Update from Administrator – March 31, 2021
Due to prior obligations, this week’s community meeting with our administrator, Tim Flaherty, will be cancelled. The meetings will resume next week as scheduled (every Wednesday at 4pm). I apologize for the inconvenience.
March 31st, 2021
Dear Families,
At long last – we have new guidance from the CDC on nursing home visitation! This new guidance reflects updates to address the vaccination of residents and individuals from the community, as well as the decrease in community spread and changes to visitation during an “outbreak.” The newest from DPH is that outdoor visits will continue even when the facility has a positive case.
For details on the CDC guidance, please visit their website:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/infection-control-after-vaccination.html
Visitation Reminders
We are currently open for business and allowing indoor visits! We always offer visitations using our technology (iPads, tablets, phones, etc.) and when we can, window visits and outside visits. If you do not have an appointment scheduled, please contact the Recreation Department@ 203-881-2555 to schedule an appointment for an outdoor visit, window visit or virtual visit.
We continue to take all necessary precautions, including wearing personal protective equipment and conducting regular testing of our staff and residents, to ensure the safety of our residents and staff.
We want to provide some reminders about our visitation policy, based on requirements set by our state’s DPH and the CDC. We do apologize, but the below is to ensure that everyone has the opportunity for visits, under the strict state and federal guidelines we must adhere to. We know this is not the optimal way to visit your loved one, but these guidelines have been put in place with your loved ones and out staffs best interests in mind.
To clarify a few of the below points, a “fully vaccinated” individual is defined as your loved one two weeks post receiving BOTH of their vaccination doses.
- To set up an appointment for visitation, go to www.signupgenius.com and search under “Creator’s Email” for recreation@shadyknollhcc.c;om to sign up. Alternatively, people may call the recreation department (203-881-2555 ext. 107) to set up an appointment.
- Residents may have up to 2 visitors at a time, and two visits per week per resident.
- Visiting can be up to 30 minutes long per session.
- Please, do not bring food or beverages to the visit, as masks must be worn at all times by visitors and residents.
- Come to the building with a mask on that covers your nose and mouth.
- When you arrive, please sanitize hands, fill out COVID exposure questionnaire and sign the one-time document acknowledging that you will follow the visiting guidelines.
- Go directly to the recreation entry located to the left of the main entrance.
- Staff will take your temperature.
- Please maintain social distancing during the visit If your loved one is fully vaccinated (two weeks post receiving BOTH of their vaccination doses), you may have close contact with your loved one. Please continue to practice social distancing with our staff and any others you may encounter. This is for indoor and outdoor visitation.
- A staff member will be on hand to answer questions, assist during the visit, and sanitize in between visits.
Recreation
- Small group activities have resumed.
- When there is a COVID-19 positive resident on a unit, floor or care area, group
activities will be paused for residents on the unit, floor, or care area until the unit, floor or care area has gone 14 days without a new COVID-19 positive resident - A reminder to everyone that we do have various tablet devices for your loved one to utilize to access games, various communication tools, news, and more. We have done some tutoring and training of the tablets so that residents are more comfortable with them.
Dining
- Small groups of residents who are fully vaccinated may dine together at a table without social distancing. Tables will be 6 feet apart from one another and dining companions should be consistent across meals and days.
Sincerely,
Timothy Flaherty