AARP Florida: It’s Common Sense to Test Widely for Coronavirus In All Florida Elder-Care Facilities

Elder-Care Residents and Staff Represented 79% of COVID-19 Deaths Today, Despite Representing Less Than 2% of All Floridians

May 14, 2020

AARP’s Florida State Director, Jeff Johnson, issued the following statement today on AARP’s concerns about the potential impact of coronavirus on the most vulnerable older Floridians as the state reopens:

“While there are encouraging signs across the state that mitigation measures have slowed the growth of the virus, residents and staff of elder-care facilities remain at serious risk.”

“Florida reported 48 new deaths from coronavirus overnight. Thirty-eight, or 79 percent, began as infections of residents or staff of an elder-care facility – a group that is less than 2 percent of the state’s population. When one-fiftieth of the population is suffering four-fifths of the deaths, the need for action could scarcely be clearer.”

“It’s clear that the virus is getting into these facilities through contractors and staff. Only widespread, repeated testing will work. By testing only a few locations on a few occasions, we’re leaving too much to chance. That’s why it’s common sense to require widespread testing and prevention efforts focused on all elder-care facilities.”

“AARP Florida continues to believe the key to minimizing the impact of this dangerous virus is to test staff, residents, visitors and vendors to elder-care facilities not just once but repeatedly, as often as possible. We believe that frontline staff in these facilities should have adequate personal protective gear, the training to use it, and the oversight to ensure it’s being used. And we believe that families and friends need the ability to be able to interact when they want with their loved ones through safe in-person visitation or remote video technology. Of course, visitors must comply with testing and protective equipment protocols to ensure the safety of all.”

“Tomorrow, elders in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities will have been cut off from families and friends for two months. We believe it is important to have sufficient point-of-care testing to allow family members to be tested so they can visit face to face with residents who have been isolated for two months as of tomorrow. AARP Florida continues to hear from many members that family members in long-term care facilities are suffering physical, mental and emotional deterioration due to the extended separation from family visitors and isolation from other residents.”

“The time to act is now.”

# # #