Though it seems like ages ago, it’s been just a little over two months since a patient at the Life Care Center in Kirkland was transferred to the hospital and later tested positive for COVID-19. That first case led the center to become ground zero for the pandemic.
Older folks, especially those living in relatively close contact in one of the various types of eldercare facilities throughout the state, including Kitsap County, have remained the part of the population most vulnerable to the effects of the coronavirus. The state now has 12,085 confirmed cases.
More than 90 percent of the 652 COVID-related fatalities in Washington have been people aged 60 or older, and 201 licensed facilities in Washington have reported at least one positive case through the Department of Social and Health Service’s complaint resolution unit, said Bill Moss, DSHS assistant secretary.
And much like every other corner of the medical community, senior facilities are facing a shortage of personal protective equipment. In order to collect a specimen, a health care workers needs, at minimum, a surgical mask, face shield, gown and gloves.
They also have a shortage of swabs and transportation material, which has made getting a handle on how much the infection has spread within each facilities difficult to ascertain. And the virus has shown that it can spread quickly through these care centers, which makes understanding the virus’s presence extremely important.
“We know getting enough PPE for facilities has been a challenge,” said Candace Goehring, the Director of Residential Care Services at the Department of Social Health and Services. “But we believe we have turned a corner in getting more PPE out to our facilities.”
Goehring said facilities have had to step up their oversight in practicing proper infection control techniques, and the state has increased oversight as well.
All non-emergency inspections have been suspended in order for the DSHS to focus all of its resources and efforts on COVID-19, Moss said.
“We, as a regulatory authority, are doing all we can to assure families and residents and the community that their loved ones, their family members, their friends are as safe as they can be,” Goehring said.
The good news is that despite the rapid spread through the state’s older adult population, DSHS is seeing a gradual decline in new facilities reporting a positive COVID-19 case and fewer reports of the virus overall.
However, the state is preparing for the possibility of a resurgence of virus activity. Goehring and Moss said DSHS was looking at developing COVID-specific facilities to serve residents who have tested positive, but are still in need of various types of senior care.
Others precautions continue to be taken as well, while the long-term goal remains having enough testing supplies to rapidly test and isolate symptomatic residents.
Adult day health care centers, which sees older folks come in and receive simple services, such as blood pressure checks and general health assessments, are now able to offer those electronically, which also helps limit the spread to people more likely to be vulnerable to COVID-19.
