There is an emergency in the Eben-Ezer old people's center in the Schwalm-Eder district. Corona infections among staff have risen sharply. Relatives of the residents express harsh criticism.
- The corona virus is spreading in northern Hesse , especially the Schwalm-Eder district.
- There is an emergency in the Eben-Ezer old people's center in Gudensberg , half of the staff are infected.
- Relatives of residents extremely harsh criticism of the home.
The Corona emergency in the Eben-Ezer old people's center in Gudensberg in the Schwalm-Eder district has worsened: Four other residents have died, says the director of the facility, Walter Berle.
Last weekend, two residents who also had the virus died. Five of the six people had severe previous illnesses, said Berle. The number of infected residents and employees has risen further. And: There are criticisms from relatives of the residents about the handling of the old people's center with the Corona crisis .
Corona emergency in nursing home: 50 percent of employees are infected
“Currently, 30 of a total of 152 residents are demonstrably infected. An isolation station was set up in the house for this, ”says Berle. In addition to the number of infected residents, the increasing number of employees affected by the coronavirus is also a challenge. According to nursing service manager Marcus Schütz, the nursing staff's sick leave is currently over 50 percent. According to Schütz and Berle, it was still 40 percent on Monday. The failure can no longer be compensated for by one's own efforts.
But there is good news: The calls for help due to the corona crisis of the old people's center in the Schwalm-Eder district were heard. Both regionally and nationally, the first voluntary and urgently needed employees had been won in the past few days. They are happy about that. Newly ill residents would be transferred to hospitals for further care in coordination with the health department . A measure designed to help contain the virus. Berle assures that the employees of the house work tirelessly for the residents.
Because of Corona: emergency in nursing home - relatives express sharp criticism
Some relatives of nursing home residents reported to the HNA * and made allegations : They report that despite their advice, sufficient precautionary measures had not been taken early. Berle emphasizes that extensive precautionary measures had already been taken in mid-March and these had been further strengthened. "With the help of volunteers, good protective equipment, close cooperation with all involved parties and with prayer, we will survive this crisis."
Nevertheless, criticism is raised of the facility's crisis management: Concerned relatives who want to remain anonymous, but have proven to the HNA * that they have relatives there, criticize that the facility did not take adequate security measures early and.
Corona in nursing home in the Schwalm-Eder district: allegations also to the health department
Accordingly, the residents of the old people's center are said to have had their meals alone in their rooms from last Saturday, April 4, on the weekend on which the first two deaths were reported. “My mother is over 90 years old and luckily she doesn't have a corona yet, but she told me on the phone that she had been eating with the other residents until then. That worries me, ”said the daughter of a resident.
She emphasized that she had informed the district's home and also the health department about the communal meal, but there was no response. Some relatives accuse the elderly center in the Schwalm-Eder district and the health department of hesitant action. Other relatives and some Gudensbergers criticize that residents of the old people's center are still shopping in the grocery store opposite.
Corona Schwalm-Eder: Nursing home is under quarantine
Unfortunately, despite the prudent actions of everyone involved, despite the fact that the house was closed to relatives, visitors, suppliers and other guests, despite the increased demarcation of the individual living areas and restrictions on life within the house, the Eben-Ezer free of Corona had failed according to Walter Berle, head of the facility.
In the HNA * conversation, he says that he can understand the relatives' worries and at the same time assures that everything has been done and will continue to be done to contain the virus. "We give everything," said Berle. The house has been under quarantine since Thursday afternoon, April 2. This was communicated to the residents at a last dinner together that day. "We kept the specified distances and explained what that means for the residents."
Corona: Nursing home in Schwalm-der-Kreis heavily affected - there is a curfew
It is not easy to explain to demented people, says Berle. Since then, all residents have been taken care of in their rooms. Visits have been banned since mid-March. “We annoyed relatives because we were much more likely than the state of Hesse to ban visits to care facilities. Not everyone understood that, ”says Berle.
There was also a curfew earlier, 90 percent of the residents would have adhered to it. "The residents are not under age," said Berle. Since the house has been under quarantine, there has been legal control over a curfew. Since then, no residents of the old people's center in the Schwalm-Eder district have been let out. Berle emphasizes that a facility for assisted living belongs to Eben-Ezer. She was not affected by the virus.
Corona in nursing home in the Schwalm-Eder district: compliance with the requirements was required
The district is strongly opposed to the accusation of hesitant action by the health department. The health department responded appropriately and promptly at all times. On April 1, the home management of Eben-Ezer learned that both residents and staff had tested positive for the corona virus. Since then they have kept in touch daily.
The focus was on hygiene measures, visit regulations or an absolute stop to visits, quarantine of the entire old people's center , cohort isolation of the infected residents through clear spatial separation in the facility itself and protective clothing for the staff.
Corona emergency in nursing home: residents are said to have been shopping in the supermarket
After the health office found out on April 3 that residents had still made their own purchases in the neighboring supermarket despite agreements to the contrary, and the visiting regulations had not been observed, the first district representative Jürgen Kaufmann asked the home management to immediately implement the requirements. "A day later, two employees of the health department took a look at the site," says the circle. Compliance with the rules was again requested.
The problem of the lack of protective equipment was also discussed . The health department helped with the procurement. "In the meantime, several hundred mouth and nose protection masks have been brought into the facility." The home and nursing services are solely responsible for the implementation of the rules imposed, particularly in the area of hygiene measures and the control of the visit ban.
By Maja Yüce
The corona virus spreads in northern Hesse. All news in the ticker.
The Schwalm-Eder district is particularly hard hit by the corona crisis, reports hna.de * .
* hna.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network
