October 21, 2022
Good Evening:
We are continuing to make progress towards ending the outbreak though we did have another employee test positive since my last update. A nursing employee who works in the Personal Care assisted living unit on the 4th floor tested positive while at home; she had not been at work since earlier in the week. We tested residents twice this week and the good news is that all residents who were tested were negative both times. In addition, we tested all employees, who were on-site, twice this week and everyone who was tested was negative both times. The number of active cases is continuing to decline as residents complete their isolation. Currently, the total number of active positive residents has dropped to 8; 3 are in the Personal Care unit, 4 are in the 2nd and 3rd floor of assisted living and 1 is in the nursing home. The total number of active COVID-19 positive cases as of today are: 8 residents, 4 staff and 3 apartment residents. We will continue to suspend communal dining and group activities in assisted living and the Personal Care unit until the Baltimore County Health Dept. informs us that they can resume. Assisted living, Personal Care unit and nursing home residents who do not have COVID-19 or any COVID related symptoms can leave their room though they should wear their face mask when out of their room and should stay in their unit. They can continue to have visitors though the visits should take place in the resident’s room and they may leave the building if they wish. The Beauty Salon remains closed. The Country Store will be closed for the duration of this outbreak.
All assisted living and nursing home residents will be tested next week. All staff will be tested twice next week. In addition, we will do a POC rapid test on any employee, assisted living or nursing home resident who is not feeling well. When you are visiting Pickersgill, please wear your face mask when you are walking through the building, in the common areas and when you are visiting with residents.
Cumulative Report
Here is the cumulative report of Pickersgill’s experience with the COVID-19 virus since April 1, 2020 when we were informed of our first positive resident, including today’s update. I am only including positive cases in the cumulative report:
- Thirty-five nursing home residents have tested positive for the virus.
- Forty-nine assisted living residents have tested positive for the virus.
- One hundred and thirty-six staff have tested positive for the virus.
- Thirty apartment residents have tested positive for the virus.
Mitigating Actions to Prevent or Reduce Risk
As you know, and I have reported previously, we have taken many mitigating actions to prevent or reduce the risk of transmission of the virus since the public health emergency was instituted. I provide this section with every update in compliance with Federal regulations. The purpose of this section is to describe the actions we can take if we are in an outbreak. We seek the direction of the Baltimore County Health Department about restrictions if either an employee or resident tests positive.
Regardless of our outbreak status, we continue to encourage residents to wear a face mask when they are not in their room, wash their hands regularly, and practice social distancing. We are checking all assisted living and nursing home residents’ temperature and oxygen levels daily. We actively screen daily all healthcare staff, employees, visitors, and vendors who enter the building according to CDC guidelines. We require all employees to wear a face mask and other appropriate Personal Protective Equipment, as necessary, when interacting with or caring for a resident.
We are following CDC, CMS, and Maryland Dept. of Health guidelines and testing any resident or employee who states that they have a symptom that could be a symptom of COVID-19. In addition, we are requiring that a resident is tested before being readmitted to the community from a hospital or other nursing home. If an assisted living or nursing home resident has symptoms and is being tested, they are under strict isolation in their room. An isolation cart is outside their room and any staff who enter the room wear a face mask, face shield, gloves and gown. The resident also wears a face mask when an employee is in the room. This procedure continues until their test results are negative and the resident no longer has symptoms. If the resident is positive this procedure continues for at least ten days and until the resident no longer has symptoms for 24 hours. Employees who have symptoms are excused from work until their test results are negative. If an employee’s test is positive, they are excused from work and we follow the CDC recommendations for the length of the isolation period.
Please contact me if you have any questions about this information. Thank you.
Barry
Barry Eisenberg, FACHE, LNHA
Executive Director
Pickersgill Retirement Community
615 Chestnut Avenue, Towson, MD 21204
p. 410-825-7423 | f. 410-821-6275