3 Die From Coronavirus At LI Retirement Home In 48 Hours

GREENPORT, NY — Three people in their 90s at Peconic Landing retirement community have died in connection with the new coronavirus, the facility reported Friday, and 12 others tested positive for the virus.

"As Peconic Landing works to combat the spread of COVID-19 on our campus, we sadly report the deaths of three members in connection with this disease over the past 48 hours," a release said.

“Pending approval for the release of information out of respect for loved ones, we report the following at this time," officials said.

Those who died include a woman, 96, who lived at The Shores for Skilled Nursing; she died Wednesday and was diagnosed Thursday as having had COVID-19, officials said.

A second woman, 97, who lived at The Shores for Skilled Nursing, died Thursday, the release said, and a man, 96, of Harbor South for Memory Support, died Thursday in the hospital.

All three members had underlying medical conditions, and two were receiving comfort support at the time of diagnosis, officials said. The three members were residents of the Health Center, where COVID-19 was first detected on campus March 10 in a per-diem employee who had unknowingly been exposed to the virus, Peconic Landing said.

Peconic Landing's Health Center is home to 86 persons residing in four care neighborhoods: 37 in The Shores for Skilled Nursing, 13 in Harbor South for Memory Support, 24 in Harbor North for Assisted Living, and 12 in The Bluffs for Short-Term Rehabilitation.

Twelve members in the Health Center have tested positive for the virus: 10 are in stable condition, one is in the hospital due to COVID 19 symptoms as of Friday morning, and one has been on hospice care since prior to diagnosis, and all are being monitored closely, official said. To date, positive diagnoses have been reported in The Shores for Skilled Nursing and Harbor South for Memory Support; Harbor North for Assisted Living and The Bluffs for Short-Term Rehabilitation are currently unaffected. The COVID-19 virus has not been detected among Peconic Landing's independent living residents, which includes 301 members.

"On behalf of the entire Peconic Landing community, we offer our deepest thoughts and condolences to the families and loved ones these members leave behind," said Carol Hance, chair of Peconic Landing's Board of Trustees. "The detection and spread of COVID-19 on our campus has been unprecedented. Our team has acted swiftly, beginning planning for a possible response in February and implementing these enhanced precautions starting March 2. We will continue to implement and enhance all guidelines offered by officials at county, state and federal levels to secure and provide our members with the best response possible."

The New York State Department of Health has managed oversight and testing of all people at Peconic Landing, determining who meets the criteria for testing. They will continue to manage testing. The Suffolk County Health Department has assisted with quarantine best practices to help manage the containment of the illness on the campus, Peconic Landing said.

Sen. Ken LaValle, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, officials with Stony Brook Hospital, and PBMC Northwell Health have reached out to lend their support to help Peconic Landing to secure necessary resources, with Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital assisting with care as needed,the release said.

"Circumstances are changing day by day, minute by minute. Just yesterday we learned of the nine new cases and the three deaths being associated with the virus. Our focus remains on the health and well-being of our members. We ask you to provide us with the ability to focus our time on our members and the challenges that lie ahead," said Robert J. Syron, president of Peconic Landing. “One of the largest challenges we are facing is securing personal protective equipment, and we have been working on this for days. I am pleased that after speaking with Steve Bellone, our county executive, last evening that he said we have his full support in getting the supplies that we need. We must recognize our team for the dedication they have shown to our members during this challenging time. Our mission has never been more meaningful."

Peconic Landing asked that neighbors and friends do all that they can to support their area seniors
and health care professionals by following the recommendations set forth by the CDC:

• Social distancing and staying home if possible.
• Washing hands for 20 seconds with soap and water.
• Self-isolating if showing any signs or symptoms of COVID-19.
• Seeking medical assistance as necessary.

"We feel it is our duty to communicate first to our members, to their families, and our team members as we work together to face this challenge as a community. We will then communicate updates and details of our response to the greater community. You can find these updates, available to all, prominently featured on the Peconic Landing website," Peconic Landing officials said.

Visitation to the campus remains suspended until further notice. All non-medical visitation continues to be suspended for the health center.

On Thursday, news spread that "several" members of the Peconic Landing retirement community have now tested positive for coronavirus — and the news has some with loved ones living at the facility feeling "unsettled" and concerned.

An update to Peconic Landing's website said that as of Tuesday, "Peconic Landing has been notified by the New York State Health Department that members of our community have tested positive for COVID-19. Affected members are in stable condition at this time."

The New York State Health Department is providing testing for members believed to be in close contact with the confirmed members and precautionary quarantines are being instituted to assist with the containment of the illness on the campus, the update read.

Visitation to the campus remains suspended until further notice, the update added. "We will continue to provide general community updates and assist our members with family connections through Skype calls," Peconic Landing said.

To get more information or to schedule a Skype call with a family member, call the numbers below:
Health Center Members: 631-593-8288
Independent Living Members: 631-593-8210

An update from Peconic Landing emailed to members and sent to Patch by a concerned family member whose parents live at the facility said: "Several more members have tested positive for the coronavirus. We are quarantining those members in place."

A new update was emailed Thursday with the news that new members had been diagnosed.

Family members have been notified, the update read. "We are not aware of any confirmed cases among our independent living members," the update read.

Also, the update, mailed to those living at Peconic Landing Tuesday read, "According to the experts there will be more cases. Because of these confirmed member cases the NYS Dept. of Health will be testing members in the nursing home today. We are asking all members to please stay inside and self-isolate."

According to the concerned resident, who asked not to be identified to protect the privacy of his parents, no information had been released to family members about what floor the new cases had been identified on.

His parents, he said, were not among the confirmed cases and had not been tested for coronavirus.
But, while he said that he has always been very pleased with Peconic Landing's "great" transparency and is happy by new initiatives, such as seniors being able to communicate with their loved ones by Skype, he would like information about where — what floor or section of Peconic Landing — the new cases had been confirmed.

"It's unsettling because the only information we are getting is through their email or press releases," he said. "It's a lack of control that we have. We can't be there, so it's difficult. Not knowing what is happening makes us very nervous and uncomfortable. I wish they would be more vocal and transparent about what's happening."

He is also concerned for many married couples who may be living separately in different areas of Peconic Landing who, because of isolation and quarantine, cannot see each other due to necessary safety measures.

Already not able to see their children, they are unable to see their spouses, difficult for the seniors who might be lonely or confused, he said.

Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming said Wednesday she could not answer specific questions on new cases based on HIPAA privacy laws

As of March 12, two additional employees of Peconic Landing, tested positive for coronavirus — and Southold Town, bringing the previously reported total to 3, before the most recent March 17 update.

A per diem employee at Peconic Landing was the first confirmed to have coronavirus. Peconic Landing officials said the employee worked in a "relatively isolated area, with minimal contact to our population." Efforts have been underway to continue sanitizing the facility, Syron told Patch last week. All residents, he added, were being monitored closely.