Updated Non-Medically Necessary Outings – March 23, 2021

Policies and Procedures

COVID-19: INFECTION CONTROL AND PREVENTION

SUBJECT:     Non-Medically Necessary Outings

Accountability:  All Staff                      Document No.:  06-112

Reference: CMS QSO-20-39-NH-revised and MDH

POLICY: Non-Medically Necessary Outings

PROCEDURE: All residents and families must wear a well-fitting mask. If you have symptoms, do not visit or take the resident on an outing. Wash hands regularly and practice social distancing. Get the vaccinated, if given the opportunity.

1. Fully vaccinated means -must be 14 days past their 2^nd Covid – 19 vaccine or 14 days past a single dose vaccine.
2. Residents in quarantine should not leave the facility no matter vaccination status.
3. Residents who leave the building and gather with others need to be monitored for symptoms for 14 days once they return regardless of vaccination status.
4. Follow all core principles of COVID-19 infection prevention.

VACCINATED RESIDENTS

• Residents who are fully vaccinated may gather indoors with other people who are fully vaccinated.
• Can visit indoors or outdoors with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 infection.
• If the resident is fully vaccinated, they can choose to have close contact (including touch) with the persons they are visiting.
• Indoor and outdoor visits should be conducted following good infection control practices, such as wearing well-fitting masks that cover the mouth and nose, staying 6 feet from others (social distancing) when practical, and using good hand hygiene to reduce the risk of infection.
• If a resident who is fully vaccinated chooses to attend a place of worship, other group event or to shop or eat in public establishments the resident should follow the core principles of COVID-19 infection prevention.
• MDH strongly encourages attending group events or places of worship only when the county positivity rates is below 5%.
• Follow all infection control practices related to COVID-19.
• If the resident comes into contact 15 minutes or more and within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19, they will be required to quarantine.

UNVACCINATED RESIDENTS

• Unvaccinated residents who leave the building to gather with others will be required to quarantine when they return unless they have tested positive as noted below. Check with the Cottage Director prior to leaving to ensure there is space for quarantine upon return or may have to care for loved one until space does become available.
• If the resident has had a positive COVID-19 PCR test in the last 90 days, they will not have to quarantine.
• If the resident has had a positive COVID-19 via antigen test and had symptoms, they will not have to quarantine.
• If the unvaccinated resident was exposed to someone who tests positive within 48 hours of their visit, notify the facility.

Core Principles of COVID-19 Infection Prevention

• Screening of all who enter the facility for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g., temperature checks, questions about and observations of signs or symptoms), and denial of entry of those with signs or symptoms or those who have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 infection in the prior 14 days (regardless of the visitor’s vaccination status).
• Hand hygiene (use of alcohol-based hand rub is preferred) • Face covering or mask (covering mouth and nose)
• Social distancing at least six feet between persons.
• Instructional signage throughout the facility and proper visitor education on COVID19 signs and symptoms, infection control precautions, other applicable facility practices (e.g., use of face covering or mask, specified entries, exits and routes to designated areas, hand hygiene)
• Cleaning and disinfecting high-frequency touched surfaces in the facility often, and designated visitation areas after each visit
• Appropriate staff use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Effective cohorting of residents (e.g., separate areas dedicated to COVID-19 care)

COVID-19 Guidance: Long-term care indoor visitation for Nursing Facilities and Assisted Living-Type settings

CMS Guidance QSO-20-39-NH-revised

March 10, 2021

Dear Cottage Family Members,

Since it began a little over a year ago, this pandemic has affected the lives of everyone of us. Additionally, it has been extremely challenging to manage for anyone providing healthcare services. We continue to be grateful for the support our cottage families have given us. Thank you for your understanding and patience this past year.

Because a large majority of our residents have been vaccinated, we are excited to share with you updates about our new visitors policy. New guidelines have just been released that allow expanded visiting at our cottages.  Attached with this letter, is a “just the facts” list of key points regarding visiting as well as an updated policy.  You can find our most up to date policies regarding visiting online at www.prairieseniorcottages.com/coronavirus as well as on each of our cottage Facebook pages.

