Majority of Anson Place residents test positive for COVID-19

By Kaitlyn Clark

The Haldimand Press

HAGERSVILLE—Over half the population of Anson Place long-term care facility (LTC) and retirement home has now been confirmed to have contracted COVID-19.

April 13, 2020 it was reported that Anson Place, which has 101 beds total, had 55 residents (36 in LTC and 19 from the retirement home) and 30 staff test positive. Of these, 15 residents had died, which accounted for all the COVID-19 deaths in the region at that time. By April 14, those numbers were up to 73 positive cases among Anson Place residents, 31 positive cases in its staff, and 19 deaths.

Haldimand Norfolk’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. Shanker Nesathurai said that there is an epidemiological team investigating the origin of the Anson Place outbreak, but he doesn’t believe they will have an answer for many weeks as it’s a “complicated type of assessment” with many “potential different arrivals at Anson Place”.

The total confirmed cases for Haldimand and Norfolk on April 14 was 144, meaning cases related to Anson Place accounted for about 50% of the region’s cases at that time. Additionally, the region’s cases included 16 recoveries and one death outside Anson Place.

The staff who tested positive are not working at the facility, but this has put significant stress on the remaining staff to fill in the gaps, and on the administration to find temporary workers.

“They are very short staffed, but they are doing their best with the people they have right now,” said Laura Martin of Fisherville, who has worked at Anson Place for six years as a Registered Practical Nurse and is currently home as she tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month. “The girls are working double shifts or extended 12-hour shifts to help maintain patient care. They’ve enlisted the help of some EMS students thankfully, which provides a little relief.”

Martin was initially tested on March 29 and four days later it came back negative. However, since feeling symptoms on April 2 she has not returned to work. She was tested again April 6, which was expedited because of her work, and 24 hours later she had a positive result. Staff with COVID-19 cannot return until they have no symptoms and have two negative tests at least 24 hours apart.

“I get updates frequently from the home,” continued Martin. “It’s hard watching the residents fight this battle, especially when I know firsthand what it feels like now, but the workers who are left are doing the best they can with the staff they have…. I definitely think they need more help, of course, but I know they are trying to limit the amount of outside exposure as well.”

The Haldimand Norfolk Health Unit (HNHU) said they are continuing to work with Anson Place staff to contain the outbreak: “As part of the Health Unit’s public health management plan, residents are in self-isolation in their rooms, and staff are wearing full personal protective equipment (PPE) to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. All staff who are caring for residents at Anson Place are in self-isolation, with the exception that they may travel to and from work at the facility.”

Lisa Roth, Executive Director of Anson Place, added that the resident self-isolation includes meal times, that staff check all residents for symptoms twice a day, and that they have enhanced cleaning and sanitization protocols: “From the beginning, we have worked closely with a number of hard-working employees from Public Health, the Ministries of Health and Long-Term Care, the Ministry of Labour, and the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority. Through this close collaboration, we are able to follow all ongoing and new directives to mitigate the outbreak.”

When asked about their supply of PPE, Roth said that they “continue to have the appropriate PPE supplies needed”. When asked about the staff shortage, Roth noted that they have “supplemented (their) workforce by recruiting additional direct care and cleaning staff”.

Nesathurai said in an interview on April 14 that he had been told that morning of eight additional staff being hired at the home, and that he believes the home is “doing a number of things to manage this outbreak as effectively as they can.”

Nesathurai added that he understands why staff “might be struggling” with the current situation as staff are seeing a drastic increase in the number of resident deaths.

“People who work at long-term care and retirement homes are closely aligned and connected with the people they serve. They’re family in a way…. It’s difficult. I think they’re doing everything they can to manage. The people who currently work there are doing a yeoman’s job to provide those services,” said Nesathurai, noting that residents are typically choosing to remain at Anson Place for their treatment and potential end-of-life care because “that’s their preference”. He said that supplemental oxygen is available at the home, and if someone wanted “more assertive measures”, such as a ventilator, they would be transferred to a hospital.

“If they don’t want those measures, it’s best to keep them at the long-term care home because transferring someone to an emergency department to spend the last few hours of their life isn’t compassionate, and it increases the chance of transmission,” said Nesathurai. When asked if healthy residents could be withdrawn by family, he noted they “don’t typically allow people to be discharged” in an outbreak because there is a low risk of them getting sick now with the new measures in place, and even those who test negative could be a risk to their family and the broader community if they were to leave.

“Anson Place is one of many homes in the province who unfortunately has a COVID-19 outbreak. We will continue to work with the Medical Officer of Health and public health representatives as the safety of our residents and staff is our top priority,” said Roth. “I can’t say it enough, but myself and the Anson Place Team are deeply thankful for all the support and kind words we have received from families of residents and the community as a whole. Hearing from you has kept us strong as we work together to get through this difficult time.”

While the number of confirmed cases at Anson Place had risen before press time as test results continued to roll in, Nesathurai said April 14 that they “didn’t have a new case in the last two days. That’s a positive sign there aren’t a new group of people getting sick, which suggests the measures put in place are taking effect”. However, Nesathurai did caution that he does expect more deaths in the home from those already infected, as “some will recover and some will succumb”.

Edgewater Gardens in Dunnville reported April 14 that two residents were awaiting test results. The two residents had experienced “elevated temperatures and no other COVID-19 symptoms”, said a press release. Haldimand War Memorial Hospital Interim President and CEO Sharon Moore said that the Edgewater team is hopeful the results will be negative.

When asked about testing, Nesathurai noted that testing criteria has changed and they are actively working to continue expanding testing: “There’s more testing supplies now than there was two weeks ago.”

Haldimand and Norfolk each have one testing site, which is by appointment only to reduce chances of exposure.

On whether or not the region is seeing the “curve” (rate of infection) flatten, Nesathurai said, “I think we’re still going to see more cases. I don’t think we have sufficient data to suggest the curve is flattening. It may be true, but I couldn’t say so yet. I think what’s most important now is to continue to effectuate social distancing measures. I am optimistic we are making an impact, but we need more sufficient data to make that conclusion.”

Nesathurai emphasized the importance of continuing with preventative measures in order to “break the chain of transmission”, including through social distancing of all residents and self-isolation for those at risk.

“If you’re sick, call your doctor. They can screen you, and if needed they can refer you on to the health unit,” said Nesathurai. “If you don’t need to leave the house, then don’t leave the house. And this is the most important thing I think – don’t visit your elderly family…. If they need groceries or other supplies, deliver it to their porch, but don’t visit with them.”

 

Updates

April 16, 2020

From Anson Place Executive Director Lisa Roth:

Since our last update, the total number of COVID-19 related deaths at Anson Place Care Centre remains at 19. Confirmed COVID-19 positive cases also continue to remain the same at 70 residents, with 49 from our long-term care residence and 21 from our retirement residence.

Haldimand Numbers Total

Lab-confirmed, negative cases: 553

Lab-confirmed, positive cases:  152

Recovered: 16

Deaths:  22

 

April 17, 2020

Haldimand War Memorial Hospital has announced that all five residents of Edgewater Gardens that were tested for COVID-19 have come back negative.