Update from Administrator – June 9, 2020
June 9, 2020
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!
Please remember that the perimeter visits must be pre-scheduled to ensure safe and healthy visits for you, the residents, and our employees. You can schedule a visit by using Sign Up Genius (signupgenius.com) for patio visits. The specific guidelines and details regarding perimeter visits can be found on our website and Facebook page. Please remember a maximum of 3 people may visit at one time. Please call our Therapeutic Recreation department or email us at recreation@shadyknollhcc.com to schedule a virtual visit.
Kim Cappobianco, from our Therepeutic Recreation department, is a licensed hairdresser and will be available for haircuts and to wash and set hair. She will not be doing any perms or color treatments. Please call our Receptionist to schedule an appointment.
Good news… As of today, we have seen 42 of our residents convert to negative and are now symptom-free of COVID-19. We are very excited for these residents, their families, and our staff. We are returning some of our Northbridge Health Care Center guests back to Northbridge.
We did our point prevalence testing for all our residents who have not tested positive for COVID-19 last week. Fifty eight residents were tested and 57 tests came back negative. The positive resident has been re-tested and is currently on our COVID unit.
On Monday June 1st, Governor Lamont ordered nursing home workers to be regularly tested for the coronavirus disease. We just received word that we have been able to secure a contract with a vendor through the state and our testing will begin as soon as June 14th and will take place regularly. The vendor has informed us that they can test up to 30 staff members at time and will have results back to us in 24 hours. I will continue to keep you updated as the plan unfolds and test results become available.
As a reminder, our next “Town Hall” meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 10, 2020 at 4:00. I will send the meeting information tomorrow morning. We encourage any residents and family members to contact Kate Sasso-Billings, Nicole Goncalves, or myself with any questions you have about the care we are offering. Our commitment is to be as transparent as possible and work to address any issues that arise. A reminder that resident-specific questions cannot be answered during these calls or on our Facebook page so please reach out to us directly if needed.
We have arranged with one of our employees, who is a licensed hairdresser, to cut, wash, and set our residents’ hair starting Thursday, June 11, 2020. This will be at no charge to the resident until we are able to have our contracted hairdressers return. We will not be doing any chemical treatments, i.e. perms, hair color, etc. Kim will be available 10:00 – 3:00 on Mondays, 10:00 – 12:00 on Thursdays, 10:00 – 5:00 on Fridays. If you would like to make an appointment, please do so with our receptionist (203-881-2555).
We have been getting some questions as to Sign Up Genius for scheduling patio visits. Please use signupgenius.com. On the home page, search for recreation@shadyknollhcc.com to pull up our calendar. Currently the schedule goes through June 21, 2020 and we will be adding more weeks shortly. Please include resident initials when scheduling a visit.
Thank you and please stay safe and healthy! Although the weather outside is becoming warmer and sunnier each day, it is important to remember that it is still necessary to be cautious and aware that the risks of COVID-19 are still present.
Any questions, please let us know.
Debbie
Have a pleasant evening!
Debbie
Deborah S. Torrey Administrator