Update from Administrator – November 25, 2020
November 25, 2020
Dear Families,
As always, our team and I hope this email finds you safe and healthy.
As a reminder from Monday, the state of Connecticut’s Department of Public Health is offering some considerations and recommendations on how to celebrate the holidays with your loved ones who reside in a nursing home. We know that the holidays are important for loved ones as a time to come together and be together. As you make plans to visit and celebrate with your loved one, we encourage you to assess the risk of getting or spreading COVID-19. Last week we included information from the Department of Public Health (DPH), in our weekly email for your review. We have added that to our website and Facebook for your reference.
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 tomorrow we have a number of virtual visits.
• We 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.
Indoor Visits will resume this Saturday.
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 and mo
As a reminder, our next “Town Hall” meeting is scheduled for Tuesday December 1, 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 our entire team extends our warm wishes for a happy and healthy Thanksgiving.
Thank you,
Janet Shahen
Administrator