COVID-19 Status Update

3/25/21

Expanded Visitation Rules Will Go Into Effect March 29^th

We are thrilled that we can begin offering expanding visitations at Walnut Crossing this coming Monday, March 29^th.

The Ohio State Health Department released new directives aligning state regulations with the Centers Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) newly expanded visitations for long-term care facilities, including our assisted living and memory support community.

Families and friends now have more options to connect with their loved ones. The state guidance still recommends outdoor visitations whenever possible because there is less chance of spreading the virus.

However, we are now able to offer indoor visits with the following guidelines and exceptions:

• Visits will be allowed regardless of the resident’s vaccination, however there are more opportunities if a resident is fully vaccinated.
• If a resident is vaccinated, residents and families may touch during the visit.
• If a resident is unvaccinated, touching is not allowed, and six feet of social distance must be maintained. Additionally, unvaccinated resident visits must take place in a community designated area and be monitored.
• If a resident is vaccinated, families may visit in the resident’s apartment. The family member must be escorted to the resident’s apartment to limit the amount of exposure to others in the communities.
• All visitors must be escorted to and from the visit by a community team member. When you’re ready to leave after your visit please press the call pendant to let us know you are done and can be escorted out of the building.
• Regardless of vaccine status, each visit will minimally be 30 minutes. So that we are able to serve all families, as we begin, the maximum time will be one hour (1). As we get all families through, we may be able to expand that maximum time, we will make that determination based on the demand for visits.
• Children may visit, if they can maintain wearing a mask, maintain social distance and are able to understand and follow virus mitigation protocols.

Our visitation program will consist of the following:

• Monday through Friday from 10am-6pm and 9am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday.
• Twenty-Four (24) hours’ notice MUST be provided to the community prior to each scheduled visit request.
• Each resident can have two (2) visitors at one time, with a maximum of two visits per day per resident.
• Each visit will be hosted in our community designated area or in the resident’s apartment depending on their vaccination status. All visitors and residents must continue to wear masks during the visit, use hand sanitizer before and after visit and, no drop-in visits allowed.

All visitors must first come to the concierge desk to be screened and have their temperature checked. If you have any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 please cancel your visit for the health and well-being of everyone at Walnut Crossing. Walnut Crossing may ask that you submit to a rapid test upon entry to the community if your screening raises any concern to the screener.

To schedule a visit, please call the concierge at 937-490-1506.

We are just as excited as residents and families are about these new visitation opportunities. We know personal connections are vital to resident’s well-being. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we roll-out these new directives and get everything set up to welcome you!

3/11/21

Walnut Crossing is so excited for our residents and families to be able to see each other in person.  Yesterday the Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) released new guidance that communities like ours, can offer safe and responsible visit options for our residents and family members regardless of their vaccination status. CMS has put in place some safety restrictions, and this has been the case throughout the pandemic, we must receive the green light from the Ohio health department before we can actually host more indoor visits. Read the specific information on our Cappella Living Solution’s website. 

COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plans

We want you to get ready now. All residents and team members need to have their most current insurance cards. If you misplaced your insurance card please make sure you get a replacement card for yourself or your loved one as soon as possible, so the process moves forward as smoothly as possible. Please take a look at the below links for further information.

• A Frequently Asked Question document provided by the American Medical Director Association (AMDA)
• The Pfizer Vaccine information sheet
• A flyer about the myths and facts of the vaccine
• The CVS consent form that must be filled out for every resident and team member. There is a responsible party consent form for applicable family members. 

To learn more about the Covid-19 vaccine for Walnut Crossing click here.

2/3/21

Indoor Visitation

In our efforts to combat the local and national pandemic, we are excited to offer indoor visitations per the Ohio Department of Health while exercising an abundance of caution so as to not put anyone in the Community at risk of contracting COVID-19.

Please be aware that your visit may expose you to the COVID-19 virus, and you may inadvertently expose your loved one and the Community to the COVID-19 virus. Since some people can have COVID-19 without symptoms, it is even more important to be careful. Walnut Crossing is dedicated to protecting your loved one and others from the virus and balance this with the need for your loved one to see you. We ask you to be responsible in joining in this challenge.

