State forms task force to deal with covid-19 in nursing homes and other long-term-care facilities, lists those where coronavirus found

By Al Cross
Kentucky Health News

State officials have formed a task force to advise them about how to prevent the coronavirus from devastating the state's nursing homes and other long-term care facilities, which have already suffered 18 deaths from it.

"This is our challenge," Gov. Andy Beshear said at his daily briefing. "This is where the coronavirus is devastating every state and all of our communities." He said 141 residents and 86 staffers have tested positive, with 37 new cases of residents, 38 new cases of staff, and two new deaths in the previous 24 hours.

He said "three or four" facilities have tested their entire staff in the last 24 hours, and three have been hit "very hard." Those are Treyton Oak Towers in Louisville, Summit Manor in Columbia and River's Bend Retirement Community in Kuttawa.

"These are some of the most vulnerable residents in some of the most precarious health situations," Health Secretary Eric Friedlander said, adding that Health Commissioner Steven Stack's office

"engages with every facility that has someone who tests positive."

Friedlander said the state has named 10 people, mostly physicians, "to help us think through" the problem and balance the complex interests involved. He said members of the long-term care task force also include psychiatrists, medical ethicists, geneticists and geriatric specialists, all of whom have long-term-care experience. He said they held their first meeting Friday via Zoom, an online conference platform.

Beshear said the state is helping hospitals prepare for transfer of covid-19 patients from nursing homes and is working on getting facilities at the state fairgrounds in Louisville prepared for temporary hospital space.

Treyton Oak Towers is at 211 W. Oak St., Louisville

Friday afternoon, Beshear's office released a complete list of the Kentucky nursing homes or assisted-living facilities that have patients or employees with the coronavirus. The state had earlier given the Lexington Herald-Leader only the names of those with more than one case.

The list has 24 long-term-care facilities. Seven have had multiple cases and at least one death:
Summit Manor, Adair County: 24 residents; one death; eight staff cases.
Treyton Oak Towers, Jefferson: 21 residents: five deaths; eight staff cases.
Rosedale Green, Kenton: 12 residents; four deaths; 5 staff cases.

Coldspring, Campbell: 10 residents; one death; 3 staff cases.
River's Bend Assisted Living, Lyon: six residents; one death; three staff cases.
Ridgewood, Hopkins: four residents, two deaths; five staff cases.
Nazareth Home, Jefferson: two residents; one death; one staff case.

These facilities also reported multiple cases of residents and/or staff:

Morgantown, Butler County: eight residents, one staffer.
Masonic Home Louisville, Jefferson: five residents; three staffers.
Grant Manor, Grant: two residents.
Jackson Manor, Jackson: three residents; one staffer.

Park Terrace in Jefferson County has had one case, which ended in death.

Four facilities each reported one case in a resident: Gateway, Boone County; Hillside Villa, Hopkins; Sisters of Loretto Motherhouse, Marion; Oaklawn, Jefferson.

Two facilities each reported a case in one resident and one staffer: Henderson Nursing & Rehabilitation, and Madonna Manor in Kenton County.

Two facilities each reported cases in two staffers: Parkview, McCracken County; Mills Manor, Graves. Four reported a single case in a staffer: Fair Oaks, Russell County; Kingsbrook, Boyd; Heritage, Knox; Presbyterian Homes-Helmwood, Hardin.

Two facilities have no cases but are still awaiting test results: Countryside in Carlisle County and Jefferson Place in Jefferson County.

A note attached to the list says: "When a staff member tests positive, that does not mean they have been back in the facility, since they tested positive."