Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates

August 3, 2020

To Our Residents and Family Members:

We want to provide you with another update regarding the novel coronavirus or COVID-19, including the results of recent employee testing as well as efforts we are undertaking. The safety and wellbeing of our residents is our top priority. We are doing what we can to limit the spread of COVID-19 within The Gardens.

Per The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), all nursing home facility staff including contract staff must be tested for COVID-19 every two weeks. Testing was conducted at The Gardens on July 28th and 29th and all results are negative. Our next round of testing will be conducted on August 11th and 12th.

On July 14, President Trump announced an initiative for more and faster COVID-19 testing in nursing homes. Distribution of instruments and tests are prioritized for facilities based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hotspot data and facilities whose data indicate an elevated risk for COVID-19 transmission. CMS has also provided information about their methodology for prioritizing facilities and a listing of the facilities, as well as a list of frequently asked questions. We will keep you informed of when this testing becomes available at The Gardens.

We know you are concerned about your loved one, but visitation is still restricted in an attempt to reduce the spread of this virus to others. We also understand that connecting with family members is incredibly important to our residents. Family members are encouraged to connect with their loved ones through video chat, calling, texting, or on social media. Please contact our Activities Department to coordinate.

The Gardens is staying in very close communication with local and state health officials to ensure we are taking all the appropriate steps under current circumstances. We are also following guidance from the CDC and CMS to reduce the spread and impact of COVID-19, such as:

• Enhanced infection control precautions
• Screening residents, staff, and essential visitors for symptoms
• Restricting visitation and entry of people to the building
• Testing staff every two weeks for COVID-19 based on current protocols
• Testing residents for COVID-19 based on current protocols
• Postponing or carefully limiting communal activities including social distancing and other infection
  control precautions

We know that you may have questions and we encourage you to contact our center. Please call us at (407) 644-6634, email us at info@thegardensatdepugh.org, our website www.thegardensatdepugh.org or Facebook www.facebook.com/TheGardensatDepugh/ for updates on the status of your loved one.

Sincerely,
Kristine Miller
Kristine Miller, NHA
Executive Director

July 10, 2020 Update

To Our Residents and Family Members:

We want to provide you with an update on the situation at The Gardens at DePugh Nursing Center regarding the novel coronavirus or COVID-19, including the results of recent employee testing as well as efforts we are undertaking. The safety and wellbeing of our residents is our top priority. We are doing what we can to limit the spread of COVID-19 within The Gardens.

Since May 8, 2020 (when the federal government issued reporting requirements), we have had no residents or staff with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19, and we have had no clusters of three or more residents or staff with new onset of respiratory symptoms within 72 hours of each other.

On June 16, 2020, The Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) issued Emergency Rule 59AER20-5. These rules require nursing home facility staff to be tested for COVID-19 every two weeks with testing resources provided by the state. Beginning July 10, 2020, nursing homes shall not admit into the facility any staff who has not been tested for COVID-19.

As of July 5, 2020, all staff including contractors have tested negative.

The Gardens is staying in very close communication with local and state health officials to ensure we are taking all the appropriate steps under current circumstances. We are also following guidance from the CDC and CMS to reduce the spread and impact of COVID-19, such as:

• Enhanced infection control precautions
• Screening residents, staff, and essential visitors for symptoms
• Restricting visitation and entry of people to the building
• Testing staff every two weeks for COVID-19 based on current protocols
• Testing residents for COVID-19 based on current protocols
• Postponing or carefully limiting communal activities including social distancing and other infection control precautions

Due to government privacy requirements, we cannot divulge specific information about the individuals who have confirmed or suspected COVID-19, unless they are your family member and you have the necessary permissions to receive such information.

We know you are concerned about your loved one, but it is crucial that we restrict visitation to reduce the spread of this virus to others. We will contact you directly if your loved one is suspected or diagnosed with COVID-19.
We also understand that connecting with family members is incredibly important to our residents. Family members are encouraged to connect with their loved ones through video chat, calling, texting, or on social media. Please contact our Activities Department to coordinate.

We need your help in battling COVID-19. Please visit the CDC website (www.cdc.gov/coronavirus) and the Florida Department of Health (https://floridahealthcovid19.gov) to learn how you can help prevent the spread in our community, since continued spread in the larger community increases the chance the virus will work its way into our building.

This is a difficult time for everyone. We will continue to provide you with updates. Please know that we are adhering to guidelines from the local and state health departments, which continue to evolve as we learn more about this virus.

We know that you may have questions and we encourage you to contact our center. Please call us at (407) 644-6634, email us at kmiller@thegardensatdepugh.org, our website www.thegardensatdepugh.org or Facebook www.facebook.com/TheGardensatDepugh for updates on the status of your loved one.

Sincerely,

Kristine Miller, NHA
Executive Director

Latest Information as of May 26. 2020

The Gardens at DePugh Nursing Center continues to act in an abundance of caution to protect everyone who lives and works here.

All residents and staff including contractors have been tested for COVID-19. Currently, no residents or staff have tested positive for COVID-19. To see a current list of Florida nursing homes with positive cases click here.

On May 18, 2020 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced new guidance for state and local officials to ensure the safe reopening of nursing homes across the country. It details critical steps nursing homes and communities should take prior to relaxing restrictions implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including rigorous infection prevention and control, adequate testing, and surveillance. At this time, visitation inside of the nursing home is still restricted. The only exception is during end-of-life situations.

