Update from Administrator – November 20, 2020
November 20, 2020
Dear Families,
As always, our team and I hope this email finds you safe and healthy.
As you may have seen, more than 60% of Connecticut nursing homes now have at least one COVID-19 positive resident and/or employee. Community spread of this insidious virus is affecting nearly every community in our immediate region and the state.
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. We still ask you to do your part while in your community and PLEASE wear your mask, wash your hands, and watch your distance. And please promote these very simple precautions with your extended family and friends.
Some updates
• With Thanksgiving upon us next week, attached is the holiday menu.
• We now have ample tablets assigned for our residents to use for virtual visits, games, tele-health visits, news updates, etc. Many of our residents are enjoying learning how to use this technology and having the world at their fingertips.
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 and we continue to make accommodations and work on new ways to continue this safe, in-person visitation.
And again, 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 difficult times.
Indoor Visits (Temporarily on hold as we have a Covid + resident yesterday on the observation unit that tested positive).
As a reminder, our indoor visitation policy and procedures follow state and federal requirements. Based on that, nursing homes and visitors must adhere to many conditions that we listed in previous emails. Some are listed below:
• 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.
• Screening for anyone who enters our center – temperature and health screen questionnaire – will take place by our center staff.
• We cannot allow visitors to move freely throughout our center; visitors will go directly to the designated visitation area.
• 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.
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.
Some updates
• Food can be dropped off by families for their loved one’s enjoyment and take out delivery has also been authorized. Please coordinate delivery with us.
• 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.
• Every weekday, I and my administrative team round on 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.
As a reminder, our next “Town Hall” meeting is scheduled for Tuesday November 24, 2020 at 5:00pm and we will discuss more detailed information during this time. We encourage any residents and family members to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have about the care we are offering. Our commitment is to be as transparent as possible and work to address any issues that arise.
As always, thank you for your patience and please stay safe and healthy.
Thank you,
Janet Shahen
Administrator