COVID-19 -Letter From Our Administrator
I would like to personally thank you for your patience during this very unusual time we are all facing.
This is an unprecedented time for all of us and we appreciate the support and kind words of encouragement we have received. We continue to monitor and look to our Massachusetts and National CDC on updates for the Covid-19 Virus.
Most of you already know that we are an Athena Healthcare System’s managed center, which means we are part of southern New England’s largest provider of skilled nursing services. As such we have access to many policies and procedures to plan for such circumstances and access to additional resources for planning and contingencies. Some of those contingencies include ensuring that we have adequate staffing in times of natural and other disasters and access to needed provisions to ensure uninterrupted care of our residents, including food, medical supplies and other necessities.
Our center is following all CDH (National) and DPH (Mass. Department of Public Health as well as Sandisfield Public Health). We have policies and procedures based on those guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting. This is daily standard practice for all of us at Berkshire, and Athena Healthcare.
During flu season especially and at other times of the year, we are at an increased level for infection prevention. We are now at an even more heightened level. We have stepped up our typical cleaning and disinfecting schedule that would be in place during flu season to include an enhanced cleaning schedule and upping our surface cleaning on high contact areas, to name a few.
We all have many questions on Covid-19 and will leave that to our local and national leaders to share. However, we know one of your biggest concerns is “how can I visit my loved one”? Please stand by for further information on alternative means of communication. I am currently working on ways of alternate communication at our center, stand by for further information. I know some of you are doing face time using smart phones and devices already.
As soon as we know of any changes to the restrictions on visitors, we will let you know. We will provide email updates as often as possible. If you have Facebook-please like and follow our page and look for updates there as well in the near future. I will also be conducting weekly “Town Hall” conference calls to provide updates and information so please stand by I will be sending that information as well.
If you could kindly respond to this email so that I know I have entered everyone correctly. Thank you so much, and of course please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Andrea L Bell, LNHA
Administrator