On May 19, 2020 the CDC updated their guidance for preparing for COVID-19 in nursing homes. They have added information of their tiered recommendations to address nursing homes in different phases of COVID-19 response and added a recommendation to create a plan for testing residents and healthcare personnel.

For additional information or to find how you can help The Gardens during this emergency, call our Executive Director Kristine Miller, at (407) 644 – 6634 or email kmiller@thegardensatdepugh.org.

May 12, 2020 update

Since we first learned of the Coronavirus pandemic, The Gardens at DePugh Nursing Center has acted in an abundance of caution to protect everyone who lives and works here.

Latest Information:

• New regulations were implemented last week by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). All nursing homes are required to report any positive COVID-19 cases to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to residents, their representatives, and their families. Currently, no residents or staff have tested positive for COVID-19. To see a current list of Florida nursing homes with positive cases click here.
• To prevent the spread of COVID-19 at nursing homes, the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) issued an emergency rule that requires nursing homes to test all residents and facility staff. On Monday, May 11, 2020, all residents and staff were tested for COVID-19. Results should be available in 3 to 5 days.
• Visitation inside of the nursing home is still restricted. The only exception is during end-of-life situations. After the Stay at Home Ordered ended, window and garden gate visits resumed, allowing families and friends to spend special time with their loved ones in a safe and protected environment. Please contact our Activities Department to schedule.
• Continued Safety Measures. We continue to follow the most current recommendations from the CDC, AHCA and Florida Health Department. This includes screening all residents and staff three times per day for signs and symptoms of COVID-19, all staff wearing masks at all times while in the nursing home and increased cleaning/sanitizing especially in high-touch and public areas.

As the COVID-19 situation evolves, we will continue to keep you informed. Our team members are working around the clock to minimize, as much as possible, potential impacts or disruptions to residents. We thank everyone for their understanding and support while we strive to protect the safety of all our residents and staff. Nothing is more important to us than providing trusted and loving care to our most vulnerable residents.

For additional information or to find how you can help The Gardens during this emergency, call our Executive Director Kristine Miller, at (407) 644 – 6634 or email kmiller@thegardensatdepugh.org.

Ensuring that our residents are cared for in a safe, secure and healthy environment is our greatest concern.

We know all of you are concerned about the spread of COVID-19 (the new coronavirus) being reported in the media and how it may impact The Gardens at DePugh Nursing Center. At this time, we don’t have any cases in our facility. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the office of Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), the Florida Surgeon General, and the Florida Health Department have recommended a variety of steps that we have been implementing to help reduce the potential for this virus to enter our building. However, we need your continued help in battling COVID-19.

Based on the latest CDC, CMS and State recommendations and out of abundance of caution for the safety of our residents, effective March 12, 2020, at 5:00 pm we began restricting visitors. This means that visitors shall not be permitted to come into the facility except under “end-of-life” situations as determined by their Physician. Click here to read the Guidance document at CMS.

We understand that connecting with family members is incredibly important, and there are a variety of other ways you might consider connecting with them. These may include telephone, email, text, video chat or through social media. Please contact Imbania Rojas, Activities Director, to coordinate alternative means of communication.

For the essential staff that enter our center, we are following the recommendations of the CDC on prevention steps, including screenings, strict handwashing procedures, and in many circumstances, wearing gowns and gloves when interacting with residents who are sick. Click here for more information from the CDC.

Our caring staff is trained in infectious disease precautions and is following all recommendations outlined by the CDC for a healthcare facility. We also are staying up-to-date with the CDC recommendations as they are updated. In addition, The Gardens at DePugh is in close contact with the local and state health department, as well as the Agency for Health Care Administration and are following their guidance.

To ensure ongoing communication with you regarding your loved one and any other important developments, please make sure that we have your most current emergency contact information by contacting Young Kirkby, Business Office Manager.

Thank you for your cooperation as we all work together to keep our residents safe. Please contact us if you have any question or would like any additional information.

Sincerely,

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some symptoms of the coronavirus?
Symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath and flu-like symptoms.

What should I do if I’m feeling ill?
If you exhibit any of the symptoms listed above and had contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 or recently returned from international travel, please contact the Florida Department of Health at 866-779-6121. Except in cases of emergency, please avoid your local ER and hospital to minimize spread of the virus.

How can I protect myself?
The CDC recommends several ways to minimize your risk of exposure, including:

• Wash your hands thoroughly
• Avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose
• Stay at home and avoid large gatherings.

For more detailed information, please click here.

What precautions are you taking with staff?
Our team is following every recommendation outlined by the CDC for a health care facility. Any staff members who have a fever or cold-like symptoms, or have traveled internationally, are asked to self-quarantine and work from home until they are symptom-free. We have also asked staff and volunteers who are in a high-risk category or caring for a loved one in a high-risk category to stay home.

Where can I learn more about the spread of COVID-19?
To keep Florida residents and visitors safe, informed and aware about the status of the virus, The Florida Department of Health has launched a COVID-19 dashboard that will be updated twice daily. Click here to visit The Florida Department of Health website.

How can I help?
We welcome monetary donations to help cover expenses for additional medical supplies, staffing and activities. You can also support by contributing on our website or Facebook.