Covid-19 Information
September 17, 2021 (Current)
Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,
Happy to share some much-awaited updates!
Updated CMS Quarantine Protocol: Going forward, only UNVACCINATED Residents identified as a close contact during contact tracing will be subject to a 14-day quarantine. We are relieved that guidance overseeing the LTC industry is now inline with recommendations for the rest of the country as it pertains to possible covid exposures.
Updated CMS Outbreak Testing: Going forward only Residents and Staff identified as a close contact (15-minute exposure in 24 hours) will be incorporated in the three-step outbreak testing process.
Updated CMS Positivity Tracking: The CMS positivity table is no longer being published to rate community transmission for LTC facilities. Instead, the CDC COVID-19 Integrated County View is used for this purpose, as is the case for routine testing of unvaccinated staff. All Ohio counties continue to be red (high spread) today. This tool is more reflective of real time data than what was previously utilized and offers a plethora of interesting data for our local community. The positivity rate is currently 11.58% for Hamilton County. https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view
Caution While Near Building: Until further notice, please be cautious while entering/exiting the facility as we are in the process of having the entire roof replaced. Residents will only be permitted to utilize covered outdoor spaces while there is a risk of shingles and nails falling from above (porch and front portico). Our Maintenance staff will be using a magnet roller around the facility twice a day however due to the sheer size of our roof, it is very important that everyone be cautious and not loiter outside near the facility until this project has been completed.
Help Keep Us Covid Free: If you are experiencing any symptoms of an upper respiratory infection or have been around someone who has been sick, please stay away from the facility as the symptoms for covid-19 continue to evolve.
Covid-19 Status: We have had no known positive resident cases of COVID-19. We encourage Residents to resume wearing facial coverings indoors as recommended by the CDC due to the delta variant regardless of vaccination status.
As always, if you have any questions please contact Heather Hefren hhefren@beechwoodhome.com (Director of Social Services), Scot Harmon sharmon@beechwoodhome.com (Administrator) and/or Patricia Clark pclark@beechwoodhome.com (CEO).
Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator
Click on date to see previous communications
September 13, 2021 Special Update
September 10, 2021
September 8, 2021 Special Update
September 7, 2021 Notice on COVID-19 Testing
September 3, 2021 Special Update
August 26, 2020
August 20, 2020
August 16, 2020 Special Update
August 13, 2020
August 8, 2021 Special Update
August 6, 2021
July 30, 2021
July 23, 2021
July 16, 2021
July, 2, 2021
June 25, 2021
June 23, 2021 Special Update
June 18, 2021
June 11, 2021
June 4, 2021
May 28, 2021
May 21, 2021
May 14, 2021
May 8, 2021 Special Update
May 7, 2021
April 30, 2021
April 23, 2021
April 16, 2021
April 9, 2021 Special Update
April 9, 2021
April 3, 2021 Special Update
March 26, 2021
March 23, 2021 Special Update
March 22, 2021 Special Update
March 19, 2021
March 17, 2021 Special Update
March 12, 2021 Special Update
March 12, 2021
March 11, 2021 Special Update
March 5, 2021
February 26, 2021
February 18, 2121 Special Update
February 12, 2021
February 5, 2021
January 29, 2021
January 26, 2021 Special Update
January 25, 2021 Special Update
January 22, 2021
January 16, 2021 Special Update
January 15, 2021 Special Update
January 13, 2021 Special Update
January 11, 2021 Special Update
January 8, 2021 Special Update
January 8, 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
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September 13, 2021 Special Update
Dear Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,
Summary of Changes Since Last Notice:
We are reporting one (1) additional staff member who has tested positive. This brings our total active cases to two (2). The facility has had a cumulative total of thirty-four (34) staff confirmed Covid-19 tests associated with the facility to date. The staff member has been placed on medical leave and removed from the schedule upon notification to minimize exposure risk to other Residents/Staff and will remain on medical leave until they meet the mandated criteria to return to work.
Action Plan.
Our action plan will mirror revised state and local guidance. No initial outbreak testing is needed due to the staff member not having entered the facility since August. As a result, zero (0) residents were identified as close contacts. Breakout testing will continue for our other active case. If all residents remain COVID-free throughout this period, we will revert to surveillance monitoring. Any subsequent positive test results will be communicated.
