Update from Administrator – April 27, 2021
Here we are, another week closer to more consistent warm, spring-like weather. Thank you for your patience as we have been dealing with our telephone challenges. The phone system was replaced today with a temporary unit and all lines have been transferred. We ask for your continued patience as we learn the new phones, but you should be able to get through to the facility at this time. If you continue to have issues, please let me know.
Great news- all our resident and staff Covid tests came back negative last week which means we can resume our indoor visits. As we have mentioned before in these updates, outside visits remain the recommended means of visitation for nursing home residents and families, per the CDC. Please take advantage of the weather and schedule an outdoor visit over the next week. We all know how important visitations are to our loved ones.
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 continue to explore ways to increase our visitation calendar, especially for outside visitations.
- A reminder, even outside visitations still require a mask, currently. The CDC and state continue to update their guidance for nursing homes – and we’ll keep you up to date on any changes. If you are unfamiliar with our protocols, please ask us.
- We always offer visitation using our technology (iPads, tablets, calls, etc.) and when we can, window visits, indoor visits and outside visits. If you do not have an appointment scheduled, please contact Recreation at 860-489-5801 to schedule an appointment to visit.
- 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.
Recreation / Activities:
- We are delighted to begin once again safely holding small, socially distanced group activities.
- We are currently working on safely welcoming back in our volunteers and vendors including entertainment, clergy, artists, and instructors.
- National Skilled Nursing Care Week will kick off on Sunday, May 9th. We are planning a week full of interactive activities and need your help. We are hoping to do a fun activity of “Name That Baby” with our residents and staff. In order to make this happen we need you to share baby or toddler pictures of your loved ones. If you would like your loved one to be included in the fun, please have a picture to us by May 5th.
- 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. The feedback from residents on the availability of the tablets has been fantastic!
Dining:
- In addition to our recreation activities, we are also welcoming our Residents back into a communal dining atmosphere following all guidance from the CDC and CMS. This means our Dining Rooms are again open for meals, allowing for additional opportunities for socialization among our residents.
- A reminder on bringing food to the center for your loved one. Please keep in mind any dietary restrictions for your loved one and understand that per the CDC and states guidelines, you and your loved one may not eat during a visit, due to mask requirements. However, we will ensure that your loved one enjoys the meal, treat, etc. once the visit is complete.
Vaccination Update
- As we have said before, 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. We are also working with our state to do “catch-up” clinics to assist our team and new residents in obtaining the vaccine right here in our center.
- Regional hospitals are working on plans to offer the first dose of a COVID vaccine to their patients being discharged to nursing homes.
We hope you have a great week and look forward to seeing you!!
Marisa Jones LNHA, MBA