Important Status Update from Charmaine Preiss, Executive Director 12/31/2020
HealthCare Community – The Haven, Assisted Living and Memory Care
On the eve of a new year, I wish for all, hope that 2021 will be so much better, safer and kinder to all.
On December 28, 2020 we conducted our COVID-19 testing and were informed that there was one (1) Assisted Living/Memory Care employee who tested positive and all other employees tested negative. The employee is isolating at home.
Upon the approval of the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), we tested all Assisted Living/Memory Care residents on December 30, 2020 along with all Health Care Community employees. We are happy to report that all residents and employees test results were negative. On January 4, 2021, we will conduct testing for all Assisted Living/Memory Care residents and all Health Care Community employees.
Chesterfield County’s positivity rate posted on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) website on December 30, 2020 has increased to 17%. We are mandated to continue to test all Health Care Community employees twice a week until the positivity rate drops below 10%. We continue to follow all CMS, CDC and VDH guidelines. The direct care staff continue to wear N95 masks, and all employees continue to practice frequent and thorough hand washing. Employees continue to be screened daily for signs/symptoms prior to their shift.
For all Assisted Living/Memory Care residents and residents in The Haven who occupy a semi-private room with a roommate, we are scheduling resident/family window visits. The duration of the visit is 30 minutes. Please email Trisha Pedersen at tpedersen@brandermillwoods.com to schedule your visit. The Haven residents who occupy a private room have access to a window, therefore, no appointment is necessary for a window visit. We encourage all families to continue to do window and virtual visits.
CVS Pharmacy has confirmed that our vaccination program for The Haven residents, and all Brandermill Woods employees is scheduled for January14, 2021 and the second round on February 4, 2021. We are encouraged with speaking to our CVS representative that the residents at the Assisted Living Community and Memory Care could possibly be vaccinated on the same schedule. We will continue to update you when the information is available.
Please be aware that the lifting of restrictions on visitation, reducing the use of PPE and regular testing will not occur immediately. The protection of vaccination on our resident and employee populaces will not truly be felt until, not only the long-term care community, but the community at large has been immunized and the threat of COVID-19 infection is lessened.
2020 is a year for the record books. This year we all experienced constant highs and lows, resilience is the quality that was activated in us by all the challenges of 2020. And it is also the quality that is going to carry us forward into 2021. Thank you for your continued support, encouragement and faith in all our employees!