Contact us with questions.
If you have any questions about COVID-19 or the steps that we are taking to protect our residents, please contact Scot Harmon, Administrator, at 513-842-0774, sharmon@beechwoodhome.com.
Sincerely,
Scot Harmon (Administrator) and Patricia Clark (CEO, Administrator)
September 10, 2021
Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,
HHS Vaccine Mandate: After President Biden’s speech yesterday evening expanding the vaccine mandate to cover roughly 100 million Americans, the rule impacting our industry has been delayed. We now expect to have more information regarding the Covid-19 vaccine mandate impacting Long Term Care Facilities in October.
Operational Changes: In preparation for the upcoming vaccine mandate, our HR department is only extending employment offers to those that are either already vaccinated or have expressed interest in getting vaccinated after hire date.
Help Keep Us Covid Free: If you are experiencing any symptoms of an upper respiratory infection or have been around someone who has been sick, please stay away from the facility as the symptoms for covid-19 continue to evolve.
Hamilton County’s positivity rate: has increased to 10%. This is an increase of 1.1%. Visitation under the current order will NOT be suspended if the positivity rate surpasses 10% due to our Resident vaccinated rate being greater than 70%. We encourage everyone to take a moment and consider your exposure risk as you go about your daily life decisions, especially if visiting the facility is part of your routine. We highly recommend knowing your testing status before coming to the facility to keep our community as safe as possible.
Covid-19 Status: We have had no known positive resident cases of COVID-19. We encourage Residents to resume wearing facial coverings indoors as recommended by the CDC due to the delta variant regardless of vaccination status.
As always, if you have any questions please contact Heather Hefren hhefren@beechwoodhome.com (Director of Social Services), Scot Harmon sharmon@beechwoodhome.com (Administrator) and/or Patricia Clark pclark@beechwoodhome.com (CEO).
Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator
September 8, 2021 Special Update
Dear Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,
Summary of Changes Since Last Notice:
We are reporting one (1) additional staff member who has tested positive. This brings our total active cases to two (2). The facility has had a cumulative total of thirty-three (33) staff confirmed Covid-19 tests associated with the facility to date. The staff member has been placed on medical leave and removed from the schedule upon notification to minimize exposure risk to other Residents/Staff and will remain on medical leave until they meet the mandated criteria to return to work.
Action Plan.
Our action plan will mirror revised state and local guidance. Under this approach, all residents have been tested, and all tests came back negative. Zero (0) residents were identified as close contacts. Breakout testing will include two additional rounds of testing. If all residents remain COVID-free throughout this period, we will revert to surveillance monitoring. Any subsequent positive test results will be communicated.
Contact us with questions.
If you have any questions about COVID-19 or the steps that we are taking to protect our residents, please contact Scot Harmon, Administrator, at 513-842-0774, sharmon@beechwoodhome.com.
Sincerely,
Scot Harmon (Administrator) and Patricia Clark (CEO, Administrator)
NOTICE: September 7, 2021
COVID-19 TESTINGWHO: Any visitor to the facility HOW: Either call on your way (car test) or ask the Receptionist upon your arrival (in room) for a rapid covid-19 test and our Testing Staff will administer the swab shortly after your arrival. Thank you in advance to all visitors that take advantage of this potentially lifesaving screening tool! Heather Hefren MSW, LSW |
September 3, 2021 Special Update
Dear Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,
Summary of Changes Since Last Notice:
We are reporting one (1) additional staff member who has tested positive. This brings our total active cases to one (1). The facility has had a cumulative total of thirty-two (32) staff confirmed Covid-19 tests associated with the facility to date. The staff member has been placed on medical leave and removed from the schedule upon notification to minimize exposure risk to other Residents/Staff and will remain on medical leave until they meet the mandated criteria to return to work.
Action Plan.
Our action plan will mirror revised state and local guidance. Under this approach, all residents have been tested, and all tests came back negative. Three (3) residents were identified as close contacts and their representatives have been notified. We will test all residents again later this week and the following week. If all residents remain COVID-free throughout this period, we will revert to surveillance monitoring. Any subsequent positive test results will be communicated.
