COVID-19 Update From Administrator – March 27, 2020
New recommendations &/or guidance continues to come frequently from State & Federal agencies, as well as supportive recommendations from the Long Term Care industry. Your loved ones remain our focus and their well-being continues to be our top priority.
Visitation restrictions imposed by the State Department of Public Health remain in effect, including limiting vendors that provide entertainment or non-essential services. Restrictions were expanded to include Beauticians, and – as you know – we were directed to close our Dining Room and Therapy Gym, and limit group sizes. Social distancing remains the goal to inhibit the spread of COVID-19.
We are monitoring vital signs, including temperature frequently to identify signs & symptoms that might indicate a change of condition as early as possible. At the recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control, we have added monitoring oxygen saturation levels to ensure that the amount of oxygen in your loved ones lungs is not declining. This could be a sign of COVID-19, as well as other conditions, that might manifest even in the absence of a temperature. We also are monitoring, as we always do, for changes in energy level, confusion, and agitation. Our Nurses work closely with the Attending Physicians and Nurse Practitioners to assess the physical well-being of your loved one on an ongoing basis.
Essential Health Care providers, such as the Wound Doctor, Podiatrist and Laboratory Technicians, for example and Health Care vendors, such as Oxygen supplier have their temperature taken when they enter the building and wear a mask while in the building.
At the beginning of each shift our staff are answering questions about health, recent travel, and if they have been in contact with someone known to have COVID-19. Before they can go to their assigned unit their temperature and oxygen saturation level are taken and recorded. Our employees have been great. We hope you agree. They are resilient and compassionate individuals who come in everyday ready to be there for your loved one.
One of our biggest challenges in the absence of entertainers is maintaining an activity program that holds the interest of your loved one. Now some of our residents care about only one thing, BINGO, and I am pleased to advise you that we are maintaining a modified program. We are running the program on each unit, with people separated. We are also running other group activities, but in much smaller groups as social distancing is mandated by the Department of Public Health.
Our alternative visit program is continuing to evolve. Some of you have signed-up for Skype sessions with Amanda Haberman. Again, her email is admissionassistant@northwoodrhcc.com. She can also help coordinate phone conversations and we are waiting for our IPAD to arrive so that we can set-up face time. Some of you have had window visits, which is great. To set-up window visits for patients on the second floor, we are using the Dining Room for that and you may schedule an appointment with Amanda. Please note that these visits have to be limited to 15 minutes as we have to assign a staff member to accompany your loved one to the Dining Room area to facilitate/monitor the visit. We are in the process of obtaining two-way communication to enhance communication during the visit for anyone unable to use cell-phones, or maybe does not have a cell phone.