With the rising cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) in our state, we wanted to share how Grace Pointe is responding to prevent the introduction of this respiratory virus into our community. We continue to follow the recommendations set by the CDC and CMS regarding our residents. We are taking temperatures on all residents twice per day and staying alert to any changes in the health and habits of all residents.
The CDC guidelines and the Public Health Order issued by CMS and CDPHE require that we restrict visitation. We would like to thank our families for understanding and for taking this very seriously. Due to the limitations of social interaction we are encouraging phone calls and facetime visits with family. Please let us know if you would like to participate in a facetime call with your family member and we will assist. We have also implemented Care Mail through the Grace Pointe website that we deliver daily to our residents. If you would like to send Care Mail click here.
Restricted Visitation: Grace Pointe must follow CMS [Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services] guidelines related to screening, limiting and restricting visitors. We have restricted visitation of non-essential individuals. For essential individuals entering the building, including personnel, we are screening all at the entry to the building, taking temperatures, and following gloving and masking requirements.
As the COVID-19 virus infection may have no symptoms for 5 days or more, many people could be unaware they are carriers. For this reason, we have asked all assisted living residents to stay within Grace Pointe and not go out to visit family during this time. This is an attempt to limit the virus from entering the building and spreading to their neighbors.
Grace Pointe has been working with the local primary doctor’s offices to complete tele-medical appointments. However, if a resident has an appointment that must be held in person we require isolation for 14 days for the protection of the other residents.
We continue to analyze our ability to take hospital admissions to our rehab area. We have also set aside enough rooms for our Grace Pointe residents should there be a need. We are working closely with the hospitals during this time and considering admissions based on current CDC guidance for post acute hospital admissions.
Environmental Services: Grace Pointe is in high alert as to infection control including cleaning of surfaces throughout the facility multiple times throughout the day and evening. We have continued to follow handwashing protocols and are encouraging this with residents as well.
Activities: Grace Pointe is focusing on activities throughout the day that abide by “social distancing” recommendations which are to remain 6 feet apart from each other. Team members from admissions, transportation, and administration are working with the Activities team to continue with programming as well as 1:1 activities and facetime calls with families.
Dining: In order to maintain “social distancing” recommendations in the dining rooms we have moved tables 6 feet apart with only two residents per table in the assisted living area. We are also providing in room meals for those individuals. Should Grace Pointe have an active case of COVID-19 per our infection control protocol we would start providing all meals in individual rooms. We will communicate to you if this occurs.
Personal Protective Equipment: There is a worldwide shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). CDC has sent guidelines for the use and conservation of PPE. Grace Pointe has maintained an emergency supply of PPE for these circumstances. Although we expect our supply will be adequate, we cannot waste it and the suppliers are having difficulty replenishing at this time. We continue to follow our infection control protocol which dictates the wearing of PPE. We have had assistance from the Greeley Fire Dept. in securing masks and receive a call from them every day offering assistance. Family and staff members have connected us to businesses and suppliers of PPE as well. We have had an overwhelming response from the community who continues to provide hand made masks and gowns.
Grace Pointe will continue to monitor state and local public health resources and will work with residents in adopting changes as necessary. We will provide updates through email communications to those who are on our email list. If you would like to be added to our email list, you can sign up to receive updates from Grace Pointe here: https://gracepointe.subscribemenow.com/
For the most accurate information about the outbreak, please visit:
- Weld County Public Health: www.weldgov.com/departments/health_and_environment
- Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment: www.colorado.gov/cdphe
- Centers for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov/coronavirus
- The Optum Emotional Support Help Line at 1-866-342-6892 is free of charge and available to anyone, so you can share this information with family and friends. The help line is staffed by professionally trained mental health experts and caring professionals will connect people to resources. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Thank you to our Grace Pointe staff, residents, family members and friends for assisting us in this effort.
