Family Email 6-8-2020

As always, our team and I hope this email finds you safe and healthy. Another “thank you” for all the staff’s hard work, dedication, and compassion for all of our residents here. We remain incredibly grateful for our entire dedicated team and ask you to join me in ensuring that they are included as “Health Care Heroes” battling COVID-19. Everyone is working hard, and their efforts do not go unnoticed.

Since the beginning of the COVID crisis we have tried to plan, implement and protect all our residents. In a nursing home setting this virus has consumed a vast majority of ALL our time and energy. My apologies if at times we seem less communicative but our constant focus is YOUR loved one, OUR resident. It has been difficult to go from negative to positive, back to negative, only to return to positive with greater numbers and still there is so much to learn about COVID-19. We remain committed to getting this right and seeing many, many recoveries in the end. Our numbers presently consist of 24 COVID + residents (many are asymptomatic), 2 deaths & 5 pending tests, 10 + positive staff, eight have recovered and 8 more are pending results. By guidance of our epidemiologist it was decided we would retest as many residents & staff as possible to see how widespread this virus is. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those families who have lost loved ones at this time.

I was fortunate to receive a call from DPH in conjunction with the National Guard who would be willing to assist us if needed. As we began to see the signs of COVID within our walls & wait for test results it became clear utilizing their services was the best course. With the National Guards assistance we were able to move all our COVID + residents together on our 3^rd floor unit and create a COVID + space separate from the negative residents. As upsetting as it was or is to some it was the right move in mitigating this virus spread and was suggested as well as required. I am eternally grateful for the National Guards TASK FORCE RAPTOR & TEAM JULIET for their commitment to our facility. In our time of need they came trained in PPE procedures, resident care techniques and muscle! For being outsiders they were impactful, generous, kind and committed to ensuring we kept everyone safe. By my observations it seemed like they had worked there for years and knew each and every one of our residents. I can never repay them but it meant a lot having them by our side.

As the facility staff adjusts to the uncertainty of COVID, planning and processes for safe visitations in the coming days has begun. With our present condition in mind I want to insure we make the correct move and look to start within the week. We are cautious, yet excited to offer in-person visits between residents and their families! In accordance with our new policy, we will be offering outdoor social distancing visit options for residents to spend time with family, friends, and loved one. As outlined in the Department of Public Health Care Memorandum to Nursing Homes dated June 1, 2020 the following are the stipulations and requirements:

A long-term care facility may allow in-person visitation in a designated outdoor visitation space, provided that the long-term care facility implements all of the following safety, care, and infection control measures:

A resident who is suspected or confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 cannot be visited. A resident who has recovered from COVID-19 may be visited.
Prior to transporting a resident to the designated outdoor visitation space, the long-term care facility must screen the visitor for fever or respiratory symptoms. Any individuals with symptoms of COVID-19 infection (fever equal to or greater than 100.0 F, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, myalgia, chills or new onset of loss of taste or smell) will not be permitted to visit with a resident.
Transport of a resident to and from the designated outdoor visitation space must be safe and orderly. At a minimum, safe transport means that the resident cannot be transported through any space designated as COVID-19 care space or space where residents suspected or confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 are present.
A long-term care facility staff member trained in such patient safety and infection control measures must remain with the resident at all times during the visit.
Visitors must be limited to no more than two individuals. A visitor must remain at least 6 feet from the resident and attending staff member(s) at all times during the visit.
Staff and residents must wear a surgical face mask and visitors must wear a face covering or mask for the duration of the visit.
Visits with a resident in a designated outdoor space must be scheduled in advance and are dependent on permissible weather conditions, availability of outdoor space, and sufficient staffing at the facility to meet resident care needs, and the health and well-being of the resident.
A long-term care facility may limit the length of any visit, the days on which visits will be permitted, the hours during a day when visits will be permitted, and the number of times during a day or week a resident may be visited.

We are still offering other options for visiting with your family member such as electronic devices and/or window visits that can also be scheduled with Mike Orlando by recreation@webstermanorrhcc.com. In the coming days more info will be forthcoming about what method can be used to schedule a outdoor visit, stay tuned & stay safe!

Kind Regards,

Corey Beaudette, NHA