Contact us with questions.
If you have any questions about COVID-19 or the steps that we are taking to protect our residents, please contact Scot Harmon, Administrator, at 513-842-0774, sharmon@beechwoodhome.com.
Sincerely,
Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator
August 26, 2021
Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,
UPDATED Voluntary FREE Covid Testing: If you thought waiting in your car wasn't convenient, we are now offering free voluntary rapid covid 19 testing in a Resident's room for visitors. For those interested, please let the Receptionist know upon your arrival that you would like to be tested and we will meet you in your loved one's room.
This service is available Monday to Friday (9 AM to 2:00 PM) for any visitor coming to the facility. While we recommend this for everyone, we especially hope that any unvaccinated visitors ensure they are negative before visiting to protect their loved one and our community.
HHS Vaccine Mandate: Through our professional grapevines, we have heard that details pertaining to HHS's vaccine mandate for all nursing home staff members will not be published until mid-September. In the meantime, we are doing all that we can to increase staffing for at risk departments and continuing educational outreach to staff members that remain unvaccinated.
Help Keep Us Covid Free: If you are experiencing any symptoms of an upper respiratory infection or have been around someone who has been sick, please stay away from the facility as the symptoms for covid-19 continue to evolve.
Hamilton County's positivity rate: has increased to 8.8%. This is an increase of .9%. Visitation under the current order will NOT be suspended if the positivity rate surpasses 10% due to our Resident vaccinated rate being greater than 70%. We encourage everyone to take a moment and consider your exposure risk as you go about your daily life decisions, especially if visiting the facility is part of your routine. We highly recommend knowing your testing status before coming to the facility to keep our community as safe as possible.
Covid-19 Status: We have had no known positive resident cases of COVID-19. We encourage Residents to resume wearing facial coverings indoors as recommended by the CDC due to the delta variant regardless of vaccination status.
As always, if you have any questions please contact Heather Hefren hhefren@beechwoodhome.com (Director of Social Services), Scot Harmon sharmon@beechwoodhome.com (Administrator) and/or Patricia Clark pclark@beechwoodhome.com (CEO).
Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator
August 20, 2021
Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,
Voluntary FREE Covid Testing: We highly recommend knowing your testing status before coming to the facility to keep our community as safe as possible and are happy to report that some visitors requested a free rapid covid test this week and the process went smoothly. We will continue to offer voluntary FREE rapid covid tests Monday to Friday (9 AM to 2:00 PM) for any visitor coming to the facility. Please call 321-9294 ext 105 (Tim W) a couple minutes before arrival and we will meet you outside. Please also contact Tim to discuss covid testing outside of these hours as needed.
The rapid tests we use are also available for purchase without a prescription (BinaxNOW COVID 19 Antigen Self Test) from Amazon, Walmart and CVS (for example). The cost currently is around $10/test.
Developing Story #1: HHS will be mandating that all staff in a nursing home be vaccinated or lose funding which overrides our ethics committee meeting last week. The primary payer source for our residents is Medicaid therefore we must adhere to the directive when it becomes active. There are no details available at this time regarding timeline or possible exemptions however we will continue to monitor the situation closely.
Developing Story #2: HHS announced this week that a 3rd shot will be made available to everyone eight months after their initial vaccination series starting in September 2021. A majority of our Residents will be eligible early October.
Hamilton County's positivity rate: has increased to 7.9%. This is an increase of 1.8%. Visitation under the current order will NOT be suspended if the positivity rate surpasses 10% due to our Resident vaccinated rate being greater than 70%. We encourage everyone to take a moment and consider your exposure risk as you go about your daily life decisions, especially if visiting the facility is part of your routine. We highly recommend knowing your testing status before coming to the facility to keep our community as safe as possible.
Covid-19 Status: We have had no known positive resident cases of COVID-19. We encourage Residents to resume wearing facial coverings indoors as recommended by the CDC due to the delta variant regardless of vaccination status.
Help Keep Us Covid Free: Due to the more transmissible delta variant, we continue to encourage everyone get a Covid-19 vaccine to protect against the worst symptoms of Covid-19. If you are experiencing any symptoms of an upper respiratory infection, please stay away from the facility as the symptoms for covid-19 continue to evolve.
