During the week of June 15, health departments in the states we serve announced guidelines to begin loosening up restrictions on visitors, small group dining and activities in senior care facilities.
We are excited at the prospect of once again allowing in-person visits with our families and their loved ones, as well as, allowing our contracted providers such beauticians and barbers back into the buildings. It’s important to note that each facility will be unique in their progression toward reopening based on variables that affect them.
There are several things that influence how each facility can become less restrictive, everything from completing resident and team member baseline testing, to local Public Health District directives, and the amount of available personal protective equipment. We are working to quickly implement plans that meet the many requirements.
The safety of our residents, visitors and team members will continue be our primary focus, and we all need to be aware that a COVID-19 positive diagnosis among residents or team members can potentially require us to again restrict visitors and group activities.
Please know that individual facilities will notify their residents and families with details of their specific plan to begin the “reopening” process.
Previous Updates
President Trump has unveiled Guidelines for “Opening Up America Again”, a three-phased approach based on the advice of public health experts.
It’s important to note that visitor restrictions and expanded infection control procedures at our facilities, and nursing homes nation-wide, will not be lifted until America enters the third and final stage of the plan. There is no specific timeline for the phases, and we will continue to monitor and follow the recommendations of the states where we provide service, the Centers for Disease Control and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. We all look forward to the day we can again open our doors to loved ones and visitors!
April 5, 2020
Today we have good news to share with everyone – mindful that this is a “status report”, a few paragraphs in a historic chapter of our lives, that is still being written.
First, some background:
As many of you know, we had a resident test positive for COVID-19. That was on March 26. That same day, the resident was transferred to an Omaha hospital and we continue to pray for their recovery.
Now, the update and the Good News:
None of our residents have displayed symptoms consistent with having the virus. All of the team members who cared for the resident (25!) were tested for the virus and all of the tests came back negative! While we breathe a collective sigh of relief, we aren’t about to let our guard down! We will continue to do everything we can to keep our residents and team members safe.
We want to be sure to say THANK YOU to everyone who helped us through this and to everyone who continues to support Brookestone of Papillion – this list will grow as time goes on!
The Sarpy/Cass County Health Department and the NE Dept of Health and Human Services.
The EMS team that provided the safe transport from our facility and the team at the Omaha hospital that received them.
The hard-working team at the Nebraska Public Health Lab.
Brickway Brewery and Distillery in Omaha for donating jugs of hand sanitizer!
And of course, everyone in Papillion who has gone above and beyond to support us. Placing signs in the yard, painting windows, entertaining residents with “window visits”, the chalk art community rally last week, and so much more!
Finally, the leadership team would like the thank each and every team member at Brookestone of Papillion for their commitment, sacrifice, teamwork, and love!
Please know we appreciate all of the support during this challenging time. We will make it through this together!
March 27, 2020
Brookestone of Papillion was notified on the evening of Thursday, March 26, that a resident had tested positive for COVID-19 / Coronavirus. Since that time, we have been in close communication with officials from the Sarpy/Cass County Department of Health and the State of Nebraska to ensure we are taking the appropriate steps. We also notified residents, families and team members of the situation.
Out of respect for privacy, we cannot provide specific details on the resident, but we can tell you that they were transferred to our facility from an Omaha hospital last week. Upon arrival, the resident was cared for in a private isolated room and did not move about the building. Shortly after admission, when symptoms were identified, we involved the primary care physician as well as the Sarpy/Cass County Department of Health to obtain testing. After test result notification on Thursday evening, we worked with health officials to coordinate the safe transfer of the resident to an Omaha area hospital.
We will continue to follow all of our rigorous safety and infection control protocols that are in place to help in preventing the spread of the virus to our residents and team members. We have restricted visitors from entering the facility for more than two weeks (since Saturday, March 7, one week prior to a national mandate) and have enacted all recommendations from the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) including cancelling all group activities and group dining.