Resident's Daughter Shares Concerns As Cherry Creek Nursing Center In Aurora Reports Deaths From Coronavirus
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4)- People living in long-term care facilities and nursing homes are dying at alarming rates. There are 68 outbreaks at facilities in at least 11 Colorado counties. A total of 19 people have died recently at the Cherry Creek Nursing Center in Aurora; so far 11 of them are confirmed COVID-19 cases. That number could change as further tests are completed.
On Sunday, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment released new numbers of coronavirus cases for the state, with 68 different outbreaks at residential and non-hospital health care facilities.
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Erika Bridges usually visits her mother where she lives, the Cherry Creek Nursing Center.
"I'm there four to five times a week," she says.
That is until recently. Of 159 residents at least 11 have died of the disease. Her mom hasn't been let out of her room in a month.
"Some days she's more concerned about me and so she doesn't want me to worry. Some days she can't take it, she says she feels like she's in prison," says Erika.
Erika is nervous that her mom may not be getting the care she needs, "It terrifies me only because a lot of nursing homes are short staffed."
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She wants reassurance that her mom is OK, but the facility is closed to visitors and she says she hasn't been getting frequent updates, "As of last week, I got one call maybe two weeks ago."
She would also like her mom to be tested for COVID-19, because if her mom isn't sick she would like to take her home but she says the center won't do it.
"I was told from the beginning they weren't testing patients unless they showed symptoms," says Erika.
Spokesperson Joe Gimenez says Cherry Creek Nursing Center is trying to update the families of their residents at least every other day. He also says in general that Cherry Creek Nursing Center is carefully monitoring residents showing even the mildest possible symptom.
For Erika that isn't enough. She is worried about her mom and wants the facility communicate more.
"We need to talk to someone we are losing it just as our parents and our spouses and our siblings are," Erika says.
