SEYMOUR — The Shady Knoll Health Center, a nursing home on Skokorat Street, was cited April 29 for allegedly failing to keep a resident with the COVID-19 virus isolated from another resident, according to a report released by the state Wednesday.
The nursing home also failed to follow policies related to the extended use of personal protective equipment, according to an inspection report prepared by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The two infection control deficiencies were found April 29 during an inspection carried out in connection to the COVID-19 breakout that has contributed to the death of 134 long-term care residents in the lower Naugatuck Valley (Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Naugatuck, Seymour and Shelton).
According to the Shady Knoll inspection report, a resident tested positive for COVID-19 April 23, but was placed in a semi-private room with two other residents.
“The facility failed to ensure that residents with indentified COVID-19 were not co-horting with non COVID-19 resident,” the report states. “Although a facility policy for co-horting residents with COVID-19 was requested, none was provided.”
The report includes a plan of correction from Shady Knoll. The document notes the corrective plan “does not constitute that the alleged deficiency did in fact exist.”
Shady Knoll noted a resident who tested positive (referred to in the report as “resident #1”) is considered “COVID-19 recovered.” A second resident mentioned in the inspection report never exhibited COVID-19 symptoms.
The facility also planned to educate staff on “appropriate co-horting,” according to the report.
The inspection report also indicates staff were not following the preferred protocols regarding the wearing of Hazmat suits and Johnny coats on a unit housing quarantined Shady Knoll residents. The facility said staff would be trained on the proper use of personal protective equipment and Hazmat suits.
The Valley Indy emailed Shady Knoll’s owner for comment.
As of May 14, 1,319 people in the lower Naugatuck Valley had tested positive for COVID-19. Shelton has experienced the most cases, with 471.
According to the Naugatuck Valley Health District, 146 people have died. There are an additional 28 deaths listed as COVID-19 “probable.”
Though nursing home residents (and/or people living in similar places) comprise just 26 percent of all local cases, they comprise 90 percent of the Valley’s COVID-19 associated deaths (134 of 146 deaths).
Early in the pandemic, the union representing nursing home staffers across the state complained workers were not given proper equipment to protect themselves and residents from COVID-19.
Click here for an opinion piece from a former nursing home administrator theorizing why nursing homes are getting hit so hard.
The state releases weekly data on COVID-19 infections in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
The data as of May 13 shows:
Naugatuck
Beacon Brook Health Center
126 beds
97 lab confirmed COVID cases
6 lab confirmed COVID associated deaths
0 probable COVID deaths
Glendale Center
120 beds
33 lab confirmed
4 deaths
0 probable
Seymour
Shady Knoll
128 beds
84 lab confirmed
29 deaths
6 probable
Shelton
Apple Rehab Shelton Lakes
106 beds
49 lab confirmed
17 deaths
3 probable
Bishop-Wicke Health and Rehabilitation
120 beds
30 lab confirmed
16 deaths
15 probable
Gardner Heights Health Care Center
130 beds
50 lab confirmed
21 deaths
4 probable
Hewitt Health & Rehabilitation Center
120 beds
54 lab confirmed
18 deaths
3 probable
