As our nation, Virginia and local communities deal with the coronavirus pandemic, we want to provide you with an update on how it has impacted our community and the steps we’re taking to address it.
As of today, April 30, 4 staff members working in our Assisted Living (3) and Dietary (1) Departments in our Health Care Communities (not in our Independent Living Campus) have tested positive and are quarantined at home. We’re currently following the “Criteria for Return to Work for Health Care Personnel with Confirmed or Suspected COVID-19” guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
We have 5 residents from The Holly Inn (our memory care) who have tested positive. As the number of overall cases in our country and Virginia increase exponentially, we expect there will be additional cases at our community because this disease especially impacts people who live in communal settings.
Please know that we have followed, and will continue to do so, all guidance set forth for privacy, patient care, employee safety, and efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 as provided by our Medical Director, Chesterfield County and Virginia Departments of Health (DOH) and the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). We remain in constant contact with DOH and CMS.
Prior to each shift, staff are required to use hand sanitizer, take their temperature, and answer a series of questions to ensure they are not exhibiting any known COVID-19 symptoms. Employees also take their temperatures at the conclusion of their shift. Any employees who develop symptoms during a shift are immediately sent home. At that point, they are directed to quarantine at home. This process is also followed for outside vendors and agency workers, though these visits have been curtailed.
We also conduct a rigorous sanitation regimen that follows, and in some cases exceeds, all state and federal guidelines. We have increased the daily volume of cleaning done in common and residential areas.
Brandermill Woods appreciates your understanding as we continue to vigorously enforce the state’s decision to restrict non-medical visits into the facility at this time.
We will continue to provide you with periodic updates with as much information as we can on our efforts to combat COVID-19. On behalf of the entire Brandermill Woods, I want to thank each of you for your continued support, patience and prayers. It means a great deal to us.
Sincerely,
Charmaine Preiss
Executive Director
