Family Communications Update – November 25, 2020
Dear Families,
As always, our team and I hope this email finds you safe and healthy.
We are happy to report that we have not had any new positive test results this week for residents or staff. We have one resident who is considered COVID positive however is not currently in the building at this time and will be considered COVID recovered within the next few days. We are still required to have 14 days of no new positive cases prior to allowing indoor visitation.
We will continue testing and reporting at regular intervals as required by CMS, CDC, and DPH.
As you may have heard, the state has partnered with our management company Athena Health Care to open COVID recovery facilities. There are several benefits to the recovery center including the following. Recreational activity visits/events can go on as normal since all of the residents are COVID positive. The facilities are also on one floor so window visits can be done directly with your family member and more frequently. The facilities offer all of the same nursing and therapy services that we do here at Cherry Brook. After going through a second outbreak at Cherry Brook, we have decided to recommend that any resident that tests positive moving forward, be transferred temporarily to the recovery center. We would be in constant communication for updates and anticipate they would reside in the recovery center for a total of a 10-14-day period and then return to Cherry Brook.
As a reminder from Monday, the State of Connecticut’s Department of Public Health is offering some considerations and recommendations on how to celebrate the holidays with your loved ones who reside in a nursing home. We know that holidays are important for loved ones as a time to come together and be together. As you make plans to visit and celebrate with your loved ones, we encourage you to assess the risk of contracting or spreading COVID-19. Last week we included information from the Department of Public Health (DPH), in our weekly email for your review. We have added that to our website and Facebook for your reference.
We are reminding our staff to not only practice safeguards against COVID in our center but to be vigilant outside of our center and share these practices with their friends and loved ones. We still ask you to do your part while in your community and PLEASE wear your mask, wash your hands, and watch your distance. Please promote these very simple precautions with your extended family and friends as well.
Some updates
With Thanksgiving upon us and restrictions regarding large groups in the dining room, we are having small groups each day to have a special meal.
- We have ample tablets assigned for our residents to use for virtual visits, games, telehealth visits, news updates, etc. Many of our residents are enjoying learning how to use this technology and having the world at their fingertips.
As always, thank you for your patience and our entire team extends our warm wishes for a happy and healthy Thanksgiving!
Sincerely,
Don Davanzo
Administrator