Covid-19 Information

August 7, 2020 (Current)

Dear Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,

COVID-19 Testing:

This week marked the beginning of routine/surveillance testing of staff for the LTC industry in Ohio for the foreseeable future. We are happy to report that all results received so far (90%) have been negative. Residents will only be tested as needed or tested to lessen quarantine time due to an outside appointment.

Outdoor Visitation Developments:

The Outdoor Visitation program is wrapping up its third week and we are thrilled to receive so much positive feedback from Residents and Family/Friends regarding their experience.

GOOD NEWS:

We have assessed participation in the Outdoor Visitation Program and have determined that there is the opportunity to create an overflow list which would provide those who request an additional session to possibly secure a second session if the schedule in a given week is identified to have open slots. If this is something you are interested in, when making your first reservation request please include a day/time for a second visitation request. First requests will be confirmed upon receipt of request, second requests will be confirmed at a later day/time.

CONCERNS:

The goal of the outdoor visitation program is to provide a safe and private opportunity for family/friends to connect with a Resident. It has come to our attention that a small number of visitors are violating the published guidelines of our program, which is disappointing to hear, as the guidelines are in place in protect those who live here. If/when the facility is alerted to a violation, follow up will be made to those individuals. Participation in the outdoor visitation program may be terminated for those committing violations. If you have any questions about the guidelines, please inquire.

PROGRAM IS NOT MANDATED:

While we acknowledge the guidelines are frustrating for some, please be aware that there are many facilities in Hamilton Country that have elected not to develop an Outdoor Visitation Program. The Governor indicated that outdoor visitation could start in late July however it was not mandated to offer this service. We request everyone adhere to the parameters of our program so that the program can continue.

Now accepting reservations for 8/17 – 8/21. Reservation window closes on 8/12.

-Monday (2nd floor residents): 10:00, 11:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00

-Tuesday (3rd floor residents): 10:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00

-Wednesday (2nd floor residents): 10:00, 11:00

-Thursday (3rd floor residents): 10:00, 11:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00

-Friday (2nd floor residents): 10:00, 11:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00

Please contact Heather by email (hhefren@beechwoodhome.com) or text (513-702-8301) to request a session.

Maternity Leave

-Heather Hefren is expected to start her maternity leave mid-September. We are in the process of creating a transition plan to cover her duties and information pertaining to who is covering what will be communicated early September. If there are any topics you would like to discuss with her, please reach out soon so that there is ample time to complete any requested projects before her leave is expected to begin.

As always if you have any questions/comments/concerns, please feel free to contact Heather Hefren hhefren@beechwoodhome.com (Director of Social Services), Scot Harmon sharmon@beechwoodhome.com (Administrator) and/or Patricia Clark pclark@beechwoodhome.com (CEO).

Sincerely,

Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator

Click on date to see previous communications

August 2, 2020 (Special Update)

July 31, 2020

July 30, 2020 (Special Update)

July 24, 2020

July 15, 2020

July 15, 2020 - Special Update

July 13, 2020

July 10, 2020 Update

July 10, 2020 Notice #2

July 10, 2020 Notice #1

July 7, 2020

July 3, 2020

June 30, 2020

June 26, 2020

June 19, 2020

June 12, 2020

June 5, 2020

May 29, 2020

May 22, 2020

May 15, 2020

May 8, 2020

May 1, 2020

April 24, 2020

April 17, 2020

April 14, 2020

April 13, 2020

April 6, 2020

April 3, 2020

March 24, 2020

March 23, 2020

March 18, 2020

March 15, 2020

March 13, 2020

March 11, 2020

_____________________________________________________________________________

August 2, 2020 (Special Update)

Dear Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,

Summary of Changes Since Last Notice:

While unfortunate but not unexpected, an additional staff member has tested positive for Covid-19. 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 seven (7) confirmed Covid-19 tests associated with the facility to date. This staff member 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 revised action plan will mirror state and local guidance to strategically test residents and staff through the contact tracing approach. Under this approach, we will identify all residents and staff that had close contact over the preceding two days since the onset of symptoms (or two days prior to the date tested positive if asymptomatic) with the newly identified COVID-positive individual. Those identified will be tested to determine any potential exposure as soon as possible. The Nursing Department will communicate with any identified residents and their responsible parties. Any subsequent positive test results will be communicated.

