“It’s scary”: Number of positive COVID-19 patients in senior living facilities increases

DHEC said nearly 600 staff and residents have tested positive, with 44 deaths as of Tuesday

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) —Some of the areas that have been hardest hit by the coronavirus in South Carolina are nursing homes and assisted living centers.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) say roughly 23% of all deaths related to the virus reported as of Tuesday have been staff members or people living in these facilities.

Some who oversee the care of people in these facilities say this is a troubling reality.

Even though her assisted living facility has no cases of coronavirus, Rita Lark says the uncertainty surrounding the virus is hard to ignore.

“It’s very scary because this population is so frail, and they also have underlying conditions, many of them, so that’s two things going against them, and that’s why you’ve got to go through the ultimate steps to try and keep them safe,” said Lark, who is also the President of the South Carolina Assisted Living Association (SCALA).

As of Tuesday, DHEC says 595 staff members and people living in nursing homes and assisted living facilities have tested positive for the virus, and 44 people have died.

The center with the most cases and deaths is Midlands Health and Rehabilitation in Columbia.

According to DHEC, 78 people at the facility have tested positive for the virus, and seven people have died.

Midlands Health and Rehabilitation did not respond to our request for comment, but on their website, they do list guidelines they follow to keep patients and staff safe.

Randy Lee, the President of the South Carolina Health Care Association says the organization has been informing all their members, including Midlands Health and Rehabilitation, about protocols that they need to follow back since February.

“We’ve been taking care of the elderly, and that’s what we do. It’s not about numbers, it’s about people, and what we have been doing is everything humanly possible and medically possible for our residents,” Lee said.

Lark says 40 percent of SCALA’s member assisted living facilities statewide do not have an adequate amount of personal protective equipment for their staff, but she says one of the biggest challenges that has come her way is having to tell people in her care that it might be a while before they can physically see family again.

“I know it’s tough, I realize it’s tough not to see your mother. Mother’s Day is coming up and I’ve already had some parents ask me ‘can my daughter come?’ and it’s heartbreaking, but my answer to them is as soon as it’s safe, because your safety is first, and that’s what we have to do,” said Lark.

DHEC says 14 facilities in the Midlands have at least one staff member or person in their care who has tested positive for the coronavirus.

For a full list of these facilities, click here.