Nursing home, rehabilitation center considering coronavirus-only treatment-News-Herald News, Fall River, Mass.

Boston—The outbreak of COVID-19 is particularly frightening for residents of nursing homes in Massachusetts and their families, and the state is now working with the industry to move residents from their resident’s place of residence and to remove facilities. A care center that has rehabilitated and changed their locations to COVID-19 only.

The Baker administration recently highlighted the idea of ​​using an empty nursing home to increase the size of a medical bed, but in a letter on March 27, Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders said in a letter to the state. Stated that it is taking “unprecedented procedures” to establish specially skilled care facilities for the care of persons diagnosed with COVID-19.

“ To establish a dedicated COVID-19 nursing home for these nursing homes and rehabilitation homes, existing residents must temporarily move to other homes in the area, where they continue to provide nursing care. You’ll get it, “wrote Sudders. “These transitions are done with great care.”

A policy shift that could facilitate COVID-19 care in facilities that already have facilities and staff is “ securing the capacity of emergency medical hospitals to address the anticipated surge in demand over the coming weeks Suddenly it’s being done.

According to Sadders’ letter, Worcester’s Beaumont Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center is the first designated site. Patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who are stable but need nursing-center-level care will be transferred from the hospital to Beaumont this week.

“By transferring patients to dedicated facilities that can continue to receive oxygen-level nursing-care, such as Beaumont, emergency hospitals have additional capacity for inpatients who need hospital-level emergency care. Will be provided, “said Sudders.

“It is not easy to ask residents, families, and nursing homes, but it is important to make sure that the health and safety of the population today and that the COVID-19 patient is being cared for with appropriate medical care. Yes, the sustainability of settings and hospitals can address the surge in care demands that are expected to be caused by outbreaks. “

“The situation is fluid”

Matt Salmon, CEO of SALMON Health & Retirement, which owns Beaumont, said residents have been transferred to sister facilities in the Worcester area.

“This is a very difficult decision, personally, and I’ve been worried about it for the last few days, because it has given our residents and families trust in our care. Because they know the amount of confusion they bring, Worcester’s loved ones. ” “In my role, I can’t think of any solution that wouldn’t endanger all the elderly, not just our building, but a federal solution as well.”

Beaumont expects to accept COVID-19 patients who have been discharged from the UMass Medical Center and St. Vincent’s Hospital.

“This situation is in flux,” Salmon said. “It is evolving very quickly for us.”

Beaumont residents’ families must not visit the building and must restrict phone calls so that staff can be organized. “We will communicate with you-where your loved ones go, how it is done, and when it will be, it will take a long time,” said Salmon.

According to Salmon, the State Health Authority has called for evacuation of the Beaumont building by Monday, but said its schedule is “impossible” and Wednesday is the target date for cleaning up the building.

“We responded to this call and provided exemplary leadership during this crisis,” praised SALMON Health & Retirement, said Tara Gregorio, chairman of the Mass Senior Care Association.

“The transformation of independent, self-contained health care facilities will not only provide important recovery services to those affected by COVID-19, but will also protect public health and the health of nursing home residents throughout the Federal Republic. The curve is flattened. ” “Patients who are recovering from COVID-19 will be discharged from the hospital and enter a skilled nursing facility unless these individual recovery facilities are established, and residents of the skilled nursing facility will also be at greater risk.”

Gregorio called it “a difficult decision for the Beaumont Worcester community, including its residents and their families,” but said “a cooperative effort between state health authorities, hospitals, and SALMON Health & Retirement on this aggressive effort to provide COVID. Clearly supports the initiative: -19 patients who need intensive care to ensure the best possible recovery, ultimately needed to mitigate and contain the epidemic of COVID-19 Benefit all citizens of the larger Worcester community. “

In a letter, Sadders said in a letter that the state “ is actively looking for additional facilities as a dedicated treatment site for COVID-19, ” and MassHealth and a private insurer “ financed to support these efforts. We work closely with nursing facilities to establish

The UMass Memorial Healthcare System has acknowledged Beaumont staff and residents “for the sacrifice that facilities, hospitals, states, and nations are doing to combat this horrible pandemic.”

“Beaumont has taken this step in response to our request and the state’s request, ensuring not only their well-being, but also the well-being of many patients who are taken to Worcester County hospitals for care and relief for COVID-19. We are working hard to make it, “said the UMass Memorial. “Because we have never seen the peak of COVID-19, our plans need to continue to ensure that we are in the strongest position possible to care for these critically ill patients.”