Southern Oaks Has The Most COVID-19 Nursing Home Residents In The State. Here Are The Numbers For All Escambia Long-Term Facilties.

April 28, 2020

One Escambia County nursing home has the most COVID-19 positive patients of any long-term care facility in the entire state, according to the Florida Department of Health. In fact, they have nearly twice as many infected residents as any other in Florida.

Southern Oaks Care Center has 87 COVID-19 infected residents, plus five positive patients that were transferred out for treatment, and 15 staff members that have tested positive, the FDOH said. The next closest number in Florida is North Dade Nursing and Rehabilitation Center with 45 residents.

According to the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration, Southern Oaks is licensed for a total capacity of 210 residents.

The next highest number of long-term care cases in Escambia County is dramatically lower at Rosewood Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center with six positive resident cases, two residents who have transferred out, and one staff member testing positive.

Eight nursing home patients in Escambia County have died, but the FDOH has not identified where they were residents.

Pictured: Southern Oaks Care Center on West Gregory Street.  Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

8 Responses to “Southern Oaks Has The Most COVID-19 Nursing Home Residents In The State. Here Are The Numbers For All Escambia Long-Term Facilties.”

  1. Jesse Wallace on September 26th, 2021 10:02 pm

    i found out my lifelong friend was at southern oaks at 8 pm..i called and called
    they called me back,the staff went out of thier way to transfer,and take my bedridden friend the phone! we talked for hour or better, he says most of staff incredible, place is clean,food is hospital or jailhouse quality..but he is never hungry or abused.
    I thank them for thier effort…9/26/2021

  2. James on April 29th, 2020 8:22 am

    @Gwen
    It’s misleading and irresponsible for a healthcare provider as you claim to be to state “mask and gloves are just a small barrier.” Each barrier that can be implemented results in less risk. “Just” mask and gloves is better than no mask and gloves, which is what @Lee has experienced at some stores. And then to attempt to shame @Lee in your closing for possibly not having full PPE when the tone appears that you indeed do have full PPE is pompous and degrading.

  3. Lee on April 28th, 2020 8:22 pm

    @Gwen – I meant that many store clerks/customer service people aren’t wearing masks or gloves. I wasn’t referring to nurses. My point was about points of entry for the virus. Many seem to think we can create a vacuum and just keep the virus out. It seems there have been lots of comments about nursing homes that put them all in a bad light. And I know some have had problems, but there are many good ones that uphold high standards and are the saving grace of many families.

  4. Gwen on April 28th, 2020 3:36 pm

    I would like to address Lee’s comments about staff. As a nurse (not in Escambia county) I take every precaution possible to not bring the virus home to my family or to my job. We like everyone else have to eat and handle other day to day situations. Please do not group all medical staff under “these staff members are seen at stores with no masks or gloves, we are a danger to others.” Also, the deliveries are absolute NECCESSITY only. We take our temps coming and going to help protect our residents and fellow coworkers. We take great caution in who and what comes into our facility. We do not have vending machine vendors coming in, we do not have families and friends visiting. It is basically food and medication deliveries that we allow and pretty much it’s done at the door instead of inside the building. As for the tests, you are correct it is only as good as the next person you are around. Do you not need to eat or replenish staple items? Of course you do, we all do, so therefore you are also a part of the “danger to others.” A mask and gloves are just a small barrier but to fully protect it takes full PPE do you have yours?

  5. Lee on April 28th, 2020 12:45 pm

    @fisherman – These facilities still have deliveries of goods and services, and workers IN the facilities don’t stay at work 24/7. All those people are in contact with others, whether it’s at home, going to the store, getting gas, etc. They could test negative one afternoon, and test positive the next morning. That’s the whole reason for closing down as many points of contact as possible, especially since testing remains limited. Instead, we’re still seeing employees at local stores, etc., with no masks, gloves, etc. Their workers may never become ill, but can be passing it on to others, so do those businesses just not care about the safety of their customers? There are still many folks who seem to think if they can’t see the virus, it must not exist. The first ideas about germ theory were considered as early as the Middle Ages, but it took centuries to convince people that they could stop contamination simply by washing their hands. Even with the extensive information available to us today, there are skeptics. Sadly, they are a danger to everyone else and don’t seem to care.

  6. nursinghomenurse on April 28th, 2020 12:36 pm

    I am sorry that fisherman has had a bad nursing home experience. I have witnessed that AHCA and the DOH are visiting nursing homes in the area to ensure that proper infection control standards are being met. Nursing homes are required to meet minimum staffing requirements if that means that nurses do the jobs of CNAs. Nursing homes are tough places to work and state/federal requirements ensure that residents are being taken care of appropriately. The virus is just that, a virus and that means extremely difficult if not impossible to contain. Remember that all who test positive are not necessarily “sick”. Southern Oaks had a large number test positive but few have required hospitalization. I commend their staff for the efforts made to control and treat the virus. Nursing home staff have to go to work and attempt to keep sickness from themselves, residents and their own family members. We are doing the best that we can so please allow us to take care of the residents and love them as if they are our own family.

  7. Me on April 28th, 2020 10:29 am

    I understand your concern fisherman, it’s warranted. I’m in and out of these nursing homes daily and I wouldn’t send even my worst enemy to the vast majority of them. However they cannot allow family to enter the building due to fear of exposure. Family members that are exposed could exponentially spread the virus to the surrounding community.

  8. fisherman on April 28th, 2020 9:11 am

    I can’t imagine what’s going on in these facilities since family/friends can’t visit anymore.I have reported numerous Pensacola facilities in the past for what I thought was bad care.I had family in a couple of them and had to move them for improper care.I know they are short staffed but if they aren’t going to clean the patients at least let the family and friends come in and do it. One facility had one staff to take care of 25 patients when two people called in sick or something.