Dear Guerin Woods Families & Friends:
1. Climbing Positivity Rates & Mask Mandate Reminder: COVID-19 positivity rates continue to climb in Floyd and surrounding counties, all of which now have a HIGH rate of community transmission: Floyd, 10.46%; Clark, 15.61%; Washington, 15.51%; Harrison, 15.51%; and Jefferson (KY), 11.6%. At the beginning of July, community transmission in the area were either LOW or MODERATE. Because of the significant increase in transmission rates, ALL visitors must wear a mask– regardless of vaccination status – at all times while on Guerin Woods's campus. Please also continue your vigilance regarding infection prevention when away from Guerin Woods.
2. Visitor Screening: ALL VISITORS MUST COMPLETE A SCREENING FORM AND THE FORM MUST BE SIGNED BY A STAFF MEMBER. YOU MAY NOT PROCEED TO YOUR ELDER'S ROOM UNTIL A STAFF MEMBER REVIEWS AND SIGNS YOUR SCREENING FORM!
3. EFC Program: Because of my concern regarding the possibility of further visitation restrictions, I have been encouraging visitors to apply to become Essential Family Caregivers (EFCs). In most circumstances, EFCs will be allowed to continue to visit, albeit under rules that are more strict, should normal visitation be prohibited. Thus far, we have received very few EFC applications. If you have served as an EFC in the past, please re-apply, as the Department of Health has altered its guidance and you will need to sign a new acknowledgment. Below is a short summary of the EFC Program. If you have any questions, please contact me. I have attached the EFC Application to this email
a. Purpose: The purpose of the EFC Program is to allow family members or other caregivers to continue to provide routine care during a public health emergency pursuant to state guidance.
b. State Requirements
i. Each EFC applicant must be at least 18 years old; and
ii. The applicant must have regularly engaged with the elder providing supportive or direct care (e.g., help with meals, grooming, or companionship), on average twice weekly, prior to the start of the public health emergency;
iii. The Elder or POA must approve the EFC;
iv. The EFC must be able and willing to (a) take and pass any screening test required by Guerin Woods and follow all precautionary measures, such as hand hygiene, and use of masks or other PPE.
c. Approval Process: Guerin Woods will approve or reject EFC applications on a case-by-case basis. If an application is denied, we will notify the applicant in writing of our reasons and the applicant will have an opportunity to request reconsideration. When an application is approved:
i. Guerin Woods will work with the EFC to determine appropriate visitation hours and duration;
ii. Guerin Woods will provide the EFC all visitation and EFC requirements in writing in the form of an agreement; and
iii. The EFC must attest that they will abide by the EFC requirements congruent with existing guidelines, including those relating to screening, infection prevention protocols, and approved visitation locations.
4. Visitor Testing: Visitor testing is not currently required. Because visitors are also presently not required to schedule their visits, it is not possible for us to test every visitor. Nevertheless, we strongly encourage you to be tested at least once weekly, especially of you are unvaccinated. If you are unvaccinated, wish to be tested routinely but are unable to do so, please let me know and I will do my best to accommodate you.
VISITATION
- Notification Requirement – NONE. You no longer need to schedule visits.
*Previously, with scheduled visits, our therapists and CNAs were able to schedule around visitation. Because this will no long be possible, please be prepared to be flexible. Your visit may be interrupted or need to be postponed for a short period of time if therapy or some other intervention is underway or scheduled during your visit.
- Visitor Screening Form – Prior to moving to an elder's room, ALL VISITORS MUST COMPLETE A SCREENING FORM AND THE FORM MUST BE SIGNED BY A STAFF MEMBER. DO NOT PROCEED TO YOUR ELDER'S ROOM UNTIL A STAFF MEMBER REVIEWS AND SIGNS YOUR SCREENING FORM! WE CANNOT ALLOW VISITATION IF A VISITOR'S SCREENING RESPONSES OR SYMPTOMS INDICATE A RISK OF EXPOSURE.
- Infection Control
- Hand hygiene – Visitors must adhere to hand hygiene requirements upon entry and during their visit, with the use of alcohol-based hand rub being preferred. You must continue to clean your hands frequently with either alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water, both of which are readily available in the Villas. Visitors should clean their hands after touching potentially contaminated surfaces, using soap and water after using the restroom.
- Surgical Mask (covering BOTH mouth and nose) – All visitors must wear a surgical mask at all times while on the Guerin Woods campus.
- Social Distancing – All visits are limited to Elders' rooms and visitors may not be present in common areas other than to make their way to an Elder's room. Visitors are not permitted to interact with other Elders and must maintain social distancing when communicating with staff. Unvaccinated visitors must maintain social distancing at all times, both in the common areas and their Elder's room.
- Hours – Daily, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
- Location – Indoor visitation is restricted to Elders' rooms. Families and friends may also use the Villas' garden areas. If a visitor wishes to speak with a staff member, the visitor must use their Elder's call button and may not – under any circumstance -- wander through the common area.
