Happy September to all of you...
As we begin to settle into the Fall Season, it’s hard to believe that Summer went by so quickly. Corn and Tomatoes will soon be replaced with Pumpkins and Falling Leaves! And by the time I post my next ‘Message’, it will be coming from my office in the Yates Pavilion, our new addition to the Pickering campus.
I wanted to take this time to summarize for you what has been happening at Pickering Manor over the course of the past 6 months. Those of you with loved ones in our care are already aware, but for the remainder of those that receive our Newsletter, I’d like to share.
Pickering Manor responded quickly to the Covid-19 Pandemic and ‘locked down’ during the second week of March. We began screening and taking temperatures of all employees as they enter and exit the building and continue that practice until the present. We also restricted all unnecessary personnel and any other persons who may normally enter the building are met at the door. Unfortunately, we began to restrict our families from visiting as well. This has been, by far, the most difficult part of the whole process. We have been fortunate to have the wrap-around porch that our residents can visit while their families talk to them from the lawn. As we move into these fall and winter months, we will have a ‘neutral zone’ set up in the living room at Pickering. Every practice is a response to directives received from the Department of Health and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). We are not forming these regulations on our own and are governed by what we are able to do.
We have begun Universal Testing to all residents and staff. This testing will be done at least monthly and will be based upon the County Positivity Rate. If the rate goes above 5%, we must test weekly; and above 10% will require us to test twice weekly.
Throughout the course of the past 6 months, I am incredibly proud and grateful to say that we’ve had only 2 cases; both were staff. There have been no cases in our resident population thus far....again, I am so thankful. It proves to me that all of us are taking our responsibility seriously and recognize that we must adhere to the practices outside our building that we demand on the inside of our building.
I’m also very excited to share that we have finally received all inspections to open our new Yates Pavilion. Those inspections were held up due to the Covid crisis, but we are now able to move into the new space so that we can begin the next phase in our Project with the renovation of the Auditorium Area, the West Wing and all of Personal Care. That is expected to begin on or around the first week of October.
And so, despite all the upheaval that continues to swirl about, we continue to do what we do best....and that’s taking care of your families, our residents, our community. The sun rises each morning and sets each evening; and as the days go by, we will look forward to the times when we can truly embrace one another and open wide our doors. For now, we wait and hope....and pray.
Thanks to all of you for your support in so many ways...we all feel loved.
Wear your mask, wash your hands, and wish us well from 6 feet away,
Michelle
Michelle Knobloch
Chief Executive Officer
