CareOne at New Bedford statement for Boston 25 News, May 11, 2020
For more than 20 years, CareOne has mourned every loss of a resident or patient.
These are real people who become a part of our family. The insidious onset of the
coronavirus pandemic this spring has only deepened the abiding sense of respect and
love we feel.
Long-term care facilities treat the most fragile and compromised members of our
society. Most have been hospitalized prior to arriving in nursing homes and all are in
need of skilled care. These patients and residents are more susceptible to infection and
transmissible disease. Our Weymouth staff is trained to care for the most vulnerable
members of our community. These dedicated workers take deep pride in always doing
their best to care for residents and treat them as their families would.
Federal HIPPA and Massachusetts’ patient privacy laws prevent us from commenting
about the specifics of any patient’s care. Like every long-term care facility in
Massachusetts, CareOne at Weymouth was confronted with a wave of COVID-19 cases
in mid-April that followed an order from Governor Baker for widespread testing of
residents. Previously, testing was limited to people who displayed classic coronavirus
symptoms, such as an elevated temperature and sustained cough. Newly-identified
positive cases included a significant number of so-called ‘stealth cases’ of residents who
are asymptomatic.
Every CareOne facility in Massachusetts has strictly followed COVID-19 guidelines
issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Protection – and exceeded CDC
recommendations wherever possible. We continue to listen and learn so that we may
improve patient outcomes. This effort included gathering an elaborate set of data from
CareOne centers in New Jersey who gained invaluable experience battling COVID-19
as early as mid-March. That information was used to develop a COVID-Capable℠ care
protocol for evaluating and managing known or suspected coronavirus patients.
Our regimen includes frequent respiratory assessments, daily respiratory treatments,
and rigorous, focused nursing assessments for every COVID-positive patient. Additional
steps include standard hydration procedures (including IV fluids as indicated), baseline
and follow-up EKGs for all patients, and focused restorative eating when symptoms
such as cough, nausea and lethargy are present. In some areas, CareOne has installed
negative pressure systems and HEPA filters, which reduce the possibility of viral
transmission via HVAC systems, to ensure that our facilities can capably treat COVID19 positive patients.
Above all, our caregivers do everything they can for patients infected with the
coronavirus. They hold hands and offer personal comfort, sometimes in a patient’s final
hours. They do their best with what they have, every day, to save as many lives as
possible. They do so while working in an environment where social distancing is not
possible. Every long-term care resident and patient requires hands-on care and
treatment around the clock. Constant physical contact between staff and residents

 includes bathing, feeding, dressing, physical therapy and administration of medicine.
Personal protective equipment is available and used by our employees, but it is not
infallible.
The caregivers and staff in Weymouth continue to courageously confront a terrible
pandemic. They do an incredible job and deserve nothing less than our deepest
admiration and appreciation.
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