We know that this pandemic is particularly challenging for you. We empathize with your feelings of separation and vulnerability, and we want to thank you for your ongoing support and trust. 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

July 31, 2020

Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,

Covid-19 Testing

The Ohio Department of Health has published new guidelines indicating routine testing of staff in the Long-Term Care setting is mandated. Initially this will occur bi-weekly. The benefit of routine testing is that asymptotic cases will be identified however we anticipate that this will result in an increase of positive cases related to the facility due to the current status of Covid-19 in our region.

Positive Cases

Our new action plan mirrors state and local guidelines. In the notice we are not permitted to disclose any identifying information about the positive case. As part of the contract tracing process, we will identify Residents and Staff who may have had an exposure. For Residents who may have had an exposure, both the Resident and the Responsible Party will be informed, in addition to a Covid-19 test being conducted.

Outdoor Visitation:

Reservations for are now closed for 8/3 – 8/7.

Now accepting reservations for 8/10 – 8/14. Reservation window closes on 8/6.

-Monday (3rd floor residents): 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00

-Tuesday (2nd floor residents): 9:00, 10:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00

-Wednesday (3rd floor residents): 9:00, 10:00, 11:00

-Thursday (2nd floor residents): 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00

-Friday (3rd floor residents): 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 2:00, 3:00

Please contact Heather by email (hhefren@beechwoodhome.com) or text (513-702-8301) to request a session. Reservations will be confirmed on a first come, first serve basis.

Visitation tips:

-We encourage family/social networks to coordinate together to ensure everyone has an opportunity to schedule an outdoor visitation session with a Resident. For example, knowing the 1st week of the month is always your week to schedule a session may be helpful without having to worry that you are conflicting with anyone else.

-For some, talking while wearing a facial covering through a plexiglass barrier makes communication challenging. We received feedback from some visitors that they have utilized cellphones to communicate with their loved one during an outdoor visit and this has been an effective strategy. We are also in the process of obtaining some headsets to use with voice amplification devices for Residents we feel this would benefit.

-Friendly reminder that visitors are NOT permitted to enter the facility. Outdoor visitation sessions occur in the front gated area and we ask visitors to head to their assigned stations upon arrival.

Ohio Department of Health Notice:
-Please review the notice regarding the Flu Fact Sheet. This winter Covid-19 and the Flu will be circulating in our community, both of which are of great concern to those who reside at the facility.

Flu Fact Sheet Notice

Sincerely,

Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator

July 30, 2020 (Special Update)

Dear Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,

Summary of Changes Since Last Notice:

While unfortunate but not unexpected, an additional staff member has tested positive for Covid-19. 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 six (6) confirmed Covid-19 tests associated with the facility to date. This staff member 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 new action plan will mirror state and local guidance to strategically test residents and staff through the contact tracing approach. Under this approach, we will identify all residents and staff that had close contact over the preceding seven days with the newly identified COVID-positive individual. Those identified will be tested to identify any potential exposure as soon as possible. Any subsequent positive test results will be communicated.

Sincerely,

Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator

July 24, 2020

Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,

Great news:

-Round 2 testing of staff completed last week came back 100% negative!

Outdoor Visitation:

Reservations for 7/27/20 – 7/31/20 are now closed.

Now accepting reservations for 8/3/20 -8/7/20. Reservation window closes on 7/30/20.

-Monday 3rd (2nd floor residents): 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00

-Tuesday 4th (3rd floor residents): 9:00, 10:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00

-Wednesday 5th (2nd floor residents): 9:00, 10:00, 11:00

-Thursday 6^th (3rd floor residents): 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00

-Friday 7th (2nd floor residents): 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 2:00, 3:00

Please email (hhefren@beechwoodhome.com) or text (513-702-8301) Heather to request a session. Reservations will be confirmed on a first come, first serve basis.

