Update from the administrator 3-24-23
DATE: 03/24/2023
Dear Residents, Families and Representatives,
We have continued to test residents today and have identified 5 more residents with COVID bringing our total for the week to 14 residents. We have had an additional staff person test positive for COVID bringing our staff total to 2 for the week. All residents in the nursing home and The Meadows were rapid tested today to get quicker results. We are still waiting for test results from the PCR testing on 3/23/23. We will continue to test residents who develop symptoms or would like to be tested. Follow up testing will be done again next week. If a resident tests positive we will notify the resident and their representative as soon as we have results. In this case no news is good news! If you have any questions about your tests results please contact your nurse. Residents who test positive may choose to have antiviral medications to treat COVID after consultation with their physician. There are several factors the attending physician will consider when determining if treatment is a good option. Resident medical providers are consulted for all residents who test positive or exhibit symptoms.
Staff are being tested to identify new cases as well. Individuals who are not showing symptoms can still test positive for COVID and can easily spread it to others without even being aware that they have the virus. It can take 3-14 days to develop symptoms or test positive after exposure so we may continue to see additional cases pop up. I will keep you informed of any new cases and developments as we work our way through this outbreak.
We have infection control measures in place to try to prevent spread to additional residents. Nursing staff are monitoring residents’ health closely and are keeping their medical providers informed of any changes in condition. We remain hopeful that all affected residents will continue to have only mild symptoms and will recover soon.
Residents may still have visitors, however, visitors should consider their own health and be aware of the risk of visiting in person. For some it may be wise to wait to visit until the outbreak subsides. If family or friends decide to visit in person be sure to wear a mask, hand sanitize and limit visiting to only your resident. Check in with the staff on the unit prior to entering any resident rooms. If the resident is on isolation due to active COVID you should wear full protective equipment (PPE) for your own safety. Staff can assist with how to put on and take off PPE. Also be respectful of the residents wishes if they don’t feel up to visits or can only tolerate short visits. If you are not up to date on boosters this is a great time to do so!
We can accommodate visits by phone or video. Just let us know how we can help you keep in touch. As the weather warms, outdoor visits in our courtyard are also a good way to reduce the risk of transmitting COVID.
If you have any questions or concerns please reach out.
Stay well,
Linda Smith LNHA
Administrator