The safest visit is outside.  We highly encourage you to take your loved one out in the sun.

 We do not know where this pandemic will take us.  We know COVID is highly contagious and lethal.  Please be careful in your day to day living to limit your risk of getting infected and get vaccinated as soon as you are offered the opportunity.

If after you read the “just the facts” as well as the attached policy and still have questions, please contact your cottage director.

Sincerely,

Becky Holmgren

Chief Operating Officer

Prairie Senior Cottages

Key Points “Just the Facts” in Regular Cottage Visits

• Due to our small size, our capacity for indoor visitors is limited.
• Outdoor visits are the safest visits and are preferred over indoor visits.
• We highly encourage you to take your loved one for an outdoor walk.
• Failure to follow these guidelines puts lives at risk, and therefore may result in loss of visiting privileges or worse.
• We must always follow CDC guidelines.
  • All visitors must be screened
  • Wash hands
  • Masks
  • Social distancing
• To protect all, if you have a cough, fever, runny nose, shortness of breath, stay at home.
• To provide time for all families, suggested visiting time should be limited to 60 minutes.
• Visits must be scheduled 24 hours in advance.
• Indoor visits will occur in our designated visiting area.
• Except for walking outdoors, residents are not able to leave unless medical necessary. Leaving for reasons other than medical appointments requires residents to be quarantined for 14 days.  This is generally impractical and puts everyone is harm’s way.
• These key points do not all apply for essential or compassionate visits.
• One COVID positive case of a visitor, staff or resident will result in the immediate conclusion of indoor visits.
• For the safety of all, if you or other visitors in your party test positive for COVID, please notify us as soon as possible.

For further questions, contact your cottage director.

Prairie Senior Cottage Visiting Policy Updated 3-10-21

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

SUBJECT: COVID- 19 (Coronavirus) Indoor Visits

POLICY:

Prairie Senior Cottages will follow current MDH and CDC guidelines on indoor visits during Coronavirus (COVID-19).

VISITORS

All visitors must follow Prairie Senior Cottages visiting guidelines, this includes but is not limited to infection control guidelines. The campus will have a schedule of visits that they can manage, all visits will be scheduled at the top of the hour and visits will last no longer than 60 minutes. This will give other families an opportunity to visit and ensure the safety of all. If visitors have any signs or symptoms of COVID-19, then they will not be allowed to visit for at least 14 days. If there is an outbreak, visitation will stop until such a time as outbreak testing is completed.

PROCEDURE: All Visitors

Thank you for honoring our residents and families by following these guidelines:

OUTDOOR visits are the preferred method no matter vaccination status

• If you have a fever, cough, runny nose, or shortness of breath, please stay at home.
• If you have had close contact with someone infected with COVID-19 in the last 14 days, do not visit.
• A resident in quarantine cannot have visitors until they have met criteria for release from quarantine.
• Please reserve set times with your Cottage Director.
• Please bring a well-fitting mask and wear it. This greatly reduces the chances of spreading COVID.
• Remain at least 6 feet away from residents and staff.
• During visiting, the resident and guest will remain in the selected area and at least 6 feet apart.
• For the protection of all, we request that there be no more than 2 adult family members present and one child per adult per visit.
• Give other families an opportunity to visit by limiting your visit to 60 minutes.
• Please maintain 6 feet of social distancing between yourself and other visitors when coming and going for visitation.
• If you test positive within 48 hours of visiting us, please let us know.

1. Screening:

All Visitors will be checked in and screened by staff and are required to wear a mask the entire time.

2. Hand Washing:

The use of hand sanitizer is preferred, with at least a 60% alcohol base. Rub hands together until hand sanitizer is dried on hands.

3. Escort:

Visitor(s) will be escorted by the most direct route to the visiting area. Mask must be worn the entire time.

4. Resident will be escorted into the visiting area. Staff will periodically check in on visit to ensure safety.

At the end of the allotted time the resident will be escorted to a different area of the cottage and then the visitor will be escorted out of the building via the most direct route.