Visitation tips:

-Visitors are NOT permitted to enter the facility. Please head to the front gated area upon arrival and head to the station # assigned to your visit. The screening questionnaire, logbook and temperature check will occur at each station.

- The guidance from the Ohio Department of Health strongly encourages no contact visits. The setup of our outdoor visitation program is designed to maximize preventative measures only if everyone complies with staying in front of the plexiglass barrier. While we acknowledge it is possible to make contact with each other, we strongly plea to everyone involved not to do this. We have been successful at keeping all Residents Covid-19 free which is a major achievement. Intentionally bypassing our infection control barriers during your visit, while it may feel good in the moment, puts the lives of everyone who resides here at risk. We sincerely hope that everyone who participates in this program acknowledges these risks and chooses to comply with the process we have designed.

Request for Understanding:

-For safety reasons, outdoors visitation sessions may be cancelled at the last minute if lightening, thunder or heavy rain is present. If we observe that a storm is approaching, we will do our best to provide advanced notice of cancellations and rescheduling opportunities if available. Family/friends are encouraged to contact the front desk (513-321-9294) to inquire about the status of our outdoor visitation program on a given day as it relates to weather prior to your departure.

Everything Is Gonna Be All Right

By Christina S. Callard

The day is sunny and very bright,
Yet no one is out, which really isn't right.

They are all inside, away from society,
While doctors are working with huge anxiety

Many doctors are racing to find a cure.
Without it our community is not secure.

I watch as many people mope,
Some reason, I am still filled with hope.

Somehow I start to smile,
Almost like it's my wedding day
and I'm walking down the aisle.

As I go to bed I begin to ponder,
Why them not me my brain starts to wonder.

I lay down as my mother kisses me good night,
Then she says, "Everything is gonna be all right.”

(Poet Christina Callard is the ten-year-old granddaughter of one of our residents)

Sincerely,

Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator

July 15, 2020

Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,

Now accepting reservations for 7/27/20 -7/31/20. Reservation window closes on 7/23/20.

-Monday 27^th (3rd floor residents): 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00

-Tuesday 28^th (2nd floor residents): 9:00, 10:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00

-Wednesday 29th (3rd floor residents): 9:00, 10:00, 11:00

-Thursday 30^th (2nd floor residents): 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00

-Friday 31^st (3rd floor residents): 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 2:00, 3:00

Please email (hhefren@beechwoodhome.com) or text (513-702-8301) Heather to request a session. Reservations will be confirmed on a first come, first serve basis.

Scheduling tips:

-Encourage family/friends to coordinate scheduling requests either by discussing visits together with a Resident or identifying a specific week for someone to know it is their week to visit. To ensure each Resident can participate in the program each week, Residents have the opportunity for one session/week. Friendly reminder maximum of 3 visitors at a time.

-When requesting a session, please include a day, time and name of Resident participating in session.

-Verify that your loved one is participating in the program on the day that you request.

Visitation tips:

-We request that a majority of our visitors park in the back parking lot and walk to the front of the building to participate in their outdoor visitation session. If someone is unable to walk that distance, there are a couple parking spots available in the front available for use.

Request for Understanding:

-We recognize that this outdoor visitation program is not perfect and sympathize with the preference for evening/weekend sessions. Orchestrating a program of this nature has numerous moving parts that must line up perfectly for a smooth operation and positive experience for everyone. Many of our administrative staff members are involved in this program and as a result the identified limitations were during working hours Monday- Friday to be successful. Having adequate staffing was one of the mandatory guidelines for developing a program of this nature which we are complying with and hope everyone can understand why the program is designed the way it is.

-For safety reasons, outdoors visitation sessions will be cancelled at the last minute if lightening is present. If you observe that your session day is going to have thunderstorms and want to proactively cancel the session, please let us know ASAP.

Sincerely,

Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator

July 15, 2020 - Special Update

Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,

We are thrilled to report that 100% of Round 2 Resident Covid-19 tests completed on Monday are negative! We are still waiting on the results for the Staff testing completed yesterday.

