Update from Administrator – April 16, 2021
Dear Family Members and Responsible Parties,
We hope this email finds you healthy and as optimistic as we are about the continuing decline in COVID cases in our surrounding community. Once again, I am pleased to report we have no Covid-19 cases among our residents and staff. We thank you for your attention and diligence to all the safety precautions initiated when visiting. It is making a difference.
Considering these encouraging numbers, we will begin to take a slightly different approach with these weekly email updates to you, focusing more on recreation activities taking place in our center, special events, and significant changes taking place.
Vaccination Update
- Although not mandatory, we continue to encourage any employee who has not been vaccinated to obtain one. Currently, they may obtain one at a community clinic or the Griffin Health “catch up” clinic to be held on-site. We are waiting for Griffin Health to provide us with the dates for the “catch up” clinic.
- Regional hospitals are working on plans to offer the first dose of a COVID vaccine to their patients being discharged to nursing homes.
Visitation
- No significant changes to our center or our visitation plans, which are based on our state’s guidance from the CDC and CMS recommendations.
- We always offer visitations using our technology (iPads, tablets, calls, etc.) and when we can, window visits, lobby visits and outside visits. Please call 203-426-5847, ext. 3131 to schedule a lobby visit, outdoor visit, window visit or virtual visit.
- Outdoor visitation is not affected by an internal outbreak on a unit, while we await the results of the initial round of testing.
- Outdoor visitation is still the recommended form of visitation from CMS and the CDC.
- When an outbreak is detected among residents or staff, all visitations must be suspended except for compassionate care visits, until at least one round of facility-wide testing is completed.
- Personal Protective Equipment must be worn for all lobby visits including masks upon entry to the building and during the visit, hand sanitizing and 6 feet of social distance while seated at the tables.
- Personal Protective Equipment (gown, gloves, masks) must be worn for Compassionate Care Visits and End of Life Visits. Please visit your loved one only and not stop at other residents’ rooms as you may have been accustomed to visiting prior to the Pandemic.
Recreation / Activities:
- Currently, Recreation is offering small, socially distanced group activities. The staff and residents are truly enjoying group activities again!
- Outdoor activities are always encouraged and preferred by the CDC and CMS, however indoor events are once again taking place following the outbreak guidance.
- These events will safely welcome back in our volunteers and vendors including entertainment, clergy, artists, and instructors.
- A reminder to everyone that we do have various tablet devices for your loved one to utilize to access games, various communication tools, games, news, and more. We
have done some tutoring and training of the tablets so that residents are more comfortable with them.
Dining:
- In addition to we are once again welcoming our Residents back into a communal dining atmosphere following all guidance set forth by the CDC and CMS. This means our Dining Rooms are again open for meals, allowing for additional opportunities for socialization among our residents.
Weekly Friday Telephone Call With Families and Responsible Parties
Our weekly call will be held at 1:00 p.m. today.
Thank you and, as always, please stay safe and healthy!
Linda A. Urbanski, Ph.D., Administrator