Senior citizens do face heightened risks of COVID-19 infection – especially when living in close quarters with other residents. Nursing homes and senior living facilities who fail to observe the minimum duty of care may be held civilly liable for the wrongful death of a loved one. 

If you believe that the negligence of a nursing home or senior living facility caused your loved one to pass away due to COVID-19, our attorneys at The Law Offices of Erica Wilson, LLC. are here to help you through this difficult time. 

In Georgia, at a minimum nursing homes and senior living facilities must provide the following to their residents to qualify for federal funding:

• Nutritious meals 
• Sufficient hydration and fluids
• Infection control procedures
• Personal care and grooming assistance
• Physician and emergency services
• Catheters, IVs, toileting assistance, and feeding tubes as required
• Adequate nursing time 
• Accommodation of individual resident needs
• Nursing home care plans
• Constant or regular supervision for high-risk residents
• Regular activity to avoid pressure sores and other complications

In addition to the basic requirements listed above, nursing homes and senior living facilities must report any cases of COVID-19 within the facility nursing homes must now report the case directly to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within 12 hours of confirmation of a positive test result.  Nursing homes are also required to obey all existing Georgia executive orders and social distancing guidelines, and under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), these facilities may also be legally required to offer sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE) for workers as well.