Below are the guidelines set up by the Ohio Department of Health personalized for Walnut Crossing that we ask you to follow:

1. Visitors must be of an age of maturity that allows them to follow infection control procedures.
2. No more than two visitors per resident per visit are allowed.
3. Check with the Community for restroom use by visitors. Use of private, resident restrooms is prohibited.
4. Please schedule your visit with our Concierge at (937)490-1506 with a 24-hour advance notice. The visitor time is a maximum of twenty minutes starting from time visitor and resident are together.
5. You must enter the Community at the Main entrance. Avoid interaction with other residents. A team member will greet you and screen you for COVID-19 symptoms and take your temperature. The team member will guide you to the indoor visitation area.
6. Please do not come if you are not feeling well. If you have a temperature over 100.4, symptoms of COVID-19, exposure to positive cases or unable to follow proper infection control, you will not be allowed to have the visit.
7. Please wash your hands or use hand gel prior to the visit.
8. Wear a face mask the complete time of the visit. Ask the Community for one if you do not have one.
9. Limit the surfaces you touch.
10. Maintain social distancing of six feet, including with your loved one.
11. Be sure to wash your hands after your visit.
12. Please monitor for signs and symptoms of respiratory infection for at least 14 days after your visit. If symptoms occur, self-isolate at home, contact your healthcare provider, and immediately notify the Community of the date you were in the Community, the individuals you were in contact with, and the locations within the Community you visited. The Community will take all necessary actions based on findings. Likewise, the Community will let you know if they experience COVID-19 activity that may have exposed you within 14 days of your visit so that you can respond appropriately.
13. Residents on COVID-19 isolation may not have in-person visits but may have virtual, window or compassionate care visits.

We know connections with loved ones and friends is vitally important to the health and happiness of those we serve, we will continue to look for creative ways to help preserve precious relationships.

We appreciate your partnership and patience; together, we will get through this.

12/3/20

All 23 CLC-Cappella Communities Prepared to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine 

Priority distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to seniors and healthcare workers who are at the most risk of contracting the virus is welcome news. CLC-Cappella is ready to receive the vaccine to protect residents and associates in all 23 of our communities as soon as it is available. We remain in constant communication with state health departments, the CDC, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as details of the distribution process continue to develop.

Learn more about how the COVID-19 Vaccine Plan here.

Update 6/8/20

Walnut Crossing Status Update

Effective June 10^th, outdoor family visitation at Walnut Crossing will be allowed. As we have remained Covid free throughout this pandemic, the state is allowing for limited, open-air visits. The safety of our residents, families, and staff members is of the utmost importance. We are all looking forward to welcoming our families back to visit their loved ones, as well as having the chance to see everyone that is a part of our Walnut Crossing community.

In accordance with all state, federal, and CDC guidelines, certain measures will be taken to ensure safety and sanitation. Visits will be 20 minutes in length and by appointment only, which you can schedule by calling the concierge at 937-860-0802.  Guests will have their temperature taken, wear masks, and use an alcohol rub before and after each visit. Guests must sign our visitor agreement in accordance with the CDC guidelines for visitation in long-term care facilities, and the risks associated with such visits.

Guests and visitors must remain at least 6 feet apart from each other at all times. You may bring items of personal significance, such as food or gifts, and items are subject to being sanitized. In the event of inclement weather, visits will be rescheduled. At this time, we may not invite visitors under the age of 12.

Our community continues to operate under the CDC restricted status but a newly formed Health and Happiness committee is evaluating how we can better balance crucial required health protocols with the mental well-being and happiness of residents. We will have more updates soon.

Update 6/4/20

Town Hall Webinar and Updates on Safe Visits

The Ohio Department of Health has recently created guidelines for outdoor family visitation. The new visitation guidelines will go into effect sometime on or after June 8th.

The community in conjunction with Cappella Living Solutions is currently working to put protocols in place to be in compliance while implementing these outdoor visitation policies. More information will be forthcoming as we are ready and able to put this into practice.

The visitation will be structured and must be scheduled in advance. Visits will be limited to twenty minutes with sanitation protocols put in place between each visit. Visits will be outdoors and as such may be canceled due to inclement weather, in which case they would be rescheduled.

Our community continues to operate under the CDC restricted status but a newly formed Cappella Living Solutions Health and Happiness committee is evaluating how we can better balance crucially required health protocols with the mental well-being and happiness of residents and families. We will have more updates soon.

Q: What is being done to protect residents and staff? 

