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About Hermiston herald. (Hermiston, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (April 22, 2020)
NEWS A6 • HERMISTONHERALD.COM WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22, 2020 As others emerge around the state, Umatilla County care facilities fi ght to prevent a local horror story By ALEX CASTLE STAFF WRITER Two long-term care facil- ities in Umatilla County were awaiting COVID-19 test results for residents and staff on April 10. Adminis- trators from both confi rmed last week that those results were negative and there are currently no active cases in the facilities. However, both facilities — Cascade Valley Assisted Living and Memory Care in Milton-Freewater and Guardian Angel Homes in Hermiston — remain entrenched in the ongoing fi ght to keep COVID-19 from spreading among our most vulnerable population. “I can say we have no pending tests or confi rmed cases right now,” said Tyson Frantz, owner of Guardian Angel Homes. “But I can also say that may not be the case tomorrow.” As of April 14, state offi - cials said 32 of Oregon’s 52 deaths that had been attributed to COVID-19 were connected to long-term care facilities. On April 16, offi cials confi rmed at least 14 deaths at a single Port- land nursing home could be attributed to the virus. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have called long-term care facili- ties “an accelerator” for the spread of the virus, as evi- denced by the tragic stories that have developed around the state and country. For Frantz and adminis- trators at the other 21 long- term care facilities in Uma- tilla and Morrow counties monitored by the Depart- ment of Human Services, those stories have served as warnings and lessons for how to try and prevent an outbreak, and how to limit its potential carnage. To detect an outbreak before it becomes a crisis, Staff photo by Ben Lonergan A “Heroes Work Here” sign was erected at Guardian Angel Homes in Hermiston earlier this month. The facility has increased staffi ng levels in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. the Oregon Health Author- ity has streamlined test- ing for residents and staff at such facilities within the state. Umatilla County Pub- lic Health Director Joe Fiu- mara said facilities have been provided a document template to fi ll out and send with any of its pending tests so that the state lab can pri- oritize running it. Neither facility provided specifi cs on the amount of tests run on residents or staff at the facility, but Frantz said his Hermiston facility is relying on criteria from health offi cials for when to administer a COVID-19 test. According to Christina Avila, the executive director of Cascade Valley Assisted Living and Memory Care in Milton-Freewater, her staff and residents are being tested if they’re showing even one of the potential symptoms for COVID-19, such as a cough, fever or shortness of breath. Both administrators said there were no posi- tive cases as of last week, however, Fiumara said the county wouldn’t necessar- ily announce whether there was a single resident or staff member who tested positive at any of the county’s long- term care facilities. For now, that information would come from the state, which recently began pro- viding twice-a-week updates on which facilities have con- fi rmed cases and or pending tests, though specifi c num- bers are only provided for facilities with three or more cases or at least one death. No facilities in Umatilla County have a confi rmed case, according to state data released April 14. Otherwise, Fiumara said the county is merely serv- ing in an advisory role and is waiting to assist any facility that needs it. “We’re trying to be a resource to them without getting in their way,” he said. On the frontlines of pre- vention, facilities have implemented rigorous san- itation protocols and strict screening policies. At Guardian Angel Homes, that includes screening each of its 64 residents every day and screening each of the 45 staff members before every shift. “It’s been a burden for sure, but worth the precau- tion given the risks of this virus,” Frantz said. While the Department of Human Services has insti- tuted an admission freeze for facilities with active corona- virus cases, Avila said Cas- cade Valley has mandated a 14-day quarantine for all new residents admitted to the facility. Frantz said one of his takeaways from reading the “horror stories” of other facilities was the risk of staff transmitting the virus among themselves and the residents. As a result, Guardian Angel Homes has taken measures to address it, including shutting down the staff break room, requiring all employees clock in from mobile devices, and cohort- ing staff to particular build- ings and wings. Cascade Valley has also assigned staff to cohorts, Avila said. Like other essential work- ers in high-risk areas, facil- ity staff are in need of per- sonal protective equipment for their own safety, which both facilities said they’ve prioritized and have man- aged to keep in stock, so far. That equipment will become critical in the event of an outbreak, Frantz said. Guardian Angel Homes recently placed a “signifi - cant” order for equipment that was scheduled to arrive by the end of last week. Frantz said they purpose- fully ordered in excess, so other facilities will have a local supply, if needed. As for how his Hermiston facility would handle a con- fi rmed outbreak of COVID- 19, Frantz said they’ve developed too many con- tingency plans to enumer- ate how the facility would respond. “We have layers of plans depending on the nature of the outbreak,” Frantz said, noting it would depend on which of the facility’s three buildings had the outbreak and which residents or staff tested positive. Avila said their facility in Milton-Freewater had iso- lated a hall dedicated to res- idents who display symp- toms of the virus where they can be quarantined. Amid the preventative measures, the threat of the virus has disrupted daily life at long-term care facilities, and residents’ ability to stay in contact with their families has been severely limited by statewide restrictions on vis- itations that were enacted on March 17. “It’s heartbreaking for us that visitations have to be so restricted,” Frantz said. Frantz said Guardian Angel Homes has distrib- uted a tablet to each of the facility’s buildings that is dedicated for residents to use for video calls with fam- ily members. Avila said Cas- cade Valley residents have also been relying on tech- nology like Skype and Face- Time to speak with family. Along with staying con- nected to those outside the facility, Avila noted staff has worked to develop one-on- one activities for residents to participate in to replace group events or trips into the community that have tempo- rarily ceased. “Cabin fever is defi nitely a high concern, but we have a great activities direc- tor who has kept the spirits high,” Avila said. “I think it’s been important to fi nd daily activities that are still safe for our residents to par- ticipate in.” Guardian Angel Homes has actually increased its staffi ng levels in order for residents to have more resources for care and engagement as the residents and staff work together to keep the virus out of the facility. “I’m absolutely gushing with total praise and grat- itude to the staff and peo- ple supporting this vulnera- ble portion of the population right now,” Frantz said. “They deserve every word of gratitude for what they’re doing, while putting them- selves at risk, and that’s not just my staff, but every facil- ity in Umatilla County and Eastern Oregon.” For those wishing to offer support, Avila suggested writing letters to residents. OREGON'S 2ND OREGON'S 2ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT REPUBLICAN DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FORUM CANDIDATE FORUM Get to know the Republican candidates for U.S. Congress without leaving home. Get to know the Democratic candidates for U.S. Congress without leaving home. Primary election is May 19 Primary election is May 19 Forums will be video recorded without audience due to COVID-19 concerns. Forums will be video recorded without audience due to COVID-19 concerns. Streaming live on this newspaper’s Facebook page: Streaming live on this newspaper’s Facebook page: Saturday May 2, 2020 • 5 p.m. & 7 p.m. Friday, May 1, 2020 • 6:30 Watch after the event on this newspaper’s website or on EOAlive.tv Watch after the event on this newspaper’s website or on EOAlive.tv Submit your questions in advance by email to: CD2forum@eomediagroup.com or on Facebook Live during the event. Submit your questions in advance by email to: CD2forum@eomediagroup.com or on Facebook Live during the event. Moderated by Chris Rush - Regional Publisher, EO Media Group Moderated by Chris Rush - Regional Publisher, EO Media Group Live stream and video by EO Alive TV Live stream and video by EO Alive TV • A forum for the Democratic candidates will be held on May 1 • • A forum for the Republican candidates will be held on May 2 •
