U.S. Senator Brian Schatz has  announced that 39 nursing homes across Hawai‘i will receive nearly $40 million in new federal funding to stay operational during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new federal funds will cover lost revenue at nursing homes and additional expenses attributable to the coronavirus, including staffing, testing, treating patients, and purchasing personal protective equipment (PPE).

“Residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities are some of the most vulnerable to COVID-19, so we need to make sure we are doing all we can to protect them,” said Senator Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. “This new federal funding will give Hawai‘i nursing homes additional resources to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in these facilities and keep residents and workers safe.”

Certified skilled nursing facilities with six or more certified beds are eligible for this funding. Each facility will receive $50,000 plus $2,500 per bed. The new funding is part of the $175 billion Provider Relief Fund provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act.

On May 16, Schatz called on Hawai‘i Governor David Ige to take additional steps to protect Hawai‘i residents living in long-term care facilities.  Schatz’s staff was unable to detail which nursing homes will get the funding, saying it was the Department of Health and Human Services which is deciding which care homes.

State Director of Health Bruce Anderson said there are 4 staff members at senior living facilities who have tested positive for COVID-19, and there was one nursing home patient on Maui who tested positive.  But other than that, he said there are no known cases of COVID-19 in care homes.  A family member of the O’ahu assisted living facility Kalakaua Gardens said because of the two infected staff members, all residents and other employees were getting tested.  Anderson says the infection rate at Hawaii’s senior living facilities is the lowest in the nation.

Photo is Life Care Center of Kona.  It’s not known whether Life Care will be among the nursing homes getting federal funds.