A: We continue to implement rigorous virus sanitizing protocols daily.  The county health department continues to direct our actions. Residents’ temperatures are taken twice daily and the team is vigilantly monitoring all signs and symptoms for everyone who lives and works at Walnut Crossing. 

Q: Is Walnut Crossing Safe? 

A: The COVID-19 Pandemic is a world-wide health crisis. While no place at this time is immune to the virus, we continue extraordinary precautions with the guidance of local health officials and the CDC. 

Q: What are the ‘rules’ your respective communities follow to detect, contain and isolate COVID-19?

A: The health and safety of our residents and team members is our top priority and we will continue to practice all federal, and local mandated measures as well as our organizational procedures to limit exposure of COVID-19 in our communities.

Q: Who is allowed to visit your communities?

A: The community is scheduling video calls and outside visits with social distancing, wearing a mask and plexiglass for family visitors.  We are still under CDC restricted visitor status and adhering to visitation guidelines established by the Ohio Assisted Living Association, Ohio Department of Health, and CDC. Visitation is limited to:

• ‘Essential Need Only’ visits. Essential need visits include support care and family visits in end-of-life situations.
• Visits must be brief.

Q: How are visitors being screened?

A:  We screen everyone entering the building everyday immediately, including team members and essential care providers. Screening includes:

• Fever screening, we take temperatures of everyone, including team members
• Cough and/or shortness of breath
• Sore throat
• Any travel outside of country or state
• Identifying if they have visited another senior living community
• Questions on purpose of visit
• Once screening is complete, visitors must wash hands before visiting residents and after leaving the community

Q: What are residents doing to stay positive and connected

A: Maintaining a positive attitude is crucial. Positivity begets positivity. We encourage our team member to stay positive and imbue residents with positivity. We are also encouraging residents to:

• Continue to be social and actively engaged at safe social distances – for example hallway BINGO, hallway exercising and trivia
• Communicate with loved ones through texts, emails and social media. We’re encouraging community members to post photos on Facebook and tag everyone they want to see the photo
• We’re leveraging technology (FaceTime, Zoom, Skype, Facebook, Instagram, emails and text) to connect residents with loved ones outside the community and with each other. Examples include:
  • Virtual visits
  • Bible study
  • Playing and listening to music performances
  • Message board photos
• For residents who don’t know how to use/unable to use technologies, families can sign up for a team member to assist their loved one to use virtual visit technologies.
• We’re encouraging folks to drop off a favorite pre-packaged food item or card. These will be wiped with EPA-approved disinfectant wipes before being delivered. We’re also encouraging:
• Writing notes to each other, to family and team members
• Enlist internal and external groups/committees – church, book clubs, knitters to do a card shower for residents and team members
• Continuing Pen Pals programs – letters and notes back and forth between students and residents
• Musical performances/poetry outside resident windows

Q: Can you describe your training protocols?

A: CLC/CLS already conducts extensive yearly training for all team members in managing infections and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. These protocols are multi-disciplinary and prescriptive to prevention, containment and how to stop the spread of the disease should it occur. 

All communities are following a special set of coronavirus-specific policies and procedures modeled after our very successful flu and norovirus protocols. Training and protocols include:

• Provide training for all employees on infection control standards
• Report and act quickly if any symptoms are reported in the community
• Start isolation procedures immediately if COVID-19 is suspected
• Notify State and/or Local Health Department which coordinates with CDC to transport resident or team member to hospital for testing
• Follow state report guidelines for any confirmed cases

Q: What is done if a team member or resident shows symptoms?

A: If a team member has any symptoms, they are required to stay home and report symptoms to their doctor to determine if they meet COVID-19 test standards. If a resident exhibits symptoms, we are contacting the local health department and their doctor to determine the best plan for testing.

You can view the last organizational Town Hall Webinar pre-recorded on June 25th here.

Cappella (or CLC) President and CEO Jill Vitale-Assume recently hosted a FB live event with two clinical experts, CLC Medical Director Dr. Erick Gomer MD, and VP of Clinical and Compliance, Pat McBride, RN, BSN, MSN. Watch the video to hear these experts sort COVID 19 Vaccine fact from fiction.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html

State of Ohio: https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/home 

Union County, OH: https://www.co.union.oh.us/UnionCoCoronavirus19Info