If the facility contracts COVID-19 then all visits will stop until 14 days since the last positive result. If the county positivity rate goes over 10% and less than 70% of the residents are vaccinated, visits will also stop.

Healthcare Workers

             Contact the COO prior to allowing any Healthcare workers who are not employees of the facility but provide direct care to the facility’s residents such as hospice workers, EMS, lab, and radiology technicians to come into the facility.  

VENDORS

No vendors are allowed in the cottage. All vendors to ring doorbell and leave deliveries outside the cottage unless providing a service to the cottage that is scheduled maintenance and has been approved.

Core Principles of COVID-19 Infection Prevention

• Screening of all who enter the facility for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g., temperature checks, questions about and observations of signs or symptoms), and denial of entry of those with signs or symptoms or those who have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 infection in the prior 14 days (regardless of the visitor’s vaccination status)
• Hand hygiene (use of alcohol-based hand rub is preferred) • Face covering or mask (covering mouth and nose)
• Social distancing at least six feet between persons
• Instructional signage throughout the facility and proper visitor education on COVID19 signs and symptoms, infection control precautions, other applicable facility practices (e.g., use of face covering or mask, specified entries, exits and routes to designated areas, hand hygiene)
• Cleaning and disinfecting high-frequency touched surfaces in the facility often, and designated visitation areas after each visit
• Appropriate staff use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
• Effective cohorting of residents (e.g., separate areas dedicated to COVID-19 care)

Prairie Senior Cottages will continue to monitor CDC and MDH guidelines for reopening. 

https://www.cms.gov/files/document/qso-20-39-nh-revised.pdf                                        https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/hcp/ltcvisit.pdf https://www.health.state.mn.us/diseases/coronavirus/hcp/index.html

March 1, 2021

Dear Cottage Family,

We are happy to share that we have completed our second vaccination clinic. Getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is one of the best ways to protect long-term care residents and caregivers from COVID-19. This vaccine gives us hope for the future.  A successful vaccination program is a huge step forward in beating the COVID-19 pandemic.

While this is a momentous occasion that marks the next chapter in our fight against the virus, it is just the beginning of a conversation about reopening long-term care settings. We have not received word from State and Federal regulators about any updated guidance or changes to the current safety protocols.

At this time, the CDC recommends that we continue to follow all current infection prevention and control recommendations, regardless of vaccination status, as they continue to gather additional information about the vaccine’s effectiveness in preventing and transmitting COVID-19. Until we receive updated guidance from State and Federal regulators, infection control practices and the safety protocols must remain in place.   In the meantime, we ask that everyone, even those not connected directly with long-term care settings, continue to wear a mask, wash your hands, don’t touch your face when you’re out, and stay home if you’re feeling sick. These measures will help keep the positivity rates low and allow long-term care settings to employ safe and socially distanced visitation for residents.

We ask for your patience as we continue do all we can to ensure residents and staff remain healthy in our settings. We encourage you to review the options for safe and socially distanced visitation between residents and their loved ones.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact your cottage director or me at 320-841-0701.  We will notify you as soon as any visiting guidelines have changed.

The COVID-19 vaccine gives us hope for a new chapter in our fight against this virus. I am so appreciative of the support and cooperation you all have given us during this past year. Thank you for your commitment to our community. Together, we’re moving toward a COVID-free future.

Sincerely,

Becky Holmgren

Chief Operating Officer

Prairie Senior Cottages

You may download the letter with this link:Post Vaccine Family Letter 3-1-21

Outdoor Visitation Guidelines

6-23-20

Dear Cottage Family Members,

Thanks to you, our staff, and community, we are managing the risks of COVID-19 well at Prairie Senior Cottages.  Because of the rapidly changing situation, it is important that we communicate with you often.  We appreciate your understanding during these unprecedented times.

We have new guidelines that the Minnesota Department of Health has provided us for visiting in our outside areas beginning immediately. Indoor visits will continue to be limited to essential health care personnel and compassionate care situations.

