(Uptown Messenger file photo)
Eight residents of the Lambeth House Retirement Community at the foot of Broadway have confirmed cases of cornonavirus, Lambeth CEO D. Scott Crabtree told state Rep. Aimee Adatto Freeman, District 98, in a letter she emailed to constituents.
Five are hospitalized, and three are in quarantine at the facility, Crabtree said. The patients are reported to be in their 80s and 90s.
Two officials from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been at the site since Thursday to assist in the response, and testing has begun at the facility.
Below is the information supplied by Crabtree at Freeman’s request:
- Lambeth House administrators began educating residents and staff members regarding the potential risks associated with COVID-19, as well as how to protect themselves and their family members prior to any report of possible exposure at the complex. This educational process included a comprehensive “town hall” meeting for residents on Monday evening, March 9th
- The first “confirmed presumed positive” exposure to a resident was reported to Lambeth House by the Center for Disease Controls (CDC) on Tuesday late evening. This individual is a resident of Lambeth House’s Independent Living.
- As of 2 pm March 13th, there are 8 confirmed cases of COVID-19 associated with residents of the Lambeth House independent living complex. Five of those individuals remain hospitalized while the other three are held in quarantine at Lambeth House per CDC requirements.
- Immediately Lambeth House began to implement a series of measures as recommended by the CDC and other health agencies, in addition to Lambeth House’s own policy directives. These included:
- Immediate prohibition of all non-essential visitors
- Restricted interaction between the center’s assisted living and independent living residents
- Cancellation of all off-site group activities and events
- Closure of the Lambeth House café
- Closure of the wellness center
- Lambeth House officials stress that the prohibition against non-essential visitors went into effect two full days before the state imposed similar restrictions on every “licensed healthcare facility” in Louisiana.
- Repeatedly, residents of independent living have been strongly advised and admonished to stay on property all the time to avoid contracting the virus in the community at-large or conveying it to their friends, family and others should they be infected and not realize it.
- On Thursday Lambeth House obtained permission to have Ochsner conduct on-site testing of residents who may have coronavirus-like symptoms. 13 residents of independent living were tested that day. Results are pending. On-site testing is nearly unprecedented. It is important as it expedites the process and allows residents to stay on property instead of further congesting hospitals that are already overtaxed.
- Lambeth House has also obtained permission to have 2 CDC representatives on site to assist in monitoring the response and in making experienced recommendations as necessary. Those CDC officials arrived on Thursday and remain on site.
- All employees and residents who exit the property are subject to a verbal and health screening process before being allowed back in the building.
- Residents receive comprehensive daily updates and health advisories to help keep them informed and better prepare them to be good stewards of their own health.
D. Scott Crabtree
CEO, Lambeth House
