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July 2021 Village Care Center COVID-19 Updates

  • July 31: No new cases.
  • July 30: No new cases.
  • July 29: An associate in a direct care position tested positive.
  • July 28: No new cases.
  • July 27: No new cases.
  • July 26: An associate in a direct care position tested positive.
  • July 25: No new cases.
  • July 24: An associate in a direct care position tested positive.
  • July 23: No new cases.
  • July 22: No new cases.
  • July 21: No new cases.
  • July 20: An associate in a direct care position tested positive.
  • July 19: No new cases.
  • July 18: No new cases.
  • July 17: No new cases.
  • July 16: No new cases.
  • July 15: No new cases.
  • July 14: No new cases.
  • July 13: No new cases.
  • July 12: No new cases.
  • July 11: An associate tested positive. The individual has minimal contact with residents.
  • July 10: No new cases.
  • July 9: No new cases.
  • July 8: No new cases.
  • July 7: No new cases.
  • July 6: No new cases.
  • July 5: No new cases.
  • July 4: No new cases.
  • July 3: No new cases.
  • July 2: No new cases.
  • July 1: No new cases.

 

A Message From the Administrator

Friday, July 30, 2021

Yesterday we tested a symptomatic unvaccinated agency staff member who works in a direct care position, and received a positive test result.

While this is discouraging, there is good news:

  • All residents remain at low risk as we are, and have been, mandating face masks in the Village Care Center.
  • Because of the timing of the last time this person worked we do not need to make any changes to our current testing protocol.
  • We had great results from testing all Village Care Center residents on Thursday – 100% were negative!
  • We are testing associates today and Monday. So far, all associates have been negative, too.
  • If all continues to go well, we should be able re-open for indoor visits on Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning. Watch for a letter from me on Monday afternoon. Please call before coming to ensure we are back open for visits.

I really hate to say that out loud, because I don’t want to disappoint anyone, but I also want you to know how very hard we are working to keep everyone safe AND keep you connected with your loved ones. Our second round of testing everyone will begin on Thursday, Aug. 5.

Village Assisted Living announced Wednesday that they also had a patient care associate test positive. The associate, who worked in their Memory Care 1 & 2 neighborhoods, is fully vaccinated and reported mild symptoms, which prompted the test. They have paused indoor visits, group dining and activities, based on directions from the State health department.  Yesterday all VAL residents and associates were tested and were 100% negative, so they are back open for indoor or outdoor visits!

Visitations: Regardless of test results, outdoor visits are still an option. It looks like temperatures are cooling down significantly, starting Saturday. To schedule an outdoor visit, please contact the unit secretary for your loved one’s hall to verify that they wish to have visitors and are available at the time you want to come. That way we can help make certain they are ready when you arrive.

Masks at John Knox Village: It’s also important that you know that because of the significant level of COVID-19 transmission in our area, and across the state, and due to the CDC’s recommendations, John Knox Village is requiring masks in all buildings, regardless of vaccination status, starting Monday, Aug. 2. This does not change procedures within the VCC, but if you plan to visit other buildings on campus, be sure to keep your mask handy.

I appreciate your ongoing support as we work together to keep our residents, visitors and associates safe and healthy.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns.

Monday, July 26, 2021

The evening of Saturday, July 24, during testing of all associates because of our previous positive, a patient-care associate tested positive for COVID-19. This person, who is an agency nurse and is not fully vaccinated, worked for only a few hours on Saturday before participating in the testing. We believe there is a low chance for transmission since staff in all patient-care areas are mandated to wear masks.

As a result of the positive result on July 24, today we started another round of routine testing on all our residents and staff. I’m happy to report that the results for all our residents came back negative. Unfortunately, we discovered one additional patient-care associate who tested positive. The individual is an agency nurse who is asymptomatic and not fully vaccinated. Again, this individual has been wearing a mask while working.

At this time, indoor, in-person visitation continues to be suspended, per state regulations. However, the current guidance from CMS states that we can have outdoor visits, weather permitting. To schedule an outdoor visit, please contact the unit secretary for your loved one’s hall to verify that they wish to have visitors and are available at the time you want to come. That way we can help make certain they are ready when you arrive.

Because of the COVID-positive results:

  • We are requesting that all Village departments conduct business with us remotely unless it is essential for them to be in the building.
  • All activities are suspended, as well as dining in the main dining room and salon services, until further notice.
  • Additional testing of residents and associates will be conducted this week. I will send an update later this week that includes potential re-opening dates.

I understand your disappointment, but we need to adhere to these protocols to achieve our primary goal: to keep our residents, associates and visitors safe and healthy.

I also want to make you aware of another positive case that occurred last week across campus at Village Assisted Living. An agency nurse with no symptoms tested positive on July 21 as part of routine testing of unvaccinated VAL associates. The nurse worked a full shift in Village Assisted Living’s Memory Care 1 neighborhood the previous Saturday. Baseline testing on residents and associates that occurred on July 23 produced all negative results.