Here are the details of our Outdoor Visiting program:

• All visitors must sign in and be screened by our staff for COVID symptoms before visiting. If you have a fever, cough, or shortness of breath, please stay at home.
• During your first outdoor visit, we’ll ask you to read a description of the visit requirements, agree to follow those instructions, and accept that there is some COVID-19 risk even in these protected situations. Please download the Instructions and the Acknowledgement form. To make things easier, bring a printed and signed Acknowledgement form (everyone visiting must sign) during your first visit with these new guidelines.
• Visitors are not able to enter the building, therefore visiting must be outdoors.
• Please bring a face mask or other facial covering. Masks must be worn during the entire visit unless it is not medically possible.
• Remain at least 6ft from the enclosed area to protect all residents.
• Family may also visit with their loved one at a common area window, however, the windows must be closed.
• Residents will not be able to leave Prairie Senior Cottages with any visitors.
• A designated area is available for visitors outside the enclosure. Please bring your own lawn chairs if you prefer to sit. Space is limited to one family visiting at a time. Please reserve set times with the designated person at your Cottage.  Because of higher staffing levels, visits on weekdays are best.
• Give other families an opportunity to visit by limiting your time to 30 minutes.
• To continue protecting everyone from potential virus transmission, we ask that you avoid hugs, handshakes and other physical contact.

I understand how difficult this has been for you and your family. We were all asked to prioritize safety during these past few months and the lack of social contact with families was painful.

We deeply appreciate the sacrifices you made to limit the impact of COVID-19 on our community. While the virus will be with us for many more months, we all now know more about how to take precautions like wearing masks, making sure our hands are clean, and deep cleaning high-touch surfaces to prevent COVID-19 from spreading.

Our entire team looks forward to seeing you outside and enjoying our well-earned Minnesota summer days. I will continue to keep you up to date on how our COVID-19 protection efforts are going. We are following state and federal guidelines in planning to re-open inside visiting as quickly as we can. For now, we will do everything we can to make your outdoor visits as comfortable as possible.

Thank you again for being partners with us in fighting the COVID-19 virus. Your messages of support, prayers, and patience will not be forgotten. There may be more challenges ahead, and we may need to make adjustments as we roll-out our new Outdoor Visiting program. If you have ideas to make it better, please do not hesitate to reach out to our Chief Operating Officer, Becky Holmgren at 320-841-0701 or beckyh@pscminn.com.

Sincerely,

Dustin Lee

President of Prairie Senior Cottages

Download Outdoor Visitation & Instructions PDF

Download Outdoor Visits Acknowledgement Form PDF

Prairie Senior Cottages in coordination with state and local health departments is closely monitoring the spread of COVID-19, a respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus that was first detected in December 2019 in China and has since spread to several other countries, including the United States.

The safety of our residents and caregivers is our number one priority.  We are taking precautions to prevent the coronavirus (COVID-19) from entering our communities.  Prairie Senior Cottages is committed to taking all necessary steps to protect the health and safety of our residents, guests, and caregivers.

AT THIS TIME, WE ARE RESTRICTING ALL VISITS UNLESS MEDICALLY NECESSARY.  All key cards have been deactivated temporarily.  Because of the increased risk, we ask that you refrain from activities that take residents into the community to public places particularly with large gatherings, such as the mall, movies, etc. (Note: this does NOT apply to residents who need to leave the building for medical care).  Thank you for understanding.

Consequently, we must require any medically necessary visitors to sign in and immediately follow our guidelines for handwashing which include washing for 20 seconds with soap and water.  Our staff will observe your handwashing and offer advice on how to follow guidelines by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

We cannot accept visitors who are ill or have any of these symptoms: fever, cough, or shortness of breath.  Additionally, anyone who has recently traveled or have had contact with someone who has contracted the COVID-19 virus, please wait 14 days and be well before visiting.  We are doing everything we can to prevent any infectious viruses from entering our community.  Please inform your family of these new procedures to safeguard your loved ones.

This is a rapidly evolving situation; the most up-to-date information can be found through the Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).