Hello Village at Marymount Family, Friends, and Staff. This is Sue Nall the Executive Director.
We have had additional positives cases over the holiday. Many have not worked in our building for a few days prior to being positive and will most likely not be counted with our cases. Again, most are tied to family or community exposures and were testing prior to working. One case will count for both Villa St. Joseph and Villa St. Joseph Memory Care Assisted Living. One case will count for both Villa St. Joseph and Marymount Place.
Our COVID update since March 2020: Villa St. Joseph has 17 Active Staff and Resident Cases. We have a total of 131 resident and staff cases. Memory Care Assisted Living at Villa St Joseph has 2 active Resident or Staff cases and a cumulative total of 4 cases. Marymount Place has 7 Active Resident or Staff cases — and a cumulative total of 25 resident/staff cases.
Regarding Visitations:
Villa St. Joseph resident families … we ask only two people visit per day. We do not want visitors coming and going. Once here, please stay for the duration of the visit. You must sign up for your visit by calling our receptionist at 216-332-1100. We ask that the resident’s responsible party communicate our visiting policy to family and friends. We will continue to offer compassion care visits.
We are discouraging residents from leaving the facility for Christmas visits. Marymount Place families can contact either Chris Meinke or Maribeth Hejlik to discuss. Villa St. Joseph families can contact me, Dan Storey, or Peggy Jakabcic to discuss residents leaving VSJ.
Daily Mass is on hold until further notice. Sister Mary Alice is re-evaluating what forms of Mass or prayer services we can safely offer. Residents gathering for activities will be kept 6 feet apart from each other. Masks will be worn as needed.
I realize these revised policies are difficult to accept. But we must be vigilant in keeping our residents and staff as safe as possible.
If you have any symptoms, even something as little as dizziness, a runny or stuffy nose, then please don’t visit. Like the reports we have heard about have said, the symptoms of Omicron can be very different than the COVID symptoms we have traditional seen, and it is very, very contagious as we are seeing.
Should you find out about an exposure after visiting a resident, please contact us so that we may monitor that person for symptoms.
Please know we are doing our best to take care of all our residents. We did limit admissions last week in anticipation of staff cases continuing to increase. I know it is frustrating when the phone on the unit isn’t answered but know we are all focused on care and staff are busy in resident rooms on the units.
A reminder to our staff, we are in outbreak mode in all buildings. Vaccinated staff must test weekly, unvaccinated staff twice a week. All residents will be tested weekly as well. Should you have an exposure you must contact your manager, myself, or Peggy Jakabcic so that we can determine if you can continue to work and test prior to each shift or you must quarantine. We are also evaluating the new guidelines that may allow healthcare staff to return to work at seven days instead of 10 in situations with mild or no symptoms.
I pray that everyone remains healthy after the Christmas holiday, especially with New Year’s right around the corner. Remember to watch your distance, wear a mask, and wash your hands. God Bless all of you!