Finally, the Village’s positive cases are a direct reflection of what’s happening in the surrounding community. The number of positive COVID cases has increased substantially throughout the area. Multiple news outlets are reporting that our region has reached a new stage in this health crisis: it is now a pandemic of unvaccinated individuals. Area hospitals are filling up – many are already full – and there is a real fear that there won’t be room to care for those who need non-COVID attention for ailments like heart attacks or strokes. If you are not vaccinated, please consider doing so. The vaccines are very effective, even against with the new, deadlier delta variant. You can find a list of free vaccine clinics at: https://www.vaccines.gov/.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns.

 

Wednesday, July 21, 2021

Yesterday afternoon, during our routine follow-up testing due to the positive case we reported at the VCC on July 12, a patient care associate has tested positive for COVID-19.  This person last worked yesterday, is fully vaccinated, and also had mild symptoms described as “stuffy nose and light-headedness, that felt like a slight cold.”  To the best of our knowledge, this person had no contact with the other positive associate.

State regulations require us to suspend indoor in-person visitation for the moment. However, the current guidance from CMS states that we can continue to have outdoor visits, weather permitting. To schedule an outdoor visit, please contact the unit secretary for your loved one’s hall to verify that they wish to have visitors and are available at the time you want to come, and so we can help make certain they are ready when you arrive.

Due to this COVID+ result:

  • We are requesting that all Village departments conduct business with us remotely, unless it is essential for them to be in the building.
  • All activities are suspended, as well as dining in the main dining room and salon services, until further notice.
  • Our 14 days of testing starts over. We can begin this round of re-testing everyone in the VCC on Friday and will continue testing weekly for at least 14 days (2 more rounds). I will keep you informed of the results.

While I am disappointed that I have to make these announcements again, as always, our primary goal is to keep residents, associates and visitors safe and healthy.

John Knox Village has now had a few fully vaccinated people test positive. This is a good time to remind you of two things:

  • What happens on our campus will always be a reflection of what is happening in our community.
  • The vaccines are highly effective at preventing people from getting COVID-19, but not 100 percent. It is still important to be very careful when moving about in the greater community, especially with this more infectious variant in the area.

I’d like to share an excerpt of what we include in each of our COVID-19 letters to John Knox Village residents and associates. I think it’s good information for everyone, and I though you might want to take a minute to read and refresh your memories, too.

WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW?

COVID-19 symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure and could include the following.
If you are fully-vaccinated, your symptoms may be milder.

Headache ~ Sore throat ~ Congestion or runny nose ~ Fever of 99.9oF or higher ~ Chills ~ Cough ~ Shortness of breath/Difficulty breathing ~ New loss of taste and/or smell ~ Fatigue ~ Muscle of body aches ~  Nausea or vomiting ~ Diarrhea

If you have any of the signs or symptoms, please don’t self-diagnose.

  • If you feel something out of the ordinary, call your doctor.
  • If that’s not possible, call the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services COVID-19 Hotline at 877-435-8411.

If you test positive for COVID-19 – Notify your physician, then call Public Safety if you have been on campus.
And please—stay at home!

It is going to take continued vigilance on the part of every resident, associate and visitor to this campus to keep everyone safe. Thank you for doing your part. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions.

Thursday, July 15, 2021

We have completed our 1st round of VCC testing – I am excited to say WE ARE ALL NEGATIVE!!!

What does that mean for the VCC:

  • We are back open! Effective immediately, we are open for in-person visitors for VCC residents!
  • Visiting guidelines MUST be adhered to. Please see the attached document.
  • Salons, activities, and main dining room have re-opened for residents.
  • The VCC will need to complete 2 more rounds of testing.
  • Even one new positive will cause us to halt indoor visits again.

Later in the day Tuesday, after I sent my last letter to you, there were two other positive cases reported on campus.

Like ours, they were isolated cases that had nothing to do with one another. One was a guest on campus, and the other was an associate in a non-resident contact position outside of the Village Care Center and Village Assisted Living. Contact tracing has been conducted, as well as testing, and we have not discovered any further positive cases related to those incidents.

Since then, two further non-VCC/non-VAL associates have tested positive. Again, they are in different departments. Contact tracing and testing connected to one has been completed, and no new cases identified. This process is still underway in connection with the last one.

Knowing that we are starting to see positive cases within the Village again, and for the safety of our residents, we are continuing to ask Village departments to conduct business with us remotely, unless it is essential for them to be in the building.

Monday, July 12, 2021

Yesterday we learned that a non-direct care associate has tested positive for COVID-19.  This is the first positive case reported in the Village Care Center since March 27. The individual last worked on July 11 and had minimal contact with residents.

Today we tested all residents, and all results were negative. We started testing associates today, and so far, all results also have been negative.

