Update From Administrator – August 19, 2020
August 19, 2020
As always, our team and I hope this email finds you safe and healthy. I am pleased to report that we continue to remain COVID-free for both our staff and residents. Testing continues to take place weekly by Griffin Hospital Lab. Unfortunately, in May we had to postpone National Nursing Home Week due to the unforeseen pandemic. Athena Recreation Departments in all our facilities hosted an Athena Nursing home week from 8/9/2020 through 8/15/2020 to help celebrate and appreciate our residents and staff. We know how hard our staff have been working and how much our residents have been affected by the social limits which were results of this pandemic. If you haven’t done so already, check-out our Facebook page for pictures of our staff and residents from several of the special events which took place.
A few quick points on our outdoor visits:
- Must be pre-scheduled to ensure safe and healthy visits for you, the residents, and our staff. It also allows our team to ensure your loved one is available and ready for your visit to make the most of your time together.
- Face coverings must always be worn and a social distance of 6 feet between you and your loved ones for the entirety of the visit.
- Check out our website for specific guidelines and details regarding perimeter visits.
- Alternative visits (Facetime, Skype, and window visits) are still taking place. You can schedule a visit by calling 860-489-1008 or emailing us at recreation@valeriemanorhcc.com.
Other updates from our recreation team include:
- During our celebration of Nursing Home Week, we had 2 outdoor programs with music from Bill Benson and Jim Moore.
- Each nursing unit has tablets assigned for resident use such as virtual visits, games, etc.
- We have fresh airtime where residents can get some much-needed sunshine while supervised to ensure social distancing.
- We are also now scheduling resident outdoor social distancing activities programs, including special events and musical programs (weather permitting).
We will be having our next “Town Hall” meeting on Friday, August 21st at 2:00pm. We encourage any residents and family members to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have about the care we are offering. Our commitment is to be as transparent as possible and work to address any issues that arise.
Thank you and please stay safe and healthy!
Robert Fritz
Administrator