Nursing homes & assisted living facilities monitoring coronavirus

Officials and experts concerned about seniors’ susceptibility to illness

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With two confirmed cases of coronavirus in Florida, nursing homes and assisted living facilities are among the organizations keeping a close eye on the situation.

So far, no cases have been reported in Jacksonville and neighboring counties.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said Monday he has told health officials to make sure assisted living facilities and nursing homes are taking precautions as seniors are more susceptible to illness. DeSantis said viruses tend “to have a most deleterious effect on people that have either an underlying health condition or that are elderly.”

Of the local nursing homes contacted by News4Jax, most said their procedures don’t change much because they’re always on alert for illnesses within their facilities. Park Ridge Nursing and Rehabilitation said it has an infection control preventionist on staff and all nurses are certified to deal with viruses.

Across town at the Taylor Care Center on the Southside, workers said the facility has an infection control preventionist on staff, which is required under regulations adopted in recent years. The facility’s staff said they are in contact with health officials and have a quarantine plan available in case it’s needed.

Both nursing homes said they routinely instruct residents on proper hand-washing techniques and other best practices for keeping residents healthy and safe.

Dr. Carolyn McClanahan, an expert on virology and immunology, said practicing good hygiene is crucial in nursing homes. “Any respiratory infectious disease is very dangerous to the elderly because they have an immune system that doesn’t function as well as a normally functioning health adult,” she said.

Dr. McClanahan added that there’s a heightened concern surrounding this virus because it is new, so there are not any natural immunities built up to the illness.

“It’s really important for (nursing homes) to quarantine (if necessary) and make sure they’re following good hand-washing protocols,” she told News4Jax. “It’s just like the flu – except for the possibility with the coronavirus, it being a new virus, people have no immunity.”


About the Author:

Scott is a multi-Emmy Award Winning Anchor and Reporter, who also hosts the “Going Ringside With The Local Station” Podcast. Scott has been a journalist for 25 years, covering stories including six presidential elections, multiple space shuttle launches and dozens of high-profile murder trials.