Long-term care providers testify on PPE shortages, rural difficulties amid COVID-19

Albany, N.Y. - Members of the New York Legislature took part in another day of hearings Monday, addressing the impact of COVID-19 on nursing homes, assisted living facilities and group homes in the state.

Assembly members and state senators heard testimony Monday morning from long-term care providers who said, even before COVID-19, care facilities were facing issues like staffing shortages and financial burdens.

The pandemic, they say, worsened these issues. In addition, PPE and testing limitations created additional problems, especially for rural counties.

“When members were told, if they needed PPE, to call their local emergency management office, many times you couldn’t get through,” said Jim Clyne, CEO of Leading Age NY. “You might go days without being able to get in touch with your office of emergency management, and if you didn’t get through, then you didn’t get any PPE.”

Clyne said facilities could use, on average, 12 million pieces of PPE per week.

Along with the location of the facility, Steven Hanse of the New York State Health Facilities Association said asymptomatic spread and amounts of testing are crucial to understanding the future impact of the virus. He also suggested long-term care facilities should be given the same priority as hospitals.

“The CDC guidelines did not prioritize long-term care,” he said. “The CDC guidelines set forth three levels of priority. Level one was front line staff with symptoms. Level two is long-term care residents with symptoms. And the lowest level, level three, were long-term care staff without symptoms. In most all instances in March, April, May, only tier one individuals had access to tests, and that was not uniform across the board. There were significant shortages, and those continued into June and the current time period.”

Last week, New York State Health Commissioner, Dr. Howard Zucker, took part in virtual hearings. He was not present for Monday’s hearings. Some lawmakers criticized state leaders for not being present at Monday’s hearings.

The State Department of Health said there were more than 6,000 presumed or confirmed deaths tied to COVID-19 in New York.

According to the New York State Health Facilities Association, 47% of nursing homes in the state have spent more money than they are taking in amid the pandemic.