Last week the Courier reported on the spike of COVID-19 cases at Magnolia Manor Midway. After going to press Magnolia Manor’s Home Office in Americus issued their weekly COVID-19 report dated Aug. 26.
In that report Magnolia Manor President and CEO Mark R. Todd reported that, “Although our Midway campus has been hit hard, they now report twenty-eight residents have recovered and tested negative. We also anticipate that a number of others who have remained asymptomatic will be added to this list in the next few days as they pass the ten-day window without showing symptoms.”
According to the Georgia Department of Health’s Aug. 31, COVID report for assisted living facilities, the Midway facility has 72 positive test results for COVID of the 72 residents tested, with 10 deaths and 56 recoveries from the virus since testing reports began. Fifteen staff members have tested positive since testing reporting started as well.
Todd said they are continuing to learn new ways to help Midway and their other campuses.
In his Aug. 26, report he said when Magnolia Manor acquired the Midway campus, nine months ago, they immediately addressed several issues. The facility was formerly operated as Woodlawn Health Care.
“We immediately and systematically began to implement a multi-year plan to bring the entire operation up to Magnolia Manor standards,” he said. “The building needed extensive renovations, so we began spending as much as $4 million to repair the roof and renovate resident living space.”
Todd said when the virus hit, on wing was in the middle of renovations, so they didn’t have the space to create a COVID isolation ward as needed.
“Instead, we contacted other organizations and sent thirteen residents to live there to limit their exposure to the virus,” Todd said. “As it turned out, a number of them had already been exposed even though they were asymptomatic. The fact that a significant number of infected persons across our organization and others like ours don’t show symptoms is a huge reason the virus spreads so quickly.”
Todd added they are doing everything they can to keep their patients and staff safe. He acknowledged some staff had walked out and left their jobs.
“We follow all guidelines from the CDC and CMS as well as state authorities,” he said. “We conduct temperature checks and screening of residents and staff. Despite these measures, some employees, afraid for their own safety and that of their families, didn’t report for duty. We declared a state of emergency and asked for staffing assistance from the state. We also have paid a premium for contract nurses and CNAs to make sure we have adequate staffing, and we instituted hazard pay scales to incentivize employees who have stayed and fought with us.”