KIRKLAND, Wash. — In Washington, at least 22 of the 31 coronavirus-related deaths are linked to Life Care Center, a nursing home facility in Kirkland.
Families of quarantined patients voiced frustration at Thursday's press conference.
Days earlier, families were only able to see their loved ones through a window.
Chuck Sedlacek has been a resident at Life Care Center since before the outbreak. Lately, his family fears the worst.
“He wasn’t as coherent as he was in the past, he is in a lot of pain,” said his son-in law, Clancy Devery. “We believe he’s going to probably die here.”
During the press conference, families voiced their concern about getting family members out. Life Care Center spokesman Tim Killian said that has always been possible.
“Families have always had the option to take the patient or family member out of the facility if there was a better place for them. We recognize that is a difficult decision for families to make who are not prepared, who do not have the medical facilities,” Killian said.
Sedlacek’s family is not able to bring him home. They cannot provide the specialized care needed to treat his brain injury.
“He’s not sick enough to go to a hospital and there’s no care facility that will take him, thanks to the handling care of COVID-19 at this facility,” said Sedlacek’s daughter, Siri Sedlacek.
Following CDC guidelines, Life Care Center said they are doing the best they can to care for patients.
Families can’t help but feel that time is running out.
“What are our options, how do we bust him out of here, literally? And we’re close, that’s our goal, how do we get him out of here?” said Siri.