Manatee’s nursing homes, ALFs are hot spots for COVID-19. Operators mum on details

More than 40 percent of the people who have died from COVID-19 in Manatee County, caught the coronavirus inside a nursing home or assisted living facility. Statewide, nearly a quarter of COVID-19 deaths are attributed to long-term care facilities.

Yet for weeks, local and state health department officials and Gov. Ron DeSantis refused to identify facilities with confirmed cases.

But despite DeSantis reversing his stance over the weekend, and the list of all facilities statewide being released, operators in Manatee County are refusing to shed light on the situation inside their facilities and what they have or haven’t done to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

A spokesman for the Department of Health — Manatee County did not return a request for comment on how the health department was addressing the situation in local elder care facilities.

As of Monday evening, there were 127 residents or staffers at six skilled nursing homes and two assisted living facilities in Manatee County who had tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the Florida Department of Health. Those cases made up 29.3 percent of the county’s 433 total cases.

Fourteen of the 33 COVID-19 deaths in Manatee County were linked to the facilities.

The eight facilities are:

• Braden River Rehabilitation Center, 2010 Manatee Ave. E., Bradenton, a 208-bed licensed skilled nursing home.
• Bradenton Health Care, 6305 Cortez Road W., Bradenton, a 105-bed licensed skilled nursing home.
• Brookdale Bradenton Gardens, 5612 26th St. W., Bradenton, a 120-bed licensed assisted living facility.
• Casa Mora Rehabilitation And Extended Care, 1902 59th St. W., Bradenton, a 240-bed licensed skilled nursing home.
• Manatee Springs Rehabilitation And Nursing Center, 5627 Ninth St. E., Bradenton, a 120-bed licensed skilled nursing home.
• Residence At Bay Vue, 105 15th St. E., Bradenton, an 80-bed licensed assisted living facility.
• Riviera Palms Rehabilitation Center, 926 Haben Blvd., Palmetto, a 120-bed licensed skilled nursing home.
• Westminster Point Pleasant Manatee, 1533 Fourth Ave. W., Bradenton, a 120-bed licensed skilled nursing home.

For the most part, officials at the facilities wouldn’t say how many residents and employees had been tested and why the facilities have become hot spots for the virus. COVID-19 infections at these facilities make up nearly a quarter of Manatee’s overall confirmed cases.

In a statement provided to the Bradenton Herald on Monday afternoon, Susan Kaar, vice president of compliance and quality management with Southern Healthcare Management, declined to provide specific numbers for coronavirus testing and confirmed cases at the Braden River Rehabilitation Center in Bradenton or the Riviera Palms Rehabilitation Center in Palmetto.

“The center has been advised that a number of residents and staff have tested positive for COVID-19,” Kaar wrote. “We understand the interest in knowing the test results; however, the privacy rights of the residents and staff prohibit their disclosure.”

The Bradenton Herald has identified at least one Braden River Rehabilitation Center resident, Carol “Dorothy” Davis, who died from COVID-19.

Other facilities on the list have been more forthcoming. Only one patient has tested positive for the novel coronavirus at Westminster Point Pleasant, according to Wes Meltzer, the company’s director of communications. Twenty-two residents and staff members that may have been exposed to that patient were also tested — all of which came back negative.

At Manatee Springs Rehabilitation Center and Nursing Home, Steve Oelfke, the facility’s administrator, shared that there has been one confirmed case of COVID-19. That patient has been hospitalized and about four other tests have been conducted — all of them negative.

“We’ve stayed in close contact with families, keeping residents in their room, we’re having staff wear (personal protective equipment) and all staff are screened before coming into work,” Oelfke said.

Bradenton’s Residence at Bay Vue released a statement Monday, as well, revealing that two of their staff members have tested positive for the novel coronavirus in March. They sought their own private testing and did not work while they showed symptoms, according to the release.

A spokeswoman explained that the facility’s residents are all asymptomatic but testing is underway as a precaution.

“The staff and residents here are all a part of our family,” said Jennifer Hancock, the facility’s executive director. “We want to make sure everyone stays informed, and most importantly, safe, throughout this situation.”

Brookdale Bradenton Gardens Senior Living would only confirm that “more than one member of their community” had tested positive as part of a provided statement. Public Relations Project Manager Heather Hunter said she could not provide any specifics.

“We are diligently monitoring our residents and associates for signs and symptoms, and we continue to work directly with local health officials to help ensure our residents and associates have the appropriate and necessary medical support,” their statement said.

Calls to Bradenton Health Care were not returned. Casa Mora administrator Brad Lee returned a call to a reporter but said that a media spokesperson, who he would not identify, would follow up but did not.

While they would not provide detailed counts, Braden River Rehabilitation Center, Bradenton Health Care, Brookdale Bradenton Gardens, Casa Mora Rehabilitation And Extended Care Bradenton and Riviera Palms Rehabilitation Center account for 118 of the 122 cases.

Are they testing?

Testing at long-term care facilities continues to be a concern.

At the Braden River and the Riviera Palms rehabilitation centers, residents and staff have been tested at the facilities, but Southern Healthcare Management would not say how many have been tested, the parameters for testing or the laboratories being used.

Kaar said they are working with the local health department to implement “a proactive and preventative measure and initiated testing of residents and staff for COVID-19.

“This approach allowed for earlier identification of those who may be positive, yet not showing any signs or symptoms, and assist with our ongoing effort to contain the virus. This approach enhances the ability to further protect the residents and staff so all necessary care and services can be authorized sooner.”

Other facilities made vague statements about how they are working with the local health department.

None of the eight facilities would say how many people have been tested, the parameters for testing or which labs are handling their tests.

This story was originally published April 20, 2020 at 4:26 PM.