Nursing home exec: COVID ‘dramatically reshaping our business’

By Max Blau Nursing homes have become a constant battleground during the COVID-19 epidemic — in Georgia, around the nation and in several other countries. Nearly half of Georgia’s 2,784 deaths have come from long-term care facilities, a percentage that’s mirrored in national statistics. In mid-March, as COVID-19 quickly spread across southwest Georgia, PruittHealth was…

Milledgeville nursing homes fuel city’s high COVID death rate

Story updated A former capital city of Georgia, once known for its sprawling state mental hospital as well as its historic sites, now has other care facilities in the spotlight. A New York Times data analysis this week lists Milledgeville, in Middle Georgia’s Baldwin County, as having the highest COVID-19 death rate among metro areas…

What the soldiers saw after virus hit rural nursing home

Of Georgia’s more than 1,100 COVID-19 deaths, 12% are from long-term care facilities in a region that holds just 3% of the state’s population. As the state reopens, staff know that risks of exposure will only increase. By Max Blau This article was produced in partnership with ProPublica. Georgia Health News is a member of…

Long-term care deaths amount to one-third of Georgia’s COVID-19 total

State officials report that 250 residents of Georgia long-term care facilities have died from COVID-19. The report, released Friday, also says that more than 1,600 residents have contracted the disease within more than 200 facilities. More than 800 employees have also fallen ill. Deaths in long-term care represent more than one-third of the state’s COVID-19…

Long-term care deaths mount in Georgia; mobile morgues in Albany

State health officials said Wednesday that there have been 81 deaths of Georgians from COVID-19 in long-term care facilities. The Public Health statement came just minutes after Gov. Brian Kemp told reporters he had signed an executive order requiring aggressive infection control measures to curb outbreaks of COVID-19 at long-term care sites. Media outlets have…

Guardsmen being sent to long-term care facilities as coronavirus spreads

Gov. Brian Kemp is sending National Guard troops to a South Georgia nursing home to help personnel contain an outbreak of COVID-19, as part of a state effort to fight the disease in long-term care facilities. The new coronavirus has hit several nursing homes and assisted-living facilities in the state. Kemp’s office said Tuesday that…

Social distancing can save seniors’ lives but deepen their loneliness

By Naomi Thomas Social distancing is a vital tool to help seniors avoid COVID-19. But it may be exacerbating a longtime problem for older people: social isolation, which can lead to loneliness. “We’ve already been worried about loneliness as an epidemic before all of this hit, and that’s because older adults, and not just because…

Marietta case shows long-term care facilities may be in coronavirus crosshairs

By Max Blau and Andy Miller Story updated with Gov. Kemp’s remarks As Georgia braces for an expected surge in COVID-19 cases, long-term care providers face a crucial challenge of containing a potential disease spread among older and frail patients. Five long-term care facilities in Georgia have so far reported the presence of the fast-spreading disease…

State Senate OKs transparency bill on quality, costs of care

The Georgia Senate approved legislation Tuesday to increase transparency of health care prices for consumers. Senate Bill 303 would give insured Georgians the ability to query their insurer to learn their out-of-pocket costs before getting non-emergency services from a physician or hospital. Consumers could also get data on the medical providers’ quality of care. Other…