While the number of new COVID-19 deaths and cases have fallen in Virginia nursing homes, an AARP analysis revealed that there are still some major problems that need to be addressed.
The AARP Nursing Home COVID-19 Dashboard, which analyzes federally reported data in four-week intervals dating back to June 2020, found that resident deaths in nursing homes were more than a third lower in the four weeks ending on Feb. 14 in comparison to the prior period.
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At the same time, new infections and deaths in nursing homes are still more than twice as high as they were in the summer of 2020, as Virginia’s nursing home COVID-19 death rate is the 2nd highest in the nation.
“While we are encouraged by the downward trend in nursing home deaths, we continue to see disgracefully high numbers of cases and deaths in Virginia’s nursing homes and long-term care facilities compared to the rest of the country,” said AARP Virginia State Director Jim Dau. “Decreasing numbers and vaccine rollout give hope, but we should not lose sight of the chronic, ongoing problems in our long-term care system that were exposed by COVID.”
Staffing and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) shortages are another issue with 16.5% of facilities in Virginia reporting a shortage of nurses or aides, according to AARP. A positive is that this is the lowest percentage since AARP began tracking data.
According to the analysis, one in 10 medical facilities didn’t have a one-week supply in the last month although those reporting a shortage of PPE has declined slightly to 10.2%.
In order to keep nursing homes safe, AARP Virginia is urging state lawmakers to:
- Have regular and ongoing testing and enough personal protective equipment (PPE) for residents and staff.
- Be transparent with public reports of cases and deaths in facilities.
- Allow in-person visitation that follows federal and state COVID-19 guidelines and also give nursing home residents access to virtual visitation.
- Give residents quality care through enough staffing, supervision and access to in-person formal advocates.
- Reject immunity and hold long-term care facilities accountable when residents aren’t treated properly.