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I thought it might be helpful to share steps you can take to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. If you follow IDPH, CDC, CMS or any other healthcare government agency on Facebook, then likely you have seen these tips hundreds of times in the past month. Nonetheless, it never hurts to be reminded.
The first step in preventing the spread of Coronavirus is really a no brainer that we should be doing anyway to prevent other forms of sickness. WASH YOUR HANDS. How many times have you heard that in the last month? Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (that’s the “alphabet song” or one verse of “Happy Birthday”). It is especially important to wash your hands after blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, going to the bathroom, before and after eating or preparing foods and when returning home from somewhere. Hand sanitizer can be used when you don’t have soap and water available to you. Step two sounds so easy, yet it is one of the most difficult steps for me! Don’t touch your face – stop rubbing your eyes (get more sleep!), wiping your nose, and stop biting those nails! If I understand COVID-19 correctly (which I am not sure anyone does), the quickest way to contract it is to get it on our hands and then rub it into an opening on our face. When you go out into public, CDC is now recommending that you wear a facemask. It is not appropriate to wear medical facemasks, or N95 masks as healthcare professionals need those for outbreaks. There are lots of suggestions how to create cloth masks on the internet. Just make sure the material is tightly woven. Our research says that a dishcloth gives the best protection, but CDC says a piece of cotton works just fine. I would use a couple layers for good protection. So, all of you trend setters out there, wear a mask! Right now (though I haven’t been there since the beginning of March), if you go to Dave’s you won’t see a lot of people wearing masks yet. Let’s make it the COOL thing to do! Lastly – STAY HOME! Now, let me tell you, I am an introvert and the thought of a shelter-in-place order actually brought a little excitement to me. I must confess though, I’m a little sick of it! I’m ready to go to church again. I’m ready to go out to eat with my wife again, or make my weekly (who am I kidding, daily!) trip to Ace Hardware. I think, honestly, we are all getting a little sick of staying home, but it is important to keep this virus under control. FAIRVIEW HAVEN PROTOCOL: I would like to remind everyone that Fairview Haven is on a mandatory lockdown implemented by CMS on March 13, 2020. This unfortunately means that, unless absolutely necessary, residents are not allowed to leave Fairview Haven and visitors are not allowed into Fairview Haven. As the weather is improving and spring is here, it is very difficult for our residents to stay indoors (and for us to keep them indoors)! Therefore, residents are able to go outside in the courtyards at Fairview Haven and Serenity Villa. Residents are not able to be on the front patio at this time. PLEASE do not use this nice weather to try and meet up with residents at Fairview Haven. Continue to communicate with your loved ones via phone calls, FaceTime, Skype, window visits and other creative ways. We are in the process of creating a way to do patio visits in the near future, but not at this time. Residents are allowed to venture away from the courtyard if they are accompanied by a team member who will ensure they maintain a safe distance from people in the community. We would also like to address concerns that have recently been expressed by different people. How are we ensuring that team members are safe to be inside Fairview Haven? Naturally, we can’t guarantee that our team members are following all the guidelines we give them, but here are the guidelines we suggest. Starting on March 11, per CDC guidelines, our team members have been required to be screened upon entering Fairview Haven. Nobody with a temperature is allowed to work. If anyone has symptoms of COVID-19, they will be sent home and asked to consult their physician. We have strongly encouraged our team members to shelter-in-place per the Governor of Illinois' instructions. We understand that we can’t control what our team members do on their personal time, but trust they are taking this seriously and protecting themselves in order to protect your loved ones. -Dave Blunier, Administrator
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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. 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 Fairview Haven team members voted for MOST Awards to recognize our fellow team members. Since we cancelled our Team Appreciation Supper and Recognition Evening, we are gradually presenting the awards throughout our work days. Here we present ... Most Likely to Brave a Snowstorm to get to Work - Jeremiah Rinkenberger (Jeremiah's award was presented by window visit) Most Likely to Put the Gold Back into the Golden Years - Rick Plattner Most Likely to Take Over Dave's Job - Brandon Stoller Brandon received an Administrator's Survival Kit, including such useful items as a packet of gravy (because it's a gravy job), a pair of thumb protectors (for all the thumb twiddling), pillow and blanket (for all naps he'll get to take), a pocket protector and pens (to hold all his pens so he doesn't have to snitch everyone else's). Just have to share the inspiration these talented FVH team members gave us amid the stresses of COVID-19 prevention. We've set up a special email address: [email protected]. Please feel free to use this for questions and concerns related to COVID-19.
Also contact Dixie Steidinger ([email protected]) or direct line (815-692-6706) to schedule virtual visits via our iPads at Fairview Haven, Fairview Estates or Fairview Suites. Contact the Serenity Villa team (815-692-6730) to schedule virtual visits at Serenity Villa. I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong and of a good courage... Joshua 1:5-6 "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, (nor coronavirus, nor isolation, nor quarantines) shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)
This morning as I arrived to work at 4:30 am, not really ready to face another day of uncertainty and challenges, I walked into the living room to some beautiful, soft, instrumental hymns playing on the CD player and a complete peace and calm throughout our home. It was a really good reminder of the fact that God is bigger than all of this chaos and He's got this. We have nothing to fear! My heart turned to gratitude and I would like to just take this opportunity to express that gratitude. I want to thank our wonderful team here at Fairview Haven who have showed up to work with a smile on their face to care for our loved ones. Oh, how things are different for them. We are adjusting daily to new changes, yet they are meeting the challenge with such great attitudes. I love to see the teamwork and the smiles as I walk the halls of Fairview Haven. Thank you team for being such an easy group of people to lead. Thank you to my management team who have been such an amazing support to me and to the team here at Fairview Haven. Thanks for your flexibility of coming in early, staying late, working weekends, taking calls "off the clock". I want to thank our family members. I can't really imagine how difficult it must be to have a loved one inside Fairview Haven who you are used to visiting every day and now all of a sudden you can't visit and we have no idea for how long. Many have expressed that you know we'll take good care of them and that our caregivers will love them like our own family, but still the pain of separation is there. Yet, I have not heard ONE family member complain. In fact I have been humbled by your attitudes and your appreciation for our team during this difficult time. So thank you for your support and patience with us. I know we won't get everything right during this crises, but I promise you that our team will do our very best to care not only for our residents, but our families as well. I want to thank our community. I know this is a difficult time for everyone. #canceleverything sort of seemed like a joke a couple weeks ago, but reality is here. I know that some people still have a hard time understanding. My heart is filled with gratitude as I see people who become educated begin to really get behind controlling this crisis. This really can't be about self preservation, but rather supporting and preserving your community. I'm thankful to live in a community that rallies around each other. Lastly I am so grateful for the prayers on my behalf and on behalf of the team at Fairview Haven. Sometimes when we pray we have no idea how that prayer is helping. This is one of those times that I can tell you, your prayers matter. I know that we are being carried by your prayers. I am going to beg you all to please continue to pray for Fairview Haven at least daily through this crisis. With God all things are possible! Of course our prayer is that we keep this nasty virus out of our community or at least contain it to a point that it doesn't devastate us. But, also that whatever comes that God will give us endurance, peace and calm, that He can be glorified in all things. Pray for healthcare providers everywhere! Thanks for letting me ramble and forgive my poor writing style (no editor to clean it up)! God bless all of you! - Dave Blunier, Administrator |
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It is the policy of Fairview Haven to give equal opportunity to all qualified persons without regard to race, color, religion, sex, marital status, disability, national origin or age.
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