January 5, 2022, Letter to Family and Friends

All residents on our 2nd, 3rd and 4th floor have had a second round of testing on Monday 1/3/2022, due to potential exposure.  Regretfully, four residents had positive results, those residents resided on 3rd and 4th floor.   We are continuing to follow the regulatory guidance related to testing and visitation.  The positive residents are in isolation.   Family members and all others impacted by the virus are contacted directly and provided with results and updates.   Due to the new positives and resulting potential exposures we will continue conducting testing on our third and fourth floor nursing units.

In accordance with regulatory guidance, visitation is not changed.   Our Visitation Guidelines are located in the COVID information page on our website.   While the new visitation guidelines allow visits on all units including those residents in isolation status, we strongly recommend that if your loved one is in isolation or resides on 3rd, or 4th floor and may have had a recent potential exposure that you refrain from in-person visitation and we will assist with virtual visits until we complete the two series of testing.   If you do visit we recommend that you do not wear a cloth mask, please use one of the disposable surgical masks that we have available at our check stations in the lobby.  Also until testing is completed for the residents who may have had a potential exposure, in accordance with regulatory guidance, we will not be bringing residents down from  3, or 4th floor for activities on first floor.

The holiday gatherings and raise of COVID in the community increases the risk for transmission.     We do remind all visitors who are planning to come to the facility – PLEASE DO NOT COME INTO OUR FACILITY IF YOU HAVE EVEN THE SLIGHTEST OF SYMPTOMS such as:

  • Runny or stuffy nose.
  • Sore throat.
  • Sometimes a fever
  • Diarrhea
  • Conjunctivitis
  • Headaches

The following infection control principles and best practices must be followed to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, regardless of your vaccination status:

  • Upon arrival, all visitors must complete the screening process. Visitors who fail the screening will not be permitted to visit.
  • Visitors will not be permitted to visit if they:
    • Refuse screening;
    • Refuse to wear a mask;
    • Currently test positive for COVID-19;
    • Have COVID-19 test results pending;
    • Exhibit symptoms of COVID-19;
    • Were recently exposed to COVID-19;
    • Currently meet the criteria for quarantine.
  • Complete hand hygiene upon arrival and departure (use of alcohol-based hand rub is preferred)
  • Wear a face covering or mask (covering mouth and nose) at all times.
  • Maintain physical distancing at least 6 feet between people, in accordance with the CDC.
  • Limit visitation to resident’s room or designated visitation area. If roommate is present, please maintain physical distancing or visit in another location. Maximum number of visitors is 2 per resident while in their rooms and 4 per resident if visiting in a common area on our first floor.
  • Notify staff when you are leaving so we can clean and disinfect the visitation area.

Face Time calls:  To schedule Face Time calls for residents in our yellow zones please contact Samantha DePaul in Life Enrichment.   Samantha can be reached at sdepaul@jhep.org or 570-344-6177 ext 1314.

Our Facility’s Resident Impact (Since March 30, 2020, through January 4, 2022)

4 – Residents currently in our building with a confirmed active case of COVID 19

61 – CONFIRMED: Residents with laboratory positive COVID-19

0 – SUSPECTED: Residents with new suspected COVID-19

62 – Confirmed Staff Total: with a positive COVID-19

  • Please note that test results are reported on our daily call-in line at 570-207-6711. Family members and all others impacted by the virus will be contacted directly and provided with results and updates.

Thank you again for entrusting us with the care of your loved ones. If you have any questions, we are always available for you.

Sincerely,

Mary Rose Applegate, MBA, RD, NHA

Administrator

Visit us:
1101 Vine St.
Scranton, PA 18510

Call us:
(570) 344-6177