COVID-19 Family Update- 4/28/20

COVID-19 Family Update- 4/28/20

Dear Southbridge family, friends and personal representatives, good morning.

As always, our team and I hope this email finds you safe and healthy.
Here is a quick update for Southbridge Rehabilitation & Health Care Center to date.

COVID-19 Patient tested (resident) 17
COVID -19 Testing for staff 8
Covid-19 positive 0
Covid-19 related Death 0

This pandemic has been an incredibly challenging time, and we continue to work every day to ensure that we provide the safest possible care for our residents. Our Nursing Home workers are saving the lives of patients every day, and they are saving the rest of us by serving on the front lines and limiting the reach of this insidious virus. The coronavirus pandemic has hit nursing homes at a disproportionately higher rate than the greater community.

From the beginning of this crisis, we have implemented extensive infection control measures to protect residents. I have listed those in many past emails, if you would like any details on them, please let me know.

In Massachusetts, patients and staff have tested positive in more than 270 centers. That is more than 70% of all Nursing Homes.

We also continue to do all we can to protect our other residents and remain committed to ensuring the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) our staff needs and are following CDC and state guidelines regarding the appropriate use of PPE. We continue to follow every lead to secure PPE from existing and new vendors and request equipment from the state.

We are in touch daily with the Department of Public Health and our Local Health Department we continue to follow all CDC and state guidelines and receive regular updates on new guidelines that are offered.

I am incredibly grateful for our dedicated nursing home team and ask you to join me in ensuring that they are included as “Health Care Heroes” battling COVID-19. They are doing everything they possibly can to care for those suffering and support them as they battle this disease.
We are fortunate that we have not experienced staffing issues due to the commitment our staff has in providing the highest quality of care to their patients, even in the most challenging times.
The courage shown by our frontline heroes in steering this dangerous virus in the face by coming to work every day is admirable and speaks volume of their commitment to our residents. We share in this resolve to provide better outcomes and a continuing effort to advance residents care.
We have heard from many of you about how you can recognize our staff – like what is happening all around our state with other “Health Care Heroes.” If you want to organize a Parade for our team, make them customized masks, deliver a meal, etc., they would appreciate the recognition as they are a huge part of the health care heroes doing their part in the battle against COVID-19.

We are refreshed and thankful for the boost we received from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health in the form of PPE., our work will not be possible without these efforts.

We will continue to provide you update as needed.

Yours truly,
Augustine Aiguosatile
Administrator