This wonderful news illustrates how vital mask wearing, hand hygiene and social distancing are at preventing the spread of this virus. Keep up the good work everyone!

Sincerely,

Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator

July 13, 2020

Residents/Family/Friends,

As of this writing, we are going to proceed with initiating the outdoor visitation program beginning on Monday July 20th.

Who: Initially Residents will have a maximum of one session per week. During these sessions, up to three friends/family can be in attendance.

What: Please email (hhefren@beechwoodhome.com) or text (513) 702-8301 Heather to request a session. Reservations will be confirmed on a first come, first serve basis. When requesting a session, please include the following in your message:

-Preferred session day/time

-Name of Resident who will be participating

-Names of family/friends who will be participating in the session

When: Now taking reservations for July 20th – July 24th. Please reference the Outdoor Visitation Schedule when requesting an appointment day/time as sessions will not be confirmed if the Resident does not have access to the 1st floor on that particular day. Sessions are 40 minutes in duration.

-Mondays: 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 2:00, 3:00, 4:00

-Tuesdays: 9:00, 3:00, 4:00

-Wednesdays: 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 2:00

-Thursdays: 9:00, 3:00, 4:00

-Fridays: 9:00, 10:00, 11:00, 2:00, 3:00

Where: Outdoor visitation will take place in the front circle area within doorways.

As a friendly reminder, all aspects of this Outdoor Visitation Program are subject to change. Additionally, all aspects of the Video Chat Program are also subject to change as we integrate new programs into the daily routine of the facility.

We would appreciate your feedback as this program rolls out as it is our goal to balance engagement with family/friends, covid-19 transmission risk and timely execution of the program.

If you have any questions/comments/concerns, please feel free to contact Heather Hefren hhefren@beechwoodhome.com (Director of Social Services)

Sincerely,

Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator

July 10, 2020 Weekly Letter

Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,

Status of Hamilton County: Last week, Governor DeWine in partnership with the Ohio Department of Health launched the Ohio Public Health Advisory System. It includes a map of all Ohio counties and categories them with a color-coded system based upon data pertaining to the status of community spread. This week, Hamilton County has been added to the watch list which means that the county is on the verge of turning purple which indicates “Level 4 Public Emergency: severe exposure and spread. Only leave home for supplies and services”. We anticipate that the increase in cases related to the facility is directly correlated to the circumstances our surrounding area is experiencing. Here is a link to this resource for your personal use. https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/public-health-advisory-system/

Quarantine Procedure: We have updated our procedure to limit the amount of time a Resident is isolated to their room after a community outing. Upon return, they will enter a quarantine and on day 5 a Covid-19 test will be swabbed. If the result is negative the quarantine will end, which will hopefully result in a 50% reduction in quarantine duration.

Resident Mail: For Residents who are unable to manage their personal mail, please let us know if you would like the mail set aside for pickup going forward.

Outdoor Visitation Guidance: The Fourth Amended Director’s Order may permit residents to have visitors in an outdoor setting in accordance with the guidelines and exceptions set forth below. The information below contains portions of the order which we feel are most important for everyone to be aware of.

Homes should consider all of the following as part of developing a comprehensive plan to commence outdoor visitation: case status in surrounding community, case status in the facility, staffing levels, access to adequate testing for residents and staff, PPE inventory and availability and local hospital capacity
No contact visits
Visitation policy includes screening visitors and maintaining a log of contact information for each visit.
Visitors are REQUIRED to wear a mask and when possible, residents should also wear a mask. All visitors should be an age of such maturity as to facilitate social distancing as required by the Order.
Home needs to have adequate staff on site to screen visitors.
On-site visits must be scheduled with the Home. Visitors will be provided a time for the visit as well as the length of the visit.
Contingency plans in place for adverse weather. Shade provided for residents.
All visitors shall be over the age of two.
No more than three visitors shall be permitted per resident per visit.

