From Nebraska News Connection
By Eric Galatas
LINCOLN, Neb. -- New AARP analysis shows nursing home residents and staff in Nebraska still are at significant risk from the coronavirus. Data from October through November marked increases in both infection rates and deaths.
Todd Stubbendieck, state director with AARP Nebraska, said residents have been doing everything right; they're staying in their homes and social distancing, but still are bearing the brunt of the disease. He said the report should be a call to action for people outside nursing homes, but worries too many people have become numb to the numbers.
"But we are talking about people's mothers and fathers and grandmothers and grandfathers and our neighbors in these facilities," Studdendieck said. "These are our most vulnerable folks, and it's incumbent upon us to make sure we're doing what we can to help protect them."
In Nebraska, new COVID-19 infection rates nearly tripled compared with the previous four-week period - to 11 out of every 100 nursing home residents. Death rates also increased three-fold, to 1.27 resident deaths per 100.
Nearly a third of nursing homes still do not have a one-week supply of personal protective equipment, and 47% of facilities are reporting staff shortages - up from 42%.
Stubbendieck said the health crisis has exposed long-standing flaws in the nation's long-term care system. A separate AARP report offers recommendations for improvements, such as ensuring staff have health insurance, paid sick leave and competitive wages.
"There's been an issue with shortage of staffing for these facilities before the pandemic, but the pandemic obviously is exacerbating that," he said. "Almost half of these facilities are saying that they're having staffing shortages."
Recommendations also include prioritizing testing and PPE for residents, staff, inspectors and visitors; rejecting immunity from liability for long-term care facilities; improving transparency on reported cases and deaths; and addressing patient isolation, risk for depression, and ability to interact with loved ones.