As always, if you have any questions please contact Heather Hefren hhefren@beechwoodhome.com (Director of Social Services), Scot Harmon sharmon@beechwoodhome.com (Administrator) and/or Patricia Clark pclark@beechwoodhome.com (CEO).
Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator
August 16, 2021 - Special Update
Dear Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,
Summary of Changes Since Last Notice:
We are reporting one (1) additional staff member who has tested positive. This brings our total active cases to two (2). The facility has had a cumulative total of thirty-one (31) staff confirmed Covid-19 tests associated with the facility to date. The staff member has been placed on medical leave and removed from the schedule upon notification to minimize exposure risk to other Residents/Staff and will remain on medical leave until they meet the mandated criteria to return to work.
Action Plan.
Our action plan will mirror revised state and local guidance. Under this approach, all residents have been tested, and all tests came back negative. Eight (8) residents were identified as close contacts and their representatives have been notified. We will test all residents again later this week and the following week. If all residents remain COVID-free throughout this period, we will revert to surveillance monitoring. Any subsequent positive test results will be communicated.
Contact us with questions.
If you have any questions about COVID-19 or the steps that we are taking to protect our residents, please contact Scot Harmon, Administrator, at 513-842-0774, sharmon@beechwoodhome.com.
Sincerely,
Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator
August 13, 2021 - Please read in entirety
Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,
Voluntary FREE Covid Testing: We strongly encourage all Residents and Visitors to take advantage of this amazing opportunity to routinely know your covid status. All staff are tested at least weekly related to proactive measures the facility has implemented. Visitors currently pose the biggest risk to our resident’s wellbeing, as the general public is not routinely tested for covid, and offering FREE testing is an additional layer of protection we want to provide our Beechwood community.
- Visitors will be offered a voluntary FREE rapid covid test Monday – Friday (9 AM to 2:00 PM prior to entry) if they wish to ensure they are negative at the time of their visit. Please call 321-9294 ext 105 (Tim W) a couple minutes before arrival and we will meet you outside with a rapid test which takes 15 minutes for the results to be available. If you plan to visit over the weekend, you are welcome to stop by on Friday and get tested. Please also contact Tim to discuss covid testing outside of these hours for unique circumstances.
- If coming to the facility for a free rapid test is not convenient for you, the same rapid test we use (BinaxNOW COVID‐19 Antigen Self Test) is available from Amazon, Walmart and CVS (for example). The cost currently is around $10 per test. If you have concerns about how the test is performed, click the BinaxNOW picture to view a video from the manufacturer that explains how the test works step by step. The nasal swab barely goes into your nose, so zero concern about brain tickles.
- Residents will be offered voluntary covid tests on a routine basis
Developing Story: Our Ethic’s Committee met this week to discuss a covid vaccine mandate for employees and we were very fortunate to have an expert in the field of Covid join our conversation from UC/VA in addition to consulting with our legal team. As you can imagine this is a very complex topic frankly nobody wants to have. Due to proposed legislation in Ohio which if passed would ban vaccine mandates, our committee has elected to postpone a decision at this time and will continue to analyze industry recommendations and legal developments. We ask for everyone’s’ patience and understanding during these unprecedented times.
Hamilton County’s positivity rate: has increased to 6.1%. This is an increase of 1.4%. Clarification was made regarding visitation. Visitation under the current order will NOT be suspended if the positivity rate surpasses 10% due to our Resident vaccinated rate being greater than 70%. I am sure this is welcome news to everyone as the positivity rate continues to climb. With that being said, we encourage everyone to take a moment and consider your exposure risk as you go about your daily life decisions, especially if visiting the facility is part of your routine. With the highly transmissible delta variant, the decisions you make impact those around you. We highly recommend knowing your testing status before coming to the facility to keep our community as safe as possible.
Covid-19 Status: We have had no known positive resident cases of COVID-19. We encourage Residents to resume wearing facial coverings indoors as recommended by the CDC due to the delta variant regardless of vaccination status.
