visitors is appropriate.

The virus appears to impact elderly people more severely. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised that people older than 80 with major illnesses have the greatest risk and should take extra precautions.

“The grim reality is that for the elderly, COVID-19 is almost a perfect killing machine,” Mark Parkinson, president and chief executive officer of the American Health Care Association and the National Center for Assisted Living told CNN this week. “In our facilities the average age is 84, and everyone has underlying medical conditions. So when you combine those factors together, we are dealing with perhaps the greatest challenge that we ever have had.”

Senior residential centers across Pennsylvania are encouraging family and friends to stay away from the centers, particularly those that have skilled nursing and assisted living components.

Willow Valley Communities in Lancaster is requesting that visits to the community be minimized.

The sprawling senior retirement community has implemented protocol for visitors to its campuses.

Like many other communities, Willow Valley is screening and restricting access to people who have traveled overseas to certain countries or taken cruises; show physical symptoms or have come into contact with anyone under COVID-19 investigation.

Other residential and nursing facilities that have rolled out strict visiting protocols include, Susquehanna Valley Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Normandie Ridge/Albright Care Services and Manor Care, which runs 10 facilities across the state.

All have issued advisories to residents and family members restricting access to its campus. In most cases, entrance has been restricted to a main entrance and visitors are being screened.

The numbers of COVID-19-related deaths to date show the vulnerability of the older population demographic: As of Wednesday, 23 residents from a Kirkland, Washington, nursing home had died. That represents more than two-thirds of all COVID-19 deaths nationwide.

More than 30 other residents at the nursing home have tested positive, and several dozen employees are showing signs of infection.

Social isolation hits the elderly population particularly hard. Andreano said the precautions are meant to protect everyone, including Messiah’s 500 staff members.

“The nature of this situation is evolving quite quickly so the advice changes fairly often,” she said.

She said no resident was exhibiting signs of the coronavirus at this time.

In addition the Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs has also restricted visitors to its six veterans homes for the foreseeable future.

So-called “compassionate cases” involving residents in critical condition are being exempt. In those cases, visitors are being screened and given limited access to their specific resident’s room.

“Our residents are predominantly older and many have multiple complex health conditions, so we are taking this extra precaution to minimize their risk of exposure to COVID-19,” said Maj. Gen. Anthony Carrelli, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general and head of the DMVA.

“We realize family and friends want to spend time with their loved ones, but we hope they understand that this temporary inconvenience is prudent and necessary to minimize the risk of exposure. We apologize in advance and thank everyone for their cooperation.”

There are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in any of the six veterans homes.

Andreano said the mood among Messiah residents is mixed.

“As with everybody else in the population,” she said. “Some are more concerned than others. We are doing everything we can to provide accurate and timely information. We are looking to provide support and guidance.”

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