Dear Residents, Families, and Associates of The Cardinal,
On Friday, we informed everyone that one of our pool groups in our pooled, saliva testing process returned a positive result. Everyone in that pool group, which consisted of 3rd party providers, was notified and individually tested last Friday. We have identified the 3rd party provider who is positive from that pool group and they are currently isolating at home. This private duty caregiver provided services in our Connections neighborhood of The Pines Healthcare Center and was last in the community on Wednesday, November 18th. The family members of the residents this personal service provider cared for have been notified. We will be PCR swab testing all residents in Healthcare tomorrow, November 25th. We are PCR swab testing all Cardinal associates this week as well. In accordance with patient privacy laws, additional details about this individual and updates on their condition will be provided only by healthcare authorities. At this time, we have no other known cases.
We are confident that our pooled surveillance testing process is working, and this occurrence is a prime example of why it is imperative our residents, associates, and personal service providers get tested weekly. Through this testing process, we were able to identify someone who was positive and have them isolate at home sooner, hopefully preventing further exposure to the virus. If you currently employ a personal service provider privately, it is your responsibility to ensure your caregiver is testing every week. We will be conducting audits of our pooled groups and anyone who is not reporting for testing will not be allowed to provide services at The Cardinal until they are tested and comply with our protocols. Thus far, the majority of our COVID cases have been 3rd party providers.
We would like to reiterate that it is imperative that everyone properly wear a mask at all times, especially when visiting with loved ones. The face mask should completely cover your nose and mouth at all times and should not be removed or lowered when talking. In addition to wearing a mask, social distancing of 6 feet or more must also be adhered to when interacting with others.
We are hopeful that we will not have any new cases (residents and/or Cardinal associates) of COVID-19 in our Healthcare Center. If we do not have a new case between now and December 14th, we will resume communal dining in The Overlook, Skilled Nursing and EAL, small group programming and indoor visits on December 15th. In Independent Living, we are hoping to open The Pub and al fresca outdoor dining with heaters on December 7th. More information will be forthcoming about this IL Dining re-opening so stay tuned for more exciting announcements.
We know that you share in our concern for the protection of our residents and associates and appreciate your support in prioritizing the safety of the community.
We ask that our residents and families remain vigilant and refrain from going shopping, dining in restaurants, especially indoors, and gathering with friends and family outside of your personal bubble of safety. We truly understand how overwhelming and disappointing this is to hear during the week of Thanksgiving when we all gather with those, we love the most. We are hopeful that news of a promising vaccine will be the answer to all of our prayers soon. Until then, given our current circumstances, we cannot let our guard down.
We are scheduling outdoor visits on Thanksgiving Day for residents and their friends and family. We still have some openings in Independent Living and Healthcare so please call the front desk to schedule your appointment time. We will have coverings and outdoor heaters in case of inclement weather.
As we continue to monitor this situation closely, we will keep everyone informed of any changes. We will continue to promote the safety and overall well-being of everyone at The Cardinal. We appreciate your continued support and compliance with our COVID-19 protocols to keep our residents and associate as safe and healthy as possible. While this year has not been what any of us anticipated or wanted, we are truly thankful for our wonderful residents and associates of The Cardinal. We appreciate each and every one of you and while this year’s holiday will look and feel a lot different from year’s past, we hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Sincerely,
Tom Ford, Executive Director
Mary Casey, Assistant Executive Director