Coronavirus Has Killed Thousands At MA Nursing Homes: DPH Data

Neal McNamara
Updated ·3 min read

WORCESTER, MA — The severe toll the coronavirus pandemic has taken on nursing homes in Massachusetts came into focus Wednesday when the state Department of Public Health released data on deaths at more than 300 senior care facilities across the state.

More than 4,041 of the state's 6,547 COVID-19 deaths are linked to nursing homes. But more than half of the nursing home deaths — 2,350 — have occurred at just 84 facilities that have seen more than 20 deaths each, according to the data. More than 800 people died at just the top 20 hardest-hit facilities alone.

Before Wednesday, state health officials had only released rough estimates of test results for residents and staff at senior care facilities. Reports of high death tolls — like at that the Soldiers Home in Holyoke — were coming out individually, either in the media or reported by municipal officials.

Some of the facilities with the highest concentrations of deaths are in poorer cities like Chelsea, Brockton, Worcester and Lawrence, which are already seeing some of the highest coronavirus infection rates in the state. But the pain was spread out from the Berkshires to Braintree. A total of 115 facilities have seen between 10 and 20 deaths, and 95 had between one and 10 deaths.

Just 33 of the 319 facilities tracked by the state had zero coronavirus deaths, according to the data.

Many of the homes with the highest number of deaths scored poorly in a state audit measuring infection control. Four of the top 10 nursing homes for deaths — Courtyard Nursing Center, Belmont Manor, Baypointe Rehab and Eastpointe Rehabilitation — were determined to be "not in adherence" with infection control guidelines created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and DPH.

However, a vast majority of the nursing homes did meet state standards to receive funding for infection control. The state made about $130 million available for that effort. To qualify, nursing homes had to test 90 percent of all residents and staff between April 8 and May 25. The Revolution at Charwell facility had 22 deaths, but only tested 66 percent of residents in the state's window, according to the data.

Here are the nursing homes in Massachusetts where more than 30 people have died of complications due to coronavirus, according to DPH:

  • Julian J Levitt Family Nursing Home, Longmeadow — 66

  • MI Nursing and Restorative Center, Lawrence — 64

  • Courtyard Nursing Care Center, Medford — 60

  • Belmont Manor Nursing Home, Belmont — 55

  • Katzman Family Center For Living, Chelsea — 52

  • Eastpointe Rehabilitation, Chelsea — 47

  • Jeffrey and Susan Brudnick Center for Living, Peabody — 45

  • Quincy Health & Rehabilitation Center — 42

  • Baypointe Rehab Center Plymouth, Brockton — 39

  • Alliance Health at West Acres Plymouth, Brockton — 36

  • CareOne at Randolph — 36

  • Life Care Center of Raynham — 35

  • CareOne at Essex Park, Beverly — 31

  • CareOne at Wilmington — 31

  • Advinia Care at Wilmington — 30

  • Beaumont Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center, Westborough — 30

  • Palm Skilled Nursing Center, Chelmsford — 30

  • St. Joseph's Manor Plymouth, Brockton — 30

  • St. Mary Health Care Center, Worcester — 30

The coronavirus pandemic is taking an outsized toll on the senior population in Massachusetts. According to the state's latest figures, the average age of deaths is 82, and people over age 70 account for 5,564 of the state's deaths.

This article originally appeared on the Worcester Patch