Update from Administrator – June 18, 2020
Hello Everyone!
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.
Starting June 10, 2020, we began to offer in-person visits between residents and their families! It was heart-warming to see so many wonderful reunions, smiling faces and happy tears. In accordance with our new policy, we will continue to offer 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:
Guidelines for Outdoor Social Distancing Visits
This facility is pleased that we are now able to facilitate outdoor social distancing visits between you and your loved one. We recognize how stressful the visitor restrictions have been on our residents and their families/friends and we want this to be a successful and safe opportunity for all. Procedures have been established with guidance from the MA. Dept. of Public Health, the MA. Dept. of Epidemiology and State Long Term Care Ombudsman Office and must be adhered to for the safety of our residents.
Guidelines
- All visits must be scheduled in advance and will take place in a designated area.
- The visitor must have their temperature taken and answer simple questions prior to the resident coming out for the visit.
- The resident and their visitor(s) must always wear a facial mask.
- Social distancing must be maintained throughout the entire visit. This means that the resident and their visitor(s) must always be at least six (6) feet apart.
- Person to person contact between the resident and visitor(s) is prohibited.
- No items may be transferred between visitor(s), residents and staff.
- The visits will be for a maximum of thirty (30) minutes.
- The maximum number of visitors allowed at one time is two (2).
- Visits will only be scheduled before sundown.
- A facility staff member will be required to remain with the resident and visitor(s) at all times
At this time, we are scheduling in-person outdoor visitation as follows:
- Days for scheduling in-person visitation are Sunday-Saturday, 10:30am-noon, 1:00pm-2:30p and 5:30p to 7:00p (as daylight allows). Weather permitting.
- All appointments must be scheduled with Lynn Tozier, by calling 508-778-1835 or by emailing her at receptionist@caperegencyrhcc.com a minimum of 48 hours prior to visit.
- Visitors must arrive at least 10 minutes prior to visitation for proper screening by center at the entrance to the patio. All Visitors must be wearing facemask or facemask will be given before screening.
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 Jacqueline Smith by email or by phone. We are pleased to announce that we have hired a new Director of Activities. Her name is Catherine Tarr and she has over 25 years of experience providing life enrichment to long term care residents. She will join our team on July 6. At that time all visitation responsibilities whether in person or electronic will transition to the activities department. We will send out updated information at that time.
We currently have 4 positive residents in house. Last week, the state DPH visited our center for our third round of infection control visits and found us to be in compliance for PPE, staffing and infection control and prevention issues. We continue to follow all CDC and state guidelines and receive regular updates on new guidelines that are offered.
Good news… As of today, we have seen 55 of our residents convert to recovered status and are now symptom-free of COVID-19. We are very excited for these residents, their families, and our staff. We anticipate this number to continue to rise.
Enjoy your time with your loved one and please comply with these safety guidelines as listed above. If you have any questions at any time, please do not hesitate to call or email me at any time.
Thank you and please stay safe and healthy!