OKLAHOMA CITY - After a push to maximize vaccinations rates of nursing home residents as well as continued investments in safety protocols and staff training, data now suggests that nursing homes and long term care (LTC) settings are the safest environments in Oklahoma for vulnerable seniors.
Eighty percent of Oklahoma’s nursing home residents are now fully vaccinated, compared with 38 percent of all eligible Oklahomans, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health’s Weekly Epidemiology Report.
Furthermore, new COVID-19 infections in long-term care (LTC) facilities licensed by the Oklahoma State Department of Health represent less than two percent of all new cases in Oklahoma. From June 12 -June 19 of 2021, there were just 5 new COVID cases among LTC residents, compared with 996 cases statewide, according to data reported by the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH).
“LTC facilities and nursing homes serve the most vulnerable populations when it comes to COVID-19, and we take the responsibility to protect our residents extremely seriously,” said Care Providers Oklahoma President and CEO Steven Buck. “For the last year, our facilities have invested enormous financial resources into providing the safest possible environments for seniors and people with disabilities. Meanwhile, our staff members have worked overtime to ensure they were implementing best practices for the safety and comfort of our residents. Those efforts, combined with an extremely successful vaccination campaign collaboratively led by the state and our facilities, have paid off. It is clear that nursing homes are now the safest places in the state when it comes to the coronavirus.”
Eunice Griffin, a Guthrie resident who recently celebrated her 100th birthday, said she herself made the decision to move to Ash Street Place Assisted Living years ago after recognizing her need for healthcare support. Even during COVID, Eunice felt Ash Street Place was the best place to enjoy the highest quality of life in the safest setting. Today, Ash Street Place has maintained zero active COVID cases and a resident vaccination rate of 100 percent. Here, Eunice has many friends and can safely socialize with other residents knowing that all of them are vaccinated and she is in the best environment possible.
“When it was time, I always knew this would be the place I would land. Ash Street Place is where I belong and this is where I wanted to be,” said Eunice. “The staff here are quality people. They are exceptionally caring and go out of their way to help the residents.”