Update from Administrator – July 13, 2020

Update from Administrator – July 13, 2020

Dear Friends, Families, and Personal Representatives,

As always, we hope this update gets to you in good health. We are still not out of the woods yet regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the gloom that characterizes the recent news reports regarding COVID-19, there is a ray of hope contained in this update we are sharing with you today. The good news is our facility is now COVID-free! All residents and staff who previously tested positive have now recovered and we have not recorded any new cases in the past three weeks.

This successful outcome can be attribute to the commitment of our team of dedicated healthcare superheroes that represents the ranks of our staff. These are men and women of uncommon courage, passionate about patient care, and who make personal sacrifices to serve in the front lines of this pandemic. Our staff have taken conscious and deliberate steps to follow the guidance and directives issued by the Federal, State, and local authorities and continue to adhere to social distancing and infection control procedures, in addition to providing world-class high-quality care to our residents. Such fortitude displayed by these employees inspires a sense of purpose and a commitment to make a difference.

We also credit this successful outcome to the supportive role played by Athena Health Care Systems. The personal commitment of our President and CEO Mr. Larry Santilli. Mr. Santilli made the safety of all employees and residents a top priority by investing in Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). His unwavering commitment to safety is admirable and commendable in these unprecedented times.

Our successful outcome would not be complete without the mention of the forward-thinking leadership team of Athena Health Care Systems. The crafting and implementation of a COVID -19 contingency staffing plan that encompassed the hiring of a group of outstanding individuals at premium rates, to be a backup to our regular staff in the event of the unforeseen COVID-19 staffing crisis. This was not only a brilliant idea; indeed, it was an effective, strategic, and crisis management master plan with flawless execution. When we started recording positive cases in our facility, this textbook contingency plan alleviated a staffing crisis that would have made an already difficult situation a more acute challenge. We count our blessings having the support of the leadership team, which ultimately lead to the positive outcomes we are experiencing today.

Also, worthy of mentioning is the cooperation from family members in adhering to guidelines for outdoor visits. Your actions have contributed to the overall safety of the visitation rollout. Thank you!

Finally, the overwhelming community support we have received has made a huge impact on our success. You all should to be proud of what we have achieved together, the safety of our residents, the safety of your loved ones.
While we are elated by this positive news, we are continuing our surveillance posture to mitigate the spread of this insidious virus.

We have begun a new regime of baseline testing as directed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for all our staff members with the goal to test at a minimum of 90% by July 19th. Subsequently, depending on the results of our baseline testing, we will either test 30% of all staff weekly or biweekly.

We look forward to another week of updating you as things change in the frontlines of this pandemic.

We thank you for the opportunity to care for your loved ones.

Yours Sincerely

Augustine Aiguosatile
Administrator