Family reaches out to Channel 11 for answers about mother’s condition, COVID-19 outbreak at facility

PITTSBURGH — Sheila Byrd says she’s upset that her mother just tested positive for COVID-19 and now the family has to spend the holiday apart.

“We won’t be able to hug her like everyone else can hug their mom and we won’t be able to eat her favorite dish that she makes for us,” Byrd said. “We were very afraid of her getting [COVID-19] it. It was a fear where we couldn’t even sleep.”

Byrd’s mother is one of 21 residents at UPMC Seneca Place who are currently infected. 12 people have recovered at the facility. She reached out to Channel 11 because she said it’s been difficult to get answers from the nursing staff on her mother’s condition.

“The biggest concern would be the communication and with that, the poor staffing which ends up with neglectful care. That’s what happened when she had to be rushed to the hospital,” Byrd said.

Her mother is now in the hospital because her symptoms got worse. Byrd said when she tried to find out what was going on with her mom, the phone lines would be busy for hours or nobody would answer.

UPMC sent Channel 11 a statement:

“We are committed to transparently communicating with family members of the residents under our care at UPMC Senior Communities. We understand how important it is for the overall health of our residents to have opportunities to communicate with their loved ones, even if they cannot physically be together right now, and we work hard to facilitate this communication.

“At UPMC Seneca Place, we currently have 21 residents who have tested positive for COVID-19. Additionally, we have had 12 residents recover from COVID-19. Due to our universal masking, personal protective equipment use and other infection prevention practices, UPMC facilities are safe places to receive care. We are working with public health authorities to ensure proper contact tracing and any potentially exposed or infected employees are quarantining at home.”

How safe is dining inside an enclosed outdoor tent at restaurants?

Cox Media Group