- Number of Visitors – If appropriate social distancing is maintained, Elders may have up to 4 visitors at a time.
- Age Restrictions – Because all visitors must be able to comply with infection prevention protocols, Guerin Woods strongly discourages any visitor under the age of 12.
- Testing – Visitor testing for COVID-19 is not required, but Guerin Woods strongly advises unvaccinated visitors to be tested on a routine basis to minimize the risk to Elders and their caregivers.
*Please note that end-of-life and compassionate care visitation follow different protocols. To make arrangements, simply contact Chelsea Wild, Social Services Director (812-951-9088; cwild@pssmsi.org) or Kim Smith, Administrator (812-820-6433; 812-399-9046; ksmith@pssmsi.org).
I. Guerin Woods COVID-19 Statistics
Total # of Elder Cases | New Elder Cases in Last 24 Hrs | Elder Deaths in Last 24 Hrs | Instances of 3 or More Elders/Staff w/ New Onset of Respiratory Symptoms w/in 72 hours of Each Other |
15* | 0 | 0 | 0 |
*COVID-19 positive test dates: 8/5/20 (1); 10/14/20 (1); 10/21/20 (1); 10/23/20 (2); 10/29/20 (1); 11/16/20 (1; new admission from another facility); 11/19/20 (1); 12/11/20 (3); 12/15/20 (2); 12/18/20 (1); 12/20/20 (1).
II. Examples of Facility Infection Mitigation/Prevention/Planning Measures
Visitation restrictions |
Visitor screening |
Staff Competency Reinforcement/Training: Infection Control; COVID-19; Proper PPE Use; Handwashing; Social Distancing, etc. |
Staff reminders to self-monitor for fever and symptoms of COVID-19 and to stay home if unwell |
Staff use of masks in Villas |
Increased cleaning frequency & use of COVID-19/EPA approved sanitizing solutions for equipment, frequently touched surfaces and common areas |
Placement of alcohol-based hand sanitizer throughout the Villas and in elders' rooms |
Placement of tissues and trash cans in elder's rooms |
Elder social distancing and use of masks (for those willing and able) when in common areas |
Use of telephonic/video meetings whenever required |
Use of telehealth when appropriate |
Creation and use of signage to remind elders and staff re: source control, cough etiquette, social distancing, handwashing |
Adoption of pharmacy policies & practices that ensure availability of all necessary medications |
Pre-shift screening of every staff member |
Assessment of elders for CDC-defined COVID-19 symptoms |
Acquisition of additional/excess supplies, e.g., ABHS, soap, paper towels, sanitizing solutions, PPE, oxygen concentrators |
Acquisition of COVID-19 testing equipment/kits and testing of staff, vendors, third-party providers, elders, and others as required |
Conversion of separate on-site facility to staff sleeping quarters |
Staging of COVID-19 materials in anticipation of providing immediate response |
Meetings among executive and senior clinical staff re: state and federal COVID-19 guidelines (and changes thereto), associated changes to policies/procedures, education/training, facility changes, etc. |
Contingency planning, including adoption of new policies & procedures |
Coordination with local and state public health and emergency response authorities |
Exclusion of COVID-19 positive and COVID-19 exposed employees in compliance with CDC guidelines |
Isolation of elders who may have had an exposure per IDH and CDC guidelines |
III. Guerin Woods Contacts
Contact (Title) | Kim Smith (Administrator) | Susan Gernert (President & CEO) |
Cell Phone | 812-820-6433; 812-399-9046 | 502-830-4336 |
Email | ksmith@pssmsi.org |
IV. Elder Testing & Transfers: Guerin Woods is following the guidance and directives of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), and Floyd County Health Department regarding Elder testing. If an Elder were to test positive for COVID-19, the Elder would be transferred to a hospital or other appropriate facility.
V. General Information: For more information about COVID-19, please refer to: https://www.coronavirus.in.gov/2400.htm; https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html. You can also address general questions about COVID-19 to the ISDH COVID-19 Call Center, available 24/7, at 877-826-0011.
VI. Indiana Long-Term Care Ombudsman: The Ombudsman is NOT a representative of the facility, ISDH, or any other organization. However, we do want to provide accurate information to ensure families are comfortable that their loved ones are as safe as possible and are able to make informed decisions.
Physical Address | Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman 402 West Washington Street, Room W451 Post Office Box 7083, MS 27 Indianapolis, Indiana 46207-7083 |
Phone Number | 800-622-4484 or 317-232-7134 |
Fax Number | 317-972-3285 |
Email | |
Website |
Susan
Susan Gernert
President & CEO
Providence Self Sufficiency Ministries, Inc.
Guerin, Inc.
The Meadows of Guerin, Inc.
502-830-4336 (cell)
8037 Unruh Drive
Georgetown, Indiana 47122
guerininc.org
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