Our plan: Everyone involved in the outdoor visitation program needs to be aware that all aspects of this program are subject to change. The order specifically indicates that it is the responsibility of the Home to assess a variety of changing factors and assess if the current program is appropriate for the status of the pandemic in our area.

Friendly Reminder: While texting and email are our primary forms of communication with everyone, we acknowledge it can be difficult to reference prior notices in these formats. Located on our website is an archive containing all Covid-19 related notices that has been distributed. https://www.beechwoodhome.com/covid19

Sincerely,

Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator

July 10, 2020 Notice #2

Dear Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,

Summary of Changes Since Last Notice:

While unfortunate but not unexpected, additional staff have tested positive for Covid-19. We are reporting two additional staff members who have tested positive. This brings our total active cases to five. The facility has had a cumulative total of five confirmed Covid-19 tests associated with the facility to date. Both have 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.

Update:

100% of Residents test results are in from Round 1 and 100% WERE NEGATIVE!

94% of Staff test results are in for Round 1.

Action Plan.

Our action plan is to proceed with Round 2 testing which will begin next week. Residents will have Round 2 swabs taken on Monday. Staff will have Round 2 swabs taken on Tuesday. Based upon the test results from Round 2, Round 3 of testing may be scheduled. Any subsequent positive test results will be communicated.

Sincerely,

Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator

July 10, 2020 Notice 1

Dear Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,

Summary

While unfortunate but not unexpected, additional staff have tested positive for Covid-19. We are reporting two additional staff members who have tested positive. This bring our total active cases to three. The facility has had a total of three confirmed Covid-19 tests associated with the facility to date. All three staff members were immediately 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. On a positive note, these latest two cases were not associated with the Round 1 testing performed this week. They were community tests performed prior to the initiation of our action plan and these individuals have not worked any shifts at the facility prior to the initiation of our action plan. As a result, completion of Round 2 testing next week should identify any potential positive cases which could have been associated with the three active staff positive cases. These additional cases sadden us, and our hearts go out to those affected. We have notified our local and state departments of health and will continue to work with them to monitor our active cases.

Action Plan.

Our action plan remains the same due to the cases occurring within a close time period and the staff members not entering the building since initiation of our action plan this week. Round 1 testing was completed this week. As of this writing, we have received 97% of the Resident results, all of which were negative. Round 2 testing will begin next week. Residents will have Round 2 swabs taken on Monday. Staff will have Round 2 swabs taken on Tuesday. Any subsequent positive test results will be communicated.

We are taking steps to reduce the spread of infection.

In addition to the steps outlined in the letter distributed earlier this week, we have increased our Covid-19 medical assessment of all Residents.

We will not be sharing details publicly about positive tests.

Rest assured, if we need to contact a family member with updates about a specific resident, we will reach out directly. But, also, please note that out of respect to those affected and their families and, in accordance with privacy laws, we will not be sharing any details regarding our positive cases publicly.

Community Status Update:

Hamilton County has been added to the watch list on the new Ohio Public Health Advisory System. This means that the county is on the verge of turning purple which indicates “Level 4 Public Emergency: severe exposure and spread. Only leave home for supplies and services”. We anticipate that the increase in cases related to the facility is directly correlated to the circumstances our surrounding area is experiencing.

Contact us with questions.

Sincerely,

Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator

July 7, 2020

Dear Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,

As you know, our whole world is dealing with an unprecedented crisis related to the highly contagious novel coronavirus (COVID-19). We are all pulling together to try to “flatten the curve” so that we can make sure that there are sufficient resources to protect those who are most vulnerable. In order for us all to be able to make informed decisions about what is best for ourselves and our families, we believe that it is important that people know where COVID-19 has manifested.

We have experienced a positive COVID-19 test.

Unfortunately, despite our efforts, like so many other communities like ours, we too have had a staff member test positive for COVID-19. This staff member was immediately removed from the schedule 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. While this is not unexpected, it still saddens us, and our hearts go out to those affected. We have notified our local and state departments of health and will continue to work with them to monitor our active cases.

We are taking steps to reduce the spread of infection.

