COVID-19 Update 1.7.22

1/7/2022

COVID-19 Update

Dear Patients, Residents, Family and Staff:

As Covid cases continue to rise in our community and in our facility; we ask that you remain vigilant and disciplined with infection control practices wherever you go. The way this new strand of the virus moves has been unprecedented and unexpected. Two Residents tested positive for Covid today. We are glad to report that no Staff Members tested positive today. As a reminder, in collaboration with KDADS, the facility is now open for visitations. Though we are reluctant to do so to help ensure the safety of our Families and Visitors, you may visit your loved ones as it’s always been, at your own risk; masks must be properly worn to cover nose and mouth at all times while in the building, hand hygiene is required, and please don’t forget social distancing. With over thirty-eight Residents who are currently Covid positive, it would be most advisable to postpone the visit when this event resolves, but you are given the options to make the smartest choice for yourself. Please consider that Covid Omicron Strand can affect fully vaccinated people and even those who also have a history of Covid. We encourage all Visitors who choose to visit, to please provide your own PPE as much as possible as PPE is becoming more challenging to procure; the Team really needs to be using the internal supply to care for our Residents and Patients.

Please keep in mind that both Maple 2 and Willow 1 have been deemed Hybrid Covid Units due to the number of Residents who are currently Covid positive in these two areas, and who are currently isolating and recovering in-place. Earlier in this event, our main goal was to cohort Residents with Covid in the extended Covid Unit, and as rooms became available. We expect that several of our Residents will be graduating from the Covid Unit early next week and will be returning to their rooms. We feel hopeful that all efforts placed into mitigating Covid in collaboration with the Department of Health will yield the best possible outcome for our Residents whom we love and Patients as well.

There are several reasons why our Community and our World is currently experiencing Staffing shortages; a big contributing factor has been the number of healthcare workers who have also acquired Covid and have to quarantine at home. We’ve also been recipients of Staffing challenges, and we are currently doing the very best with the Team support we currently have. We are deeply appreciative of our Team for sticking it out for our Residents and our building. We ask for grace, understanding and patience for All our Team Members who are currently fighting the good fight on behalf of your loved ones with all they’ve got and then some. We know that this situation can be very frustrating and scary to our Residents, Patients, Family Members, and Visitors; we know it’s not ideal, but it’s the best we can do for now. We are also being bombarded with calls and emails… please forgive us if we are not as prompt as you would like or expect… we will get better as this event resolves.

As a reminder for Staff, OSHA’s Vaccine Mandate Deadline to be Fully Vaccinated will be 01/10/2022; this Monday Coming Up! If you are unsure if you have been registered in the system as fully vaccinated, it is your responsibility to check with Nik in HR to ensure you have reached compliance before the deadline.
We appreciate everyone’s collaboration, compliance and discipline with all guidelines at this time; we will get through this!

At your service,

The Leadership Team at Shawnee PARC