Update from Administrator – April 23, 2021
Dear Families,
Here we are, another week closer to warmer, spring-like weather. Great news for us all to get back outside and enjoy the fresh air and some sunshine. As we have mentioned before in these updates, our outside visits remain the recommended means of visitation for nursing home residents and families, per the CDC. Please take advantage of the weather and schedule a visitation with us over the next week. We all know how important visitations are to our loved ones.
Visitation
- No significant changes to our center or our visitation plans, which are based on our state’s guidance from the CDC and CMS recommendations.
- We continue to explore ways to increase our visitation calendar, especially for outside visitations.
- A reminder, even outside visitations still require a mask, currently. The CDC and state continue to update their guidance for nursing homes – and we will keep you up to date on any changes. If you are unfamiliar with our protocols, please ask us.
- We always offer visitations using our technology (iPads, tablets, calls, etc.). If you do not have an appointment scheduled, please contact our Reception Department at 508-860-5000 to schedule an appointment for an outdoor visit, indoor visit, or virtual visit.
- When an outbreak is detected among residents or staff, all visitations must be suspended except for compassionate care visits, until at least one round of facility-wide testing is completed.
Recreation / Activities:
- We are delighted to once again safely begin holding small, socially distanced group activities. Outdoor activities are always encouraged and preferred by the CDC and CMS, however indoor events are once again taking place following the outbreak guidance; some of our activities include:
- Gardening/ Gardening Club
- Nursing Home Week decorating, different seasons on every floor!
- Birthday parties
- Coffee hour and community movies
- Religious and Spiritual services
- Morning exercises
- These events will safely welcome back in our volunteers and vendors including entertainment, clergy, artists and instructors, and our local ice cream truck!
- A reminder to everyone that we do have various tablet devices for your loved one to utilize to access games, various communication tools, games, news, and more. We have done some tutoring and training of the tablets so that residents are more comfortable with them. The feedback from residents on the availability of the tablets has been fantastic!
Dining:
- In addition to we are once again welcoming our Residents back into a communal dining atmosphere following all guidance from the CDC and CMS. This means our Dining Rooms are again open for meals, allowing for additional opportunities for socialization among our residents.
Vaccination Update
- As we have said before, although not mandatory, we continue to encourage any employee who has not been vaccinated to obtain one. Currently, they may obtain one at a community clinic. We are also working with our state to do “catch-up” clinics to assist our team and new residents in obtaining the vaccine right here in our center.
- Regional hospitals are working on plans to offer the first dose of a COVID vaccine to their patients being discharged to nursing homes.
We hope you have a great week and look forward to seeing you!!
Saeed Pourali, LNHA, Dr. B.A.