Two Care Homes In Sandy Springs Report Coronavirus Cases, 1 Death

SANDY SPRINGS, GA — Two Sandy Springs personal care homes have reported either sick staff members or a resident who died from the coronavirus, the Georgia Department of Public Health said in a report released Friday.

The report includes COVID-19 activity for all licensed nursing homes, all licensed assisted living communities, and licensed personal care homes of 25 beds or more.

Sandy Springs Health and Rehabilitation, 1500 S. Johnson Ferry Rd., reported six residents and six staff members have become ill, with one resident dying from the coronavirus. The other 91 residents have not been affected as of Friday.

"Ensuring residents and staff have protection to keep them safe during this pandemic is of utmost importance to us," the company said in a recent release. "We are doing everything in our power to protect our residents and staff. This includes providing appropriate PPE. We are working diligently to take heightened precautions and to adhere to protocols outlined by the Center for Disease Control. We are also working closely with our local health department to prevent exposure and to protect all our residents and staff at client Centers. We are also in regular contact with our suppliers and vendors, as well as our pharmacy providers to ensure the centers have access to the equipment, supplies and medications necessary to maintain care for our residents and patients."

Sandy Springs Memory Care, 1262 Hightower Trail, reported one staff member has become ill, but none of the 52 residents are ill as of Friday.

Enlivant operates 230 senior living communities across 26 states, including this one in Sandy Springs.

"Enlivant’s first priority is continuing to keep our existing residents and employees safe, healthy and happy, as we have done for nearly 40 years now," said CEO Jack R. Callison. "I am so proud of our 7,500+ dedicated and compassionate employees who have risen to the occasion to do just that over the past several weeks. To each of you, I thank you very sincerely. It’s not lost on me that for so many of you, your role with Enlivant is so much more than just a job; it’s also a passion, a mission and a life calling. Your actions over the past several weeks have reminded me of that time and time again."

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As of Monday at noon, 2,174 cases of COVID-19 and 78 deaths total were reported in Fulton County by the Georgia Department of Health.

Nursing homes and long-term care facilities have been hit especially hard — with 250 deaths out of 689 total as of Friday across Georgia, such facilities account for more than a third of the state's deaths. Older people and those with chronic underlying conditions are especially vulnerable to the coronavirus.

The Department of Public Health released responses to commonly asked questions:

Where can I find COVID-19 information on a facility type not included in this report?

If you are seeking COVID-19 information for a facility type not included in this listing, contact the facility itself or the Department of Public Health. Facilities are required to report outbreaks to the Georgia Department of Public Health, so it is possible that the Department of Public Health may have responsive information.
Why is the Georgia Department of Community Health releasing this report now?

Surveyors within the Healthcare Facility Regulation Division of the Department of Public Health have been contacting long-term care facilities for several weeks to provide monitoring and oversight support as part of the state's response to the COVID-19 public health crisis. The information collected by the Healthcare Facility Regulation Division surveyors is being used by the Georgia National Guard and state agencies to assist in planning, strategy and intervention measures. On April 13, the Georgia National Guard launched a new platform to enhance the data collection process for the Healthcare Facility Regulation Division's survey teams. The Healthcare Facility Regulation Division's Long-Term Care Facility COVID-19 Report is generated from this new database platform and is being released as a public service to aid transparency. The Healthcare Facility Regulation Division report replaces the previous report posted by the governor's office which contained similar information.

What is the department doing to address the outbreak in long-term care facilities?

The Department of Public Health and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency are leading the state's response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The Department of Public Health is assisting Department of Public Health and the Georgia Emergency Management Agency in a variety of ways to address the outbreak of COVID-19 in long-term care facilities. For more information on the state's response efforts, refer to the executive order issued by Governor Kemp on April 8, as well as other information released by the governor's office.

Is the Healthcare Facility Regulation Division continuing to conduct surveys or inspections of facilities?

The Healthcare Facility Regulation Division has conducted some onsite surveys, but those surveys are coordinated with the Department of Public Health and the National Guard in order to minimize potential exposure of patients and residents to the virus and to conserve the supply of Personal Protective Equipment for health care workers and first responders. The Healthcare Facility Regulation Division created a desk review tool based on a COVID-19 survey process developed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and has used the tool to review critical infection control protocols with health care facilities throughout the state. The Healthcare Facility Regulation Division continues to conduct complaint investigations related to infection control issues or immediate jeopardy situations but has suspended routine survey activity in accordance with direction issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.