Dear friends and families,
We thank you for your continued support throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Our goal is to provide high-quality care for your loved ones.
Testing News:
We are continuing to test our staff twice weekly as the positivity rate in Lackawanna County remains at red status. Our resident units continue to test based on potential exposure. Our last resident unit testing for 4th floor was completed on 1/2/21. All results are negative; our 4th floor unit continues to remain on yellow status and will have another week of routine testing conducted on 1/8/21.
Staff testing was conducted this week on Monday 1/4/2021. We received five positive results back on staff members. Not all of the positive staff members had direct resident contact to a level which would rise to a potential exposure. Second and third floor resident units have been placed on yellow status due to possible staff exposure from this round of staff testing. 4th floor continues to remain yellow status. Four residents on our 5th floor have had potential exposure, but that staff member was wearing appropriate PPE, those residents with a prolonged exposure will be tested as a precautionary measure. Weekly testing for those resident groups will be conducted on Friday 1/8/2021 for at least two weeks.
The second round of staff testing this week was conducted on 1/7/2021. Results are pending with expected results on the weekend. Our next scheduled staff testing date in Monday January 11, 2020.
Our Facility’s Resident Impact (Since March 30, 2020, through January 7, 2021)
0 – Residents currently in our building with a confirmed active case of COVID 19
56 – CONFIRMED: Residents with laboratory positive COVID-19
0 – SUSPECTED: Residents with new suspected COVID-19
44 – 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. Due to the staff positive results from this week’s testing as well as the community positivity rate being at red status we will remain closed to in person visits with the exception of compassionate and end of life visits.
COVID-19 Vaccine Campaign at the Jewish Home of Eastern Pa
We are thankful to report that our first COVID 19 clinic dates are scheduled for January 15 and January 22. We have a strong campaign effort in place to educate, respond to questions, to encourage the majority of our group to participate and receive the vaccine. We also have secured test dates out to March 3, so that we can continue to have new residents and staff members coming into our group have the availability to join in. Two doses, twenty-one days apart are required for the full vaccine series. We will provide you with percentage of our staff and resident group who have completed the full vaccine series as we move throughout the campaign. Please take a look at the COVID-19 section on our website and social media pages as we are posting videos from some of our group sharing why they are taking the vaccine. We will be sharing more on our social media pages as we move through our campaign, so please stay tuned.
We look forward to doing our part in this effort by getting the COVID-19 vaccine, and hope you will join us.
Voluntary Serology Study conducted by the PA Department of Health:
As discussed in last week’s letter, we have accepted the opportunity to participate in a voluntary research serology study which is beneficial to support research efforts to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The attached documents include an invitation from the PA Department of Health to participate in this study, information sheet, and consent form. We are strongly encouraging all of our staff and residents to join in this study which will provide valuable data to epidemiologists from the PA Department of Health to better understand and prepare for and control future outbreaks. Educational materials on this voluntary study are attached. Please click on the link to read and then print your consent forms. A signed consent from residents who are able to provide their own or from the resident representative for those residents who are not capable to provide their own consent is required to participate in this study. We are not able to accept verbal consents for participation.
Please print a copy of the consent, sign and return to Denise Skrzysowski at dskrzysowski@jhep.org no later than January 18, 2021.
If you are not able to print a consent form or have any questions please reach out to Lee Rutkowski at lrutkowski@jhep.org or 570-344-6177 extension 1151, or me at mapplegate@jhep.org or extension 1101.
Thank you for entrusting us to care for your loved ones and your patience and support of us during these trying times. If you have any questions, we are always available for you.
Sincerely,
Mary Rose Applegate, MBA, RD, NHA
Administrator
