Mervyn Taylor, Executive Director of Sage Advocacy, warns of the dangerous situation developing in nursing homes March 29, 2020
Dozens of elderly in care homes test positive
Independent.ie, Wayne O'Connor, 29th March 2020
Dozens of nursing home residents have tested positive for coronavirus, as the sector worries about "grave consequences" that staff shortages and limited supply of protective equipment will have on elderly people.
Health watchdog Hiqa has been told of staffing challenges at one nursing home, where staff presented for work with Covid-19 symptoms because nobody else was available to provide care.
In a complaint to Hiqa, a healthcare worker at the home claimed there were also limited supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE), such as face masks, goggles and gowns, for staff to use.
Sage Advocacy, a group supporting vulnerable adults, warned "the consequences of understaffed nursing homes facing outbreaks of Covid-19 are grave".