Help Keep Us Covid Free: Due to the more transmissible delta variant, we continue to encourage everyone get a Covid-19 vaccine to protect against the worst symptoms of Covid-19. If you are experiencing any symptoms of an upper respiratory infection, please stay away from the facility as the symptoms for covid-19 continue to evolve.
As always, if you have any questions please contact Heather Hefren hhefren@beechwoodhome.com (Director of Social Services), Scot Harmon sharmon@beechwoodhome.com (Administrator) and/or Patricia Clark pclark@beechwoodhome.com (CEO).
Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator
August 8, 2021 Special Update
Dear Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,
Summary of Changes Since Last Notice:
We are reporting one (1) additional staff member who has tested positive. This brings our total active cases to one (1). The facility has had cumulative total of thirty (30) staff confirmed Covid-19 tests associated with the facility to date. The staff member has been placed on medical leave and removed from the schedule upon notification to minimize exposure risk to other Residents/Staff and will remain on medical leave until a physician certifies they are safe to return to work.
Action Plan.
Our action plan will mirror revised state and local guidance. Under this approach, all residents were tested this morning and all tests came back negative. Zero (0) residents were identified as close contacts as a result Scheduled Visitation will continue without interruption. We will test all residents again next week and the following week. If all residents remain COVID-free throughout this period, we will revert back to surveillance monitoring. Any subsequent positive test results will be communicated.
Contact us with questions.
If you have any questions about COVID-19 or the steps that we are taking to protect our residents, please contact Scot Harmon, Administrator, at 513-842-0774, sharmon@beechwoodhome.com.
Sincerely,
Scot Harmon, Administrator & Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO
August 6, 2021
Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,
Covid-19 Status: We have had no known positive resident cases of COVID-19. We strongly encourage Residents to resume wearing facial coverings indoors as recommended by the CDC due to the delta variant regardless of vaccination status.
Developing Events: Momentum in the medical industry is picking up when it comes to the topic of mandating covid-19 vaccinations in the medical setting. Locally the leaders of Children's Hospital, Christ Hospital, UC Health, St. Elizabeth, Mercy Health and TriHealth came together during a press conference yesterday to announce that all staff will be required to have had the covid-19 vaccination for continued employment in the fall. Episcopal Retirement Services based in Cincinnati operates 30 facilities across three states recently announced a covid-19 vaccination requirement for staff members. The Delta variant is rapidly changing the functional landscape of many facets of our lives which we thought were behind us. Our Ethics Committee is meeting next week to discuss mandating covid-19 vaccinations to protect Residents and Staff as much as is possible.
Reading the Tea Leaves: The Governor of California signed an order yesterday indicating that all visitors to healthcare settings need to be vaccinated or show proof of a recent covid-19 test before entering. Our Covid-19 committee closely monitors all regulatory orders and at this time vaccinations status is not a criterion for visitation however we strongly encourage any unvaccinated visitors to consider getting vaccinated as this may be a protection added in Ohio to protect vulnerable populations.
Hamilton County’s positivity rate: has increased to 4.7%. This is an increase of 1.7%. The visitation program can continue if the positivity rate remains below 10%. Please be aware that the positivity rate is increasingly rapidly. If you have not had the opportunity to see a loved one in a while, please take the opportunity to do so in the event visitation is put on hold.
Help Keep Us Covid Free: Due to the significantly more transmissible delta variant now dominant in America, we continue to encourage everyone get a Covid-19 vaccine to protect against the worst symptoms of Covid-19. If you are experiencing any symptoms of an upper respiratory infection, please stay away from the facility as the symptoms for covid-19 continue to evolve.
Open Vaccine Clinic: We would like to welcome anyone that is interested in getting a Covid-19 vaccine to our next vaccine clinic in a couple weeks. The Moderna vaccine will be administered by Skilled Care Pharmacists. Please contact SHarmon@beechwoodhome.com if you or anyone you know is interested in participating. Together we make everyone safer by getting vaccinated.
As always, if you have any questions please contact Heather Hefren hhefren@beechwoodhome.com (Director of Social Services), Scot Harmon sharmon@beechwoodhome.com (Administrator) and/or Patricia Clark pclark@beechwoodhome.com (CEO).
Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator