STATUS

We are happy to report that in nearly three weeks there have been no new cases of CV19 in the Skilled Nursing center.  We currently have six persons in isolation with the virus, we trust on their way to recovery.    In the apartment section there are three persons with the infection and five more in hospital.  We are optimistic about the control of the infection as indicated by a testing protocol that included eight staff persons who work with residents in apartments, only one of which tested positive.  There are an additional four who have been tested where results are pending.  We still receive reports of a very few residents who are not diligent with face masks or keeping distance.  We can only stress that this is a critical time to hold steady so to avoid an increase in numbers of infection.

PLAN TO RE-OPEN

Everyone is thinking about the prospects of opening up the community.   As mentioned we are piecing together plans for controlled reopening and think it useful as well as interesting to consider your input. If you have ideas, cautions or guidelines for how we should go about this, keeping in mind the entire community’s wellbeing and safety, please feel free to submit an email to KDoler@wel.org or leave a message with the Receptionists (215-345-4300).  We’ll consider and report back.

INFORMATION ABOUT FAMILY MEMBERS

There is understandable interest and concern about how residents, who are family, are doing from a clinical perspective.  Because there has been an increase in calls to speak with a nurse, the nursing staff predictably has had difficulty juggling time sensitive duties with answering incoming calls.  In light of this, we’ve instituted a new protocol.  If you want to speak to a nurse, the calls will no longer be forwarded to the floor.  Please do not call the nurses station directly.  Rather, dial 215-345-4300 and the receptionist will take your call back number and a message to which a designated nurse person will respond.   You’ll be called back preferably the same day but within 24 hours.  You can dial directly to a Skilled Nursing landline phone in the patient room.  That number will always be 267-895-1xxx  the last three digits being the patient room number. 

We are so encouraged by the wonderfully generous comments we’ve received from so many of you: employees, residents and family members alike.  We pass along words of encouragement to employees as it makes sense.  They too are empowered to know that their difficult work, done with grace and persistence, is appreciated.  They are the heroes of the day.

Best Regards and stay healthy.