It will take another couple of days to get all VCC associates tested, due to work schedules. We will let you know of the final results.

Due to this COVID+ result:

  • We are requesting that all Village departments conduct business with us remotely, unless it is essential for them to be in the building.
  • All activities are suspended, as well as dining in the main dining room and salon services, until further notice.
  • We will continue testing weekly for at least 14 days (2 more rounds), and will keep you informed of the results.

Additionally, we are required to suspend indoor in-person visitation for the moment. However, the current guidance from CMS states that we can continue to have outdoor visits, as long as the weather is appropriate. To schedule an outdoor visit, please contact the unit secretary for your loved one’s hall to verify that they wish to have visitors and are available at the time you want to come, and so we can help make certain they are ready when you arrive.

While I am very disappointed that I have to make these announcements, as always, our primary goal is to keep residents, associates and visitors safe and healthy. I am grateful that the weather will be cooler this week for outdoor visitation.

The Delta variant of COVID-19 is spreading rapidly in parts of Missouri, and because we are a mobile population, it will likely continue its spread. CoxHealth in Springfield, Mo., reported yesterday that they had 119 COVID-positive inpatients, compared to only 14 hospitalized there in mid-May. Overall, U.S. numbers are still showing that the vast majority of those who are ending up up hospitalized are unvaccinated people.

If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, please give it serious consideration.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions.

Friday, July 9, 2021

Dear Village Care Center Loved Ones,

I wanted to give a brief update on happenings at the Village Care Center, as well as provide some reminders on some of the policies we are still working under.

First and foremost, I am so excited to share with you that we have not had a positive COVID case (resident or associate) in our building since late March! This is such terrific news, and I’m so proud of this accomplishment because it means that in-person visits with our residents have been happening regularly, and will continue, as long as we continue to follow the guidelines put out by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Visits. The staff and I love seeing you in the building. However, it is of the utmost importance that visitors to our community follow the policies we created based on the CMS guidance.

  • Visitors must wear masks in the Village Care Center’s common areas (lobby, hallways, etc.) Although many places in the surrounding community no longer require them, the Village Care Center is a health care entity, and as such, masks must be worn.
  • VCC visiting hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
  • Please be aware: the visitation end times are hard-stop times, because staff is not able to greet and screen visitors outside those hours. Entry will be denied after visiting hours end.
  • Visitor(s) must fill out the visitor log and be screened prior to entering resident care areas.
  • When you sign in, please answer the question about whether you are fully vaccinated. (In general, you are fully vaccinated two weeks after the final dose of the vaccine you received.)
    • If your answer is YES, please grab a visitor badge with a GREEN sticker.
    • If you have not been fully vaccinated or do not wish to disclose, please grab a visitor badge with a RED sticker.
  • Visits are still limited to in your loved one’s room or outside.  We are not allowed to have visits take place in any of our common areas, such as the main dining room or the ice cream parlor.
    • All fully vaccinated visitors are allowed to take off their masks once they are in their resident’s room.
    • Fully vaccinated visitors are no longer required to social distance during visits.

Please know that these guidelines exist for the safety of our patients, residents, staff and visitors. We want to be as accommodating as possible, but if visitors don’t adhere to our policies, we won’t be able to continue indoor visits. A complete list of our current visitation guidelines is attached. Please let me know if you have any questions.

Testing. I also wanted to remind everyone that if we should have an associate, resident or visitor test positive for COVID-19, we will be required to close all impacted areas of the Village Care Center until we are able to complete testing of all residents and associates in that area to verify whether it is an isolated infection.  While I hope we will not need to do this, I do want to be very transparent that the new Delta variant we are seeing in parts of Missouri and Kansas has me very concerned for this reality.  We continue to educate on the importance of vaccination and are even offering it through our pharmacy on a bi-weekly basis.

Fun stuff! On another positive note, we are seeing a lot more residents getting out of their rooms and taking part in activities and enjoying meals in the Main Dining Room again. We have implemented a larger menu with several main courses and sides to choose from.  It is so nice to see the residents out socializing again.  Our activity staff has been very busy coming up with new activities that the residents will enjoy such as BINGO, matinees, sing-along, and “Casino Day,” which was very popular!

Lastly, I am frequently asked about Village Care Center’s hiring challenges and recruitment strategies.  As I am sure all of you are aware, finding qualified employees is a challenge in every industry—and it is no different for us.  I can assure you that we are actively recruiting for all areas of the Village Care Center and are working with Human Resources on some creative and flexible options so that we can stand out amongst the competition.  If you know of anyone who is interested in employment in different areas of health care, please send them our way. Our job postings are always listed at www.JKV.org/Careers

Also, if you have any suggestions do not hesitate to send me your ideas.  My priority is to provide quality care for all who reside at the Village Care Center.

Thank you all for helping us keep everyone safe. As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions.