We thank you for your continued support throughout the various phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our main goal remains to provide high-quality care and to keep your loved ones safe.
We follow guidance from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS as well as the latest COVID-19 infection control guidance with relation to its impact on our residents and visitors.
Vaccinations are proven to curb the spread of the variant and are a matter of safety as well as compliance with the federal government’s mandated vaccines for health care workers at Medicare and Medicaid facilities.
As of November 11, 2021, our vaccination rate for our active residents is 95% and staff is 100%, for a total of 98.3% of our facility fully vaccinated!
Our non-vaccinated staff/ those who just received the second dose in series less than 2 weeks, were last tested for COVID 19 on Monday November 8, and Thursday November 11, 2021 all were negative. Our next testing day will be Monday November 15, 2021.
For information about vaccination rates at nursing homes, please refer to CMS’s Care Compare site through Medicare.gov. Learn about vaccines near you and the CDC’s fact sheet.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health recently released resources to help providers continue to encourage vaccine-hesitant residents and staff to consider the COVID-19 vaccine. The Department has developed a series of new vaccine hesitancy materials to help you and your team can leverage in your vaccine outreach efforts including:
- vaccine outreach toolkit for long-term care facilities,
- education one-pager for SNFs and AL/PC communities,
- COVID-19 vaccination rate thermometer to track your progress
Learn more about vaccine facts vs. myths with a downloadable PDF, blog and video blog, which are linked from our website’s COVID-19 page. Visitations are monitored and controlled based on the CDC’s county view data tracker.
Because we take very seriously our responsibility for your loved one’s safety and well-being, we ask your cooperation during visitation. Therefore, we ask that visitors give the due respect to our policies and to our front line care workers who have sacrificed much and worked hard throughout this pandemic to better serve our residents.
Our up to date visitation guidelines are posted on our website at jhep.org in the COVID section. To schedule a visit please email Gayle MacDonald at gmacdonald@jhep.org or call her at 570-344-6177 ext. 1103. Gayle is available Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. We do ask for visits to be scheduled one day in advance. Please schedule visits occurring on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, no later than the Friday before at 1 p.m. so schedules can be provided to reception staff.
Please note that we will reinforce expectations on visitors when entering our building.
- Screening of all who enter the facility for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 to include:
- Temperature checks,
- Questions about and observations about signs or symptoms
- Recent exposure to COVID-19
- Denial of entry of those with signs or symptoms or those who have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 infection in the prior 14 days (regardless of the visitor’s vaccination status)
- Practice hand hygiene (use of alcohol-based hand rub is preferred)
- Wear well-fitting face covering or mask (covering mouth and nose)
- Visitors who are not able to wear source control should be encouraged to use alternatives to on-site visits with patients (e.g., telephone or internet communication), particularly if the patient is at increased risk for severe illness from SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- Practice Social distancing at least six feet between persons during all visitation and with other residents and staff members
Limit visitation to only your loved one.
Your cooperation and partnership in maintaining a safe environment for you, your loved one and our staff is appreciated. Visitors that are not able to adhere to the infection control requirements during visitation will be requested to leave.
Our Facility’s Resident Impact (Since March 30, 2020, through November 11, 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
54 – 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.
As always, we appreciate that you entrust us with the care of your loved ones. We take very seriously our responsibility for your loved one’s safety and well-being. If you have any questions, we are always available for you. Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Mary Rose Applegate, MBA, RD, NHA
Administrator
