Families deserve better info about coronavirus at nursing homes — as does the public
It’s hard to imagine a population more susceptible to the rapid spread and terrible consequences of coronavirus than residents of a nursing home or other long-term care facility: elderly, battling underlying health conditions and largely confined together.
So it’s troubling that a full picture of the health situation in Texas nursing homes isn’t available. Families should be notified immediately if their loved ones are at risk of a COVID-19 outbreak. They may face difficult choices about whether to move a relative. The more information they have, as soon as it’s known, is crucial.
State health regulators are requiring homes to tell families about suspected cases, but it’s not clear that’s happening regularly. They are also under a mandate to report cases to county and state health agencies, a spokeswoman for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission said.
But that’s just a minimum. In the interest of knowing as much as possible about the pandemic and who’s affected, counties and the state should be releasing information about cases and deaths at long-term care facilities. Some counties are (Tarrant is unfortunately not among them), but there’s no reason the full picture shouldn’t be seen.
Families face a tremendously difficult decision about how to ensure the safety of a loved one in a long-term care facility where coronavirus is present. There are logistical challenges, such as how to move a fragile patient. There are financial questions. And families must consider, if they want to bring a relative to their own home, whether they can provide the necessary care.
These are complicated questions, especially with families already strained by the challenges of life at home during the pandemic. And because of restrictions meant to dampen the spread of the virus, few are able to even get access to the facility to see for themselves. The more complete information they can get about the situation at their loved one’s facility, the better they can decide how to proceed.
State officials suggest that if families have trouble getting timely information, they contact a long-term ombudsman, an independent official charged with advocating for residents. Call 800-252-2412 to be connected with one.
The failure to fully inform the public is unfortunately a trend with some government entities during the pandemic. Many hide behind the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, the 1996 law that extended vast privacy protections to patients. It’s become a blanket thrown over basic demographic data when its intent was to prevent disclosure of specific information that might identify a patient.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHey, who writes these editorials?
Editorials are the positions of the Editorial Board, which serves as the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s institutional voice. The members of the board are: Cynthia M. Allen, columnist; Steve Coffman, editor and president; Bud Kennedy, columnist; Ryan J. Rusak, opinion editor; and Nicole Russell, editorial writer and columnist. Most editorials are written by Rusak or Russell. Editorials are unsigned because they represent the board’s consensus positions, not the views of individual writers.
Read more by clicking the arrow in the upper right.
How are topics and positions chosen?
The Editorial Board meets regularly to discuss issues in the news and what points should be made in editorials. We strive to build a consensus to produce the strongest editorials possible, but when we differ, we put matters to a vote.
The board aims to be consistent with stances it has taken in the past but usually engages in a fresh discussion based on new developments and different perspectives.
We focus on local and state news, though we will also weigh in on national issues with an eye toward their impact on Texas or the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
How are these different from news articles or signed columns?
News reporters strive to keep their opinions out of what they write. They have no input on the Editorial Board’s stances. The board consults their reporting and expertise but does its own research for editorials.
Signed columns by writers such as Allen, Kennedy and Rusak contain the writer’s personal opinions.
How can I respond to an editorial, suggest a topic or ask a question?
We invite readers to write letters to be considered for publication. The preferred method is an email to letters@star-telegram.com. To suggest a topic or ask a question, please email Rusak directly at rrusak@star-telegram.com.
Some information has trickled out. After the Texas Tribune raised questions about incomplete data, state officials released some figures about long-term care cases. Tarrant County officials discussed a reported outbreak at an Arlington living center. And Dallas County regularly reports on cases at nursing homes.
Families dealing with a loved one in long-term care have enough to deal with. Don’t keep them in the dark about risks their aging and infirm relatives may face.
This story was originally published April 16, 2020 at 5:03 AM.