Given the high risk to the population that we serve, we have adopted a number of measures designed to protect our residents and staff. These include a no visitor policy except for hospice, enhanced health screening of residents and staff multiple times a day, isolating residents with symptoms, maintain our residents to their designated floors, maintaining the same staff to individual floors, sending staff with symptoms home to quarantine, providing all staff and residents with the appropriate personal protective equipment, providing the front-line staff with homemade masks for their personal use outside of work, facility-wide access to hand sanitizer and disinfected products for work areas and many other measures informed by guidance from federal agencies, such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

We will not be sharing details publicly about positive tests.

Action Plan

We have contacted UC Health and will be picking up Covid-19 test kits this afternoon to begin proactive screening of everyone associated with the facility. Out of an abundance of caution, the proactive screening will include testing all Residents and Staff twice, with swabs spaced out 5-7 days apart to ensure that we are able to quickly identify anyone who is currently asymptomatic in addition to anyone that develops symptoms over the next week. Any subsequent positive test results will be communicated.

Contact us with questions.

Sincerely,

Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator

July 3, 2020

Residents/Family/Friends/Staff,

Status: We continue to have no known cases of Covid-19!

Covid-19 Testing: As of Tuesday, we reached 100% compliance with Covid-19 testing of staff and contract employees. We are happy to report that every test came back negative! This is a huge victory considering the current spike in cases in Hamilton County and the prevalence of asymptomatic carriers. Thank you all for your diligence in keeping our residents and each other healthy during this unprecedented time.

Extended Hours: After some security upgrades to the porch and courtyard, we are excited to announce that access to the porch and courtyard has been extended. Until further notice, Residents will have access to these outdoor spaces from 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM on the days assigned to the floor they reside on.

Video chats: We ask that family/friends be flexible with the start times of scheduled video chats. While we do our best to start on time, there are a number of things which may result in a delay/missed session. Most commonly, a Resident is receiving personal care and to protect the dignity of all who reside here, sessions cannot begin until Nursing has finished completing their tasks. If you unfortunately miss a session, please feel free to contact Heather to reschedule.

Blacktop seal coating: Beginning on Thursday, our blacktop areas began a seal coating treatment. There will be minor inconveniences Friday- Sunday, we request that everyone abide by the areas blocked off by cones. Monday and Wednesday are going to be more complicated. The main parking area in the back will only have half of the parking spots accessible, therefore parking on the street will be required for some. Any family/friends who plan to drop off care packages/laundry will need to be prepared to possibly walk from the road to the back entrance.

Outdoor Visitation: Since the announcement made on Monday, there has been no formal guidance on outdoor visitation for the Long-Term Care setting. We anticipate the guidance will be similar to that for Assisted Living and are working to develop a program that mirrors these requirements which include visitation to be scheduled in advance, time limits on session and a limit number of family participants.

In an effort to begin to prepare everyone mentally for what an outdoor visitation MAY look like, reiterating that we are still in the planning stage without any formal guidance from The Ohio Department of Health we anticipate the following to be in place:

~any resident on isolation precautions will not be permitted to participate in outdoor visitation program

~family/friends will need to pass an infection control screening before the session begins

~approximately 40-minute sessions

~anticipate family/friends permitted to be involved will be 2-4 individuals a session

~anticipate no physical contact will be permitted, a plexiglass barrier will be between the parties as an infection control measure

~family/friends will need to bring your own chair (if desired) as an infection control measure

We anticipate many family/friends will want to participate in this expanded visitation program, despite it not being the reunion everyone urns for complete with hugs and kisses. If you could let Heather know how many outdoor visits you anticipate wanting to participate in each month, this would be helpful for planning purposes. Our goal is to develop a successful program within the Ohio Department of Health guidelines which balance the desired involvement of those in the community with what the facility can facilitate in a safe manner.

As always if you have any questions/comments/concerns, please feel free to contact myself, Scot Harmon (Administrator) or Patricia Clark (CEO).

Sincerely,

Scot Harmon, Patricia A. Clark, DM
Administrator CEO, Administrator