Massachusetts Combats Coronavirus In Nursing Homes As Belmont Manor Suffers Latest Outbreak
BELMONT (CBS) -- Deaths from the coronavirus continue to mount in nursing homes. The most recent grim news comes from Belmont Manor where 27 residents have died, and 92 others, along with nearly three dozen employees, have tested positive.
"The National Guard has conducted testing at Belmont Manor and we are actually sending in our technical assistance SWAT team to help them figure out what they need to be doing," said Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders.
Belmont Manor, like so many other long-term care facilities, is struggling to care for sick residents without enough help.
"I don't think there's any nursing home in the state that's fully staffed," said Helen Fitzgerald Will, a geriatric nurse practitioner.
She does not work in the Belmont facility, but and has spent the last 10 years working in nursing homes.
"These nurses are going in day in and day out doing their job regardless of whether the person has COVID or not," she said. "They are all good people and they don't get enough credit."
In a recent letter to families, Belmont Manor said: "Every member of the Belmont Manor team is heartbroken by the losses of beloved members of our community. From the beginning of this pandemic, we have taken every possible step to address this fast moving situation. Despite these multi-faceted efforts and our longstanding and recognized focus on quality care, the impacts of the Coronavirus have been hard hitting. Our staff continues to remain vigilant and focused on creating meaningful connections between our residents and their families in a time of physical-distancing."
Massachusetts is funding nursing homes an additional 10%, and homes that have COVID units with strict guidelines in place to stop the spread are eligible for more money.
"They're essentially staffed by shift...and people float," Secretary Sudders aid. "We can't have that if we are going to try to have COVID negative and COVID positive units."
"I think right now we're still in the thick of it," Fitzgerald Will said. "Last week was really hard. And we still have a way to go with this pandemic."
To help with staffing shortages, the state says it will offer a $1,000 signing bonus to anyone who wants to work in a nursing home or long-term care facility.
