Update from Administrator – September 25, 2020
September 25, 2020
Dear Families,
As always, our team and I hope this email finds you safe and healthy.
We continue testing our staff and residents at regular intervals as required by CMS, CDC and DPH. We are happy to report that we remain COVID free! We will continue testing our staff and residents as required in regular intervals outlined by CMS, CDC and DPH.
A few quick points:
- I want to reiterate that this pandemic is still active and while we remain COVID-free, our state continues to report new cases of COVID and as we see in the news, some states continue to surge with new cases. 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.
- Although we are following social distance guidelines, handwashing protocols, hygiene recommendations, and wearing masks in our center – it is still STRONGLY encouraged that all staff and residents receive an annual Influenza Vaccine. While the vaccine is not available at the center yet, please consider completing a consent form in advance to ensure your loved one receives their vaccine. Consent forms were previously mailed to families.
- As you may have heard on the news, nursing homes will begin receiving “Rapid” COVID testing machines from the federal government over the coming weeks. As soon as we receive the machines, have conducted training, and have the necessary supplies to conduct the tests – we look forward to putting them to use! More information will follow on this as it becomes available.
- We have received the “Point of Care Testing Device” from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that is designed to enable us to conduct COVID-19 Antigen testing within our center, providing rapid results. We are working on getting our clinicians certified in the use of this device and will communicate with you once we begin using it.
- Food is now allowed to be dropped off by families for their loved one’s enjoyment and take out delivery has also been authorized. Our receptionist will meet the individual delivering the food at the front entrance and will have it delivered to the resident by our staff. Our center has specific hours that families can drop off or have food delivered – from the hours of 11am to 7pm daily. Reminder families still cannot exchange any food or items during any type of visits with residents.
- Our Beauty Salon is open for all salon services under strict guidelines to ensure safety. Currently Beauty Salon is open every other Monday and appointments can be made by calling and speaking with the receptionist from 8:30am to 8pm. All monies will need to be available during appointments and families are encouraged to please mail or drop off any monies with the receptionist. Also for any residents asking for hair color, receptionist will need to know the color desired one week prior to appointment.
- Each nursing unit has tablets / iPads assigned for resident use such as virtual visits, games, telemedicine visits, etc. Many of our residents are enjoying learning how to use this technology and having the world at their fingertips.
- We have “fresh air” time where residents can get some much-needed sunshine.
- Our outdoor social distancing activities programming continues to expand and evolve.
- 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!
Updates on visitation:
- While we continue to allow in person, socially distanced outside visits, weather permitting, we are pleased to announce that beginning Friday, September 25th, 2020 we have now added indoor visits as another option to visit with your loved one, in a designated area of the center. There are a few guidelines that we must follow to be in compliance with state guidelines.
- In addition to the current guidelines for exterior visits, temperatures will still be checked; masks MUST always be worn during entire visit, and family members who are sick should refrain from visiting their loved one.
- Staff will clean in between visits to ensure the safety of residents, family members, and our staff.
- If you develop signs and symptoms of COVID 19 after a visit, please notify us as soon as possible.
- Physical contact during visits: Visitors must remain 6 feet from resident during visit. Brief physical contact MAY be allowed. To reduce the risk of transmission, individuals must use alcohol-based hand sanitizers before and after contact. You may hug with faces in opposite direction and limit duration of close contact to avoid transmission.
Information on available and scheduling of visits:
- Days for scheduling all in-person visitation will be Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays between the hours of 10am to 3:30pm daily. On Wednesdays between the hours of 10am to 6:30pm.
- All appointments must be scheduled with the Director of Life Enrichment, Allison, by calling her directly at 508-927-3316 or by emailing her at recreation@plymouthrhcc.com a minimum of 48 hours prior to visit.
- Visitors that do not continuously wear the facemask during visit will be reminded. If for any reason visitors are reminded repeatedly, facility will end the visit and ask visitor to leave immediately.
- In-person visitation will have a duration of 30 minutes.
- No more than two visitors during each in-person visit.
- Visitors cannot transfer or exchange any items with residents.
- To give residents opportunity to have visitations, all residents at this time can only have one in-person visit per week which includes in-door and out-door visits.
- We will continue with our “virtual” visits i.e. Skype, FaceTime, Zoom, Google Duo, and telephone, as we have since the pandemic began.
The next Town Hall Zoom meeting will continue on Thursday’s @ 2pm. If you do not receive the invite from our Center, please email or call the administrator Michelle Newcomb.
Thank you and please stay safe and healthy!
Sincerely,
Michelle Newcomb, LNHA
Administrator – administrator@plymouthrhcc.com