Update from Administrator – November 6, 2020
November 06, 2020
Dear Families,
As always, our team and I hope this email finds you safe and healthy.
We are happy to report that we remain COVID free! We will continue testing and reporting at regular intervals as required by CMS, CDC and DPH.
I want to reiterate that the COVID-19 pandemic is still active and while we remain COVID free, our state, as well the community, are reporting an uptick in new cases of COVID. This serves as a reminder that we must all remain vigilant in following all guidelines, recommendations, and best practices to stay safe and fight this pandemic.
We are reminding our staff to not only practice safeguards against COVID in our center, but to be vigilant outside of our center and share these practices with their friends and loved ones.
PLEASE wear your mask, wash your hands, and watch your distance. These are simple things we must continue to do, not just in our centers, but in our personal lives to keep COVID out!
Some updates
• We STRONGLY encourage residents to receive an annual Influenza Vaccine; please consider completing a consent form to ensure your loved one receives their vaccine if you have not done so already. We will continue to administer flu vaccines with a goal of 100% participation of residents. Our staff is required to receive the vaccination, for everyone’s health and safety.
• Each nursing unit has tablets assigned for resident use such as virtual visits, games, etc. and many of our residents are enjoying learning how to use this technology and having the world at their fingertips.
• Our outdoor social distancing activities programming continues to expand and evolve. Given the great forecast for the coming days, we are in good shape to be outside as much as possible.
• Every weekday, I and my administrative team round a different nursing unit and meet with our residents to let them know we’re here for them and give them an opportunity to voice any questions or concerns they may have directly to us. We also use this time during rounds to assess our residents, our environment, and ask our residents specific questions such as satisfaction with meals, preferences, activities being provided, interaction and response from staff, proper operation of all equipment in room and more!
Indoor Visits
As a reminder, our indoor visitation policy and procedures follow state and federal requirements. Based on that, nursing homes and visitors must adhere to the following conditions:
• We must limit the number of visitors per patient at one time and limit the total number of visitors in the center at a time. This will be based on the amount of physical space we have available for our designated visitation area, which is our Parlor.
• Cleaning and disinfecting of the designated visitation area will occur by our staff in between visits. This is another factor affecting the amount of time and numbers of visitors we can have in our center.
• Screening for anyone who enters our center – temperature and health screen questionnaire – will take place by a member of our team.
• We cannot allow visitors to move freely throughout our center; visitors will go directly to the designated visitation area, Parlor.
• Hand hygiene must be followed, and personal protection equipment (PPE) must be worn by visitors.
• Social distancing requirements remain as they do for our outside visits.
• We offer indoor and outdoor supervised social distancing visits 5 times a week.
Indoor, End Stage of Life Care Visits
Should a new case of COVID be identified in the center, all inside visits, except end stage of life, will be temporarily put on hold.
Outside & “Alternative” Visits
Please know that outside and “alternative” visitations will continue. While the weather is changing, we will work to continue to do outside visits on our patio for as long as possible and window visits are still possible. The weather seems to be holding steady for now.
Remember that we do offer iPads for our residents to use for video visits, phone calls, etc. to ensure that you and your loved ones remain in contact, as best as you can during these very uncertain times.
Events
Next week in Recreation we have our Veterans Day Celebration!! We will be honoring our residents who have served in the military. We also will have Bingo, Chair Exercise, Ice Cream Chart, Movin to the Music, and Paint Night just to name a few activities.
As always, thank you for your patience and please stay safe and healthy!
Thank you and please stay safe and healthy!
Deborah Joseph
Administrator