Covid update

August 10, 2020

Hello Residents, Families and Employees of RCN!

Our third round of all RCN employees and multiple agency employee testing that took place last Wednesday indicated all negative results. I am so proud of the mitigation efforts our employees, residents, and families (during porch visits) are taking to keep us safe!

This week, we will test 20% of our employees, and another 20% each week to follow. This will be the protocol unless a positive case warrants more testing.

I have been asked several times about resumption of dining, activities, and salon services. I reached out to the Home and Community Facilities Branch Chief for the Dept of Health and her response was this:

“The Public Health Order and current guidance has not changed. Per the CMS memo, referred to in the PHO, communal dining and all group activities, such as internal and external group activities, should be cancelled. The LTCF checklist contains this same language. I know there have been ongoing discussions to update the guidance and it is something the Governor’s Residential Strike Force team has talked about. However, I’m not aware of any official updated guidance.”

We at RCN and all other similar communities wish for nothing more than for residents to be able to dine together and join in activities, etc. We eagerly await the lifting of restrictions and know that many family members are an integral part of our care team that are sorely missed.

I will continue to update…thank you.

Regards,

Mar