Seven COVID deaths this month at Good Sam’s South Ridge Village

By KENDALL KING, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on October 28, 2021.

kking@medicinehatnews.com

Medicine Hat’s Good Samaritan South Ridge Village reported last Friday that since the beginning of October, seven residents within the facility have died as a result of COVID-19.

South Ridge Village is one of eight Good Samaritan properties throughout the province currently being impacted by COVID-19 outbreaks. Among the eight properties, South Ridge Village is reporting the highest number of active cases among residents and employees, as well as employee recovery rates and resident deaths as a result of COVID.

The Good Samaritan Society, a Canadian non-profit charity which operates South Ridge Village and other Good Samaritan properties, offers a variety of information regarding the spread of COVID in its facilities. In one publication, Good Samaritan encourages residents, family members and health-care providers to be aware of the possible risk of infection and have a plan in place regarding care wishes.

A separate publication aimed to inform about COVID-19 in long-term care settings reads, “For older adults in a nursing home, the risk of dying from COVID-19 is high – up to 30%. If the person is not doing better with extra oxygen, the chance they will survive is much lower.

For those who may survive, their overall health status will likely be much worse after the infection. While some treatments may help, they often come with significant side effects which often outweigh the benefits.”

Long-term care and supportive living facilities have been some of the hardest hit throughout the pandemic. The Government of Alberta is currently counting six seniors facilities with active outbreaks in Medicine Hat. The South Zone, which includes Lethbridge, Bow Island and any other settlement south of Calgary, has 16 active outbreaks in seniors facilities.

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