A Message From Dave - 3/26/20

On behalf of the team at Fairview Haven, I would like to thank our surrounding communities for the tremendous support we have felt these past couple of weeks. It has been quite a journey as we strive to keep up to date on the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) guidelines. We care deeply about our residents and team members here at Fairview Haven and it has become apparent to us during this crisis that our community does as well! We recognize this quarantine has been difficult for our residents and their families, but are so thankful for the efforts so many of you have gone to with FaceTime, Skype and window visits.

We are so thankful to report that as of this writing, we are still free from the dreaded Coronavirus here at Fairview Haven. We have tested a few residents that have presented symptoms similar to those who experience Coronavirus, but thus far those tests have come back negative! We are also thankful that our team members thus far have been remaining healthy. While we don’t know our future, we know God holds that future in His hands!

While our precautions we have taken up to this point have been successful and we haven’t yet experienced any positive tests, we know that we need to be prepared should an outbreak occur. Here are some of the things we have been doing to prepare:

1. We have been inventorying our PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) and studying the best approaches for preserving PPE so that we are well protected should we have an outbreak. At this point, we are unable to get the necessary supplies that we would need. So many in our community who have dug up and donated as many N95 masks as they can find have blessed us. While we still have a shortage, we feel that we will be able to keep our team members and residents safe. We are also receiving goggles and general face masks that will be helpful. And thanks to many seamstresses in our communities, we have developed a large stash of cloth masks that will help keep everyone safe. Our biggest struggle right now is disposable gowns. We continue to develop procedure that will help us to preserve these should we need them during an outbreak.

2. Our COVID-19 team has been working on protocol for caring for residents who may become positive with Coronavirus. Residents who have a diagnosis or are under investigation for a diagnosis will adhere to strict isolation precautions. It is our goal to limit the number of team members who will be assigned to care for residents who test positive or are under investigation to limit exposure. These team members will be trained on how to handle the isolation and given the necessary PPE.
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3. Should a resident develop symptoms, his/her healthcare power of attorney will be notified. The physician and the Health Department will order testing for COVID-19. The healthcare power of attorney should then anticipate a phone call at least daily (or upon any change in condition). We ask that you coordinate with your family how the power of attorney will then communicate with the remainder of the family should an outbreak occur at Fairview Haven. While it is our desire to provide you with up-to-date information, we recognize we have limited resources. The best form of communication is emailing. We have established an email account for general COVID-19 questions at [email protected].

Thank you for your patience with us! And for your prayers and support!
Dave Blunier
Administrator