Vaccination remains key in defeating COVID-19. We encourage all residents, staff, family members and volunteers to become vaccinated. For information about vaccination information, please check the CDC’s fact sheet. You can find vaccines near you at: https://www.vaccines.gov/search/
Our vaccination rate is among the best for health facilities in our area and continue to encourage vaccinations by the general population in a quest for overall herd immunity, which experts place at 70-to-80 percent of the United States population.
As of today, 85% of our staff is vaccinated and 93% of our residents for a total facility rate of 88%.
We are able to obtain the Moderna and J&J/Janssen vaccine through our Pharmacy provider moving forward. This will allow us to schedule vaccine clinics for new residents and staff, and any residents or staff who change their mind and want to take the vaccine. PharMerica offered us to the option of opening our vaccine clinic to immediate family members of both our staff and residents who are in need of a vaccine. The Moderna vaccine is available for person 18 years of age or older and is given in two doses. The J&J/Janssen vaccine if a 1 shot dose for persons age 18 and older. If you are interested in joining our next available vaccine clinic please contact Denise Skrzysowski, RN, our Infection Control Preventionist at dskrzysowski@jhep.org or 570-344-6177 extension 1173. We are pleased to be able to offer this service to help control the spread of COVID 19. Due to the delivery of the vaccine, vaccination can only occur during the week at this time.
We are very happy that Lackawanna County is moving closer to green. Our non-vaccinated staff members continue to test weekly. We are pleased to report no positive test results.
Our Facility’s Resident Impact (Since March 30, 2020, through May 27, 2021)
0 – Residents currently in our building with a confirmed active case of COVID 19
57 – CONFIRMED: Residents with laboratory positive COVID-19
0 – SUSPECTED: Residents with new suspected COVID-19
53 – 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
A list of our visitation protocols is attached and posted on our website at https://jhep.org in the COVID-19 section. To schedule a visit please email Mary Ryan at mryan@jhep.org or call her at 570-344-6177 ext. 1104. Mary is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Other News
Our Director of Social Services, Brittany Elko’s last day at the Jewish Home is today. She is taking a new position as Assistant Administrator at Elan Gardens, a Personal Care facility in Clarks Summit, which is part of the Jewish Home’s continuum of care. Amber Ferranti, MSW, who has been with the Jewish Home for over four year has been promoted to the role Director of Social Services of the Jewish Home. We have recruited a new social worker who will be joining our staff in the next few weeks. Please join me in wishing Amber and Brittany both much success in their new roles. Amber will be covering all units until our new social worker starts. She can be reached at 570-344-6177 extension 1154 or aferranti@jhep.org.
We are continuing to advance our visitation policies which we hope to implement starting on Monday June 7, 2021. We would like to invite you to join us in a Zoom call next Thursday June 3, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. to discuss the coming changes. For those of you who are receiving this letter via email, we will send you a separate invite link via email on Wednesday to provide you with the link to join the Zoom meeting on Thursday. Please watch for this email invitation If you are receiving this letter via regular mail since you don’t have an email address and want to participate the group Zoom on visitation protocol changes via a telephone call, please reach out to Kevin Tetreault, our Director of Project Management at 570-344-6177 ext. 1159, or myself at extension 1101 to obtain information on how to call in to join us by phone for that meeting.
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
