The latest COVID-19 updates as of May 20, 2020
On May 20th, Gov. Reynolds lifted restrictions throughout the State. However, nursing homes restrictions have not changed. Per Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (DIA), Hillcrest continues to be unable to allow visitors and the salon will remain closed. We will keep you posted on any changes! Thank you for your patience during this challenging time!
Acting Administrator, Hillcrest Living
After many trying months facing the COVID-19 pandemic, we are so excited to announce the date of our first vaccine clinic. On Monday, January 25, 2021 residents and tenants of the nursing home, assisted living and independent living, along with staff, will receive the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The second dose is recommended to be administered approximately 21 days later and we will be looking forward to confirmation of the official date of the second clinic in the near future.
We all have questions about the new vaccines for COVID-19. These doctors do a great job explaining it so we can all understand. Take a few minutes to listen and learn.
We're happy to report it's been 20 days since a resident tested positive for COVID-19. Now that the positivity rate in Bremer County is also going down, we can safely resume booth visits in the chapel next week (week of December 13). Please call Sherry or Karen to set up a visit with your loved one. We look forward to seeing our residents reconnect in person with their families. Thank you for your patience and support during the outbreak.
As many of you are aware, Hillcrest had their first COVID-19 positive on November 9. Despite our best and hardest efforts, Hillcrest went into outbreak status on November 12. We are thankful to now see an increase in the recovery rate in both residents and staff. We haven't had a positive resident in three days, an encouraging sign. At this time, we will continue to pause open visits and appointments at the beauty shop until Bremer County and the surrounding areas have a lower percent positivity rate. We will keep you updated on further developments. Thank you for your support.
We're all eagerly anticipating the reopening of our nursing and assisted living buildings. We are currently in Phase 1 of the phased reopening approach given by the Iowa Dept. of Public Health and are working diligently through the mandates given to ensure we can continue moving forward safely. All assisted living buildings and nursing homes statewide are in Phase 1 of the plan through June 18. June 19 is the soonest any Iowa communities can move into Phase 2. We plan to contact families to schedule visits beginning at the end of next week and could begin these visits by June 22. We appreciate your patience as we work through contacting everyone. The Iowa Dept. of Public Health has outlined some key points in the phased approach that many have been curious about, including salon reopenings and dining. The below graphic outlines the next steps for these areas in each phase:
A recently admitted resident at Hillcrest Manor has tested positive for COVID-19.
In light of continual concerns regarding coronavirus (COVID-19), we want to keep you informed of the proactive measures we are undertaking to protect our residents, tenants and staff from exposure and prepare for the possible spread of the illness. Our priority is the health and safety of our residents, tenants and staff. Accordingly, we are closely monitoring announcements from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and following agency guidance in addition to consulting industry resources. Please note that we are constantly evaluating our policies and protocols in view of new information and they are subject to change. We will do our best to keep you apprised of changes by updating this notice. STEPS HILLCREST LIVING CAMPUS IS TAKING: Prior to concerns about COVID-19, we had infection prevention and control procedures in place to maximize the health and safety of the vulnerable population we serve. We have enhanced our existing protocols to minimize the risk of exposure and to provide clinical and operational personnel the information and tools necessary to address the situation as it evolves. The following is a summary of measures undertaken to date consistent with regulatory guidance: Interdisciplinary Task Force Led by our Medical Director, Administrator and Director of Nursing our interdisciplinary team is in constant communication working together to develop efficient and effective procedures and protocols to minimize the risk of exposure and prepare for possible spread. We monitor IDPH and other regulators as well as trade associations and other health care providers to obtain the most up to date information to allow us to evaluate and implement the most effective prevention and control protocols. Resident Monitoring Our nursing staff are vigilantly monitoring resident health. Our trained staff will identify residents who might be at risk of COVID-19 and are prepared to institute precautions for these residents if the need arises. Employee and Contractor Screening We are screening employees and contractors for symptoms or potential exposure to COVID-19 to prevent the introduction of the COVID-19 infection. This screening occurs at the beginning and ending of their shift. Environmental We have increased the frequency of cleaning on high touch surfaces and high trafficked public areas with hospital-grade bleach disinfectant. This is done around the clock, just not during the day shift. Personal Protective Equipment All staff are required to wear disposable face masks throughout their shift. All staff that provide direct care are required to wear disposable face masks and a full-face shield. We have made hand sanitizer readily available for residents, tenants and staff. We have also set up our breakrooms to accommodate the 6 feet social distancing guidance.