Law

NYC Nursing Homes Devastated by Coronavirus

As the COVID-19 pandemic has ripped through New York, most people now know someone who has been affected. Yet no population is more vulnerable than local nursing home residents. Recent media reports have painted a grim picture of the conditions inside these facilities — and the terrible cost in human lives that has resulted.

NYC Nursing Homes Running Out of Space for the Deceased

The New York Post recently reported that more than 90 residents of two Brooklyn nursing homes had died during the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of deaths has risen so quickly that these homes are running out of space for the deceased.

A nurse at one of the facilities told the Post that the situation was dire:

“These places don’t have morgues,” a nurse said while leaving the Chateau at Brooklyn Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Sheepshead Bay said Monday.

“They were putting them downstairs but now a lot of them are being left in their rooms. What else can you do right now?”

The Post discovered the scope of the problem after interviewing two nurses on-scene. The report came against the backdrop of some equally troubling numbers from the city’s Department of Health: As of Wednesday, April 15, there have been nearly 2,700 nursing home deaths in NYC associated with the COVID-19 virus. That’s an increase of more than 1,000 in seven days.

The New York Times reported that more than a dozen NYC nursing homes have had at least 25 COVID-19 deaths.

An Acutely At-Risk Population

The Post reported that local officials had been hearing anecdotal reports about ambulances coming to and from local nursing homes with alarming frequency.

City Councilman Mark Treyger (D-Brooklyn), whose district lies near the 271-bed King David Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Gravesend, said “No one from the city or state has been able to confirm virus cases but clearly something is going on.”

Nursing home residents are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 outbreaks given that old age — and many of the common ailments that accompany growing old — are key drivers of COVID-19 mortality rates.

Additionally, living in close quarters with minimal quarantining opportunities also makes nursing homes a breeding ground for the illness.

Are Nursing Homes Doing Enough?

At a press conference last week, Governor Andrew Cuomo said that local nursing homes were dealing with “hellacious situations.”

The New York Times reported that these situations included “multiple health crises, staff shortages, a lack of protective masks and gowns.”

With the virus tearing through NYC, it is more important than ever for nursing homes to protect their workers and residents. Elder abuse or neglect that may cause mere injury in normal times can be deadly during a pandemic. Nursing home operators must be extra vigilant to maintain the safest-possible environment — and be held accountable for their actions should they fail.

Finding the Right Nursing Home Neglect Attorney

At the Frankel Law Firm , we have been the legal voice for our clients for more than four decades — and we will continue to be your advocates both during and after this pandemic.

If you need assistance with a nursing home neglect or elder abuse case, please feel free to call at (212) 888-5100 or contact us at www.frankellawfirm.com  for a free consultation. All plaintiff personal accepted injury cases are on a contingency basis – which means that you have the option of no costs and no attorneys fee whatsoever unless there is a recovery.

We welcome your legal questions for topically relevant articles in the future. Feel free to compose a question – it may be addressed in future articles. Email Question

Free Case Evaluation

Fill Out The Form Below To Find Out If You Have A Case.

    Thank you for contacting us. One of our colleagues will get back to you shortly.

    Fill out the form below to find out if you have a case.