Dear Family and Friends,

Weekly Update 11-27-2020

We conducted point prevalence testing (PPT) on 11-24-20. We have one resident and two employees in our care center who have tested positive for Covid-19. Our care center continues to test residents weekly and also staff twice weekly. We are following recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

This Thanksgiving season we want to thank our residents, family and friends for their support and prayers throughout the COVID Pandemic. We thank you for your continued patience and the sacrifices you have made. With you we will work through this pandemic. Remember to wear a mask, social distance when possible and practice proper hand hygiene. On behalf of our entire team, please stay safe and healthy.

Looking for ways to help? We have a variety of positions available with flexible scheduling and on the job training. For more information or to apply, visit www.jobswithus.org.

Please follow our Facebook page (@Guardian Angels Health and Rehabilitation Center) or our website (www.sfhs.org) for all COVID updates and information on what is happening inside our care center. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Shane P. Roche, Administrator, at 218-231-8106 if you have any questions or concerns.

Dear Family and Friends,

We recently learned that the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the federal Medicare agency (CMS) are advising against residents leaving their care center for holiday visits. As we continue to fight against COVID-19, we ask that you not take your loved ones out this Thanksgiving.

By not taking your loved one out for a holiday visit, you will help us in protecting the health of everyone who lives and works here. One of the best things that you can do for your family this holiday season is to not gather in groups and keep everyone safe by wearing a facemask when you do.

We know just how special the holiday season can be and spending time with family is what adds meaning to our celebrations.  However, we need your help to protect our residents, our staff, and yourself during this pandemic’s risky time by limiting our contact with the broader community.  As Governor Walz told us the other night, the COVID-19 surge is at a dangerous level in Minnesota.

This past year has been a challenge like no other and we deeply appreciate the sacrifices that you and your family have already made during these past months. The hope of a COVID-19 vaccine is promising, but until that time we all need to use extra caution to slow the spread of this highly contagious disease.

If a resident does choose to go to a holiday gathering outside of our care center, the resident will need to quarantine in his or her room for 14-days after returning as a necessary precaution. Even when being very careful and following all of the guidelines, the risk of being infected when being out in the general public is high.

Our staff is committed to keeping you connected during the holiday seasons. We have a variety of activities planned that will engage our residents and are doing all we can to facilitate alternative means of communication between you and your loved one. If you have any gifts or cards you would like to give to your loved one or wish to schedule a virtual visit, please contact Kelly Squires at 218-231-8119.

We know that this news may cause concern or that you may have questions about what we are doing to keep everyone safe and healthy. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me at 218-231-8106. 

Sincerely,

Shane P. Roche

Administrator

Dear Family and Friends,

Weekly Update 11-20-2020

This week we tested residents and staff for COVID-19.  Although we have a few results pending, as of today, we have no new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in our care center.  We continue to work with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and are following COVID-19 recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Our county positivity rate has risen above 10% putting our care center in the “red zone.” According to CMS calculations, all Minnesota counties, but four, are now in the “red zone.” Being in the “red zone” requires our care center to routinely test our staff twice weekly. We are also required to suspend all indoor visits at this time. We encourage you to use alternate ways to connect with your loved ones such as Zoom, Facebook Portal, Phone, and Facetiming. To schedule your visit or for more information on our visitation policy, please contact Kelly Squires at 218-231-8119.

With hospital beds nearing capacity and healthcare staffing shortages, Governor Walz issued even more COVID restrictions this week. Restaurants, breweries, bowling alleys, movie theaters, and bars will be take-out only. Gyms will close and organized indoor sports will be suspended. We need your help to control the spread of the virus in our community. We encourage you to use masks, social distance and abide by the Governor’s Orders.

Looking for ways to help? We have a variety of positions available with flexible scheduling and on the job training. For more information or to apply, visit www.jobswithus.org.

Please follow our Facebook page (@Guardian Angels Health and Rehabilitation Center) or our website (www.sfhs.org) for all COVID updates and information on what is happening inside our care center. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Shane P. Roche, Administrator, at 218-231-8106 if you have any questions or concerns.

Dear Residents and Resident Representatives,

On 11-16-20, we were notified that a staff member has tested positive for COVID-19. Our top priority is to keep everyone safe and healthy. We are collaborating with our Medical Director and the Minnesota Department of Health and are following all recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to ensure we are taking all appropriate steps at this time. Any staff who test positive will be self-quarantined at home and will not be allowed to return to work until they recover from the virus; 10 days following positive test and 72 hours from last fever without using medication.

Due to the positive staff test, we will again be including residents in our weekly testing beginning today Tuesday, November 17^th. This also means that we must cancel indoor visitation and open window visits until further notice.  Essential caregiver and compassionate caregiver visits will remain in place. We will continue to use technology and closed window visits for resident connection with you.

We will continue to update you on any news or additional changes in our operations via Bright Arrow messages, email, website, and our Facebook page. For any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at 218-231-8106.

Sincerely,

Shane P. Roche

Administrator

Dear Family and Friends,

Weekly Update 11-13-2020

As of today, we have no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our care center. We routinely test staff weekly. We continue to work with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and are following COVID-19 recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

This week Governor Walz announced new COVID-19 restrictions. These include earlier bar and restaurant closing times and 10 person limits on all indoor and outdoor gatherings. We encourage everyone in their efforts to control the spread of the virus including wearing masks, social distancing and the recent turning back of the dial by the State.

We continue to see outbreaks in our rural communities and this has the potential to impact our care center’s ability to allow indoor visits. In order for visits to occur, there can be no new onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 14 days and the care center cannot currently be conducting outbreak testing. County positivity rates above 10% could also limit our ability to allow indoor visits. Saint Louis County current CMS positivity rate is at 9.1%. If it reaches above 10%, we will need to suspend indoor visitation.

Our care center has started indoor visitation. Due to high demand and the safety of our residents, all visits must be scheduled 24 hours in advance. As a reminder only two people may visit at one time. To schedule your visit or for more information on our visitation policy, please contact Kelly Squires at 218-231-8119.

Looking for ways to help? We have a variety of positions available with flexible scheduling and on the job training. For more information or to apply, visit www.jobswithus.org.

Please follow our Facebook page (@Guardian Angels Health and Rehabilitation Center) or our website (www.sfhs.org) for all COVID updates and information on what is happening inside our care center. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Shane P. Roche, Administrator, at 218-231-8106 if you have any questions or concerns.

Dear Family and Friends,

Weekly Update 11-06-2020

We have completed entire-site testing on November 3rd. We are excited to announce that WE HAVE NO NEW CASES OF COVID-19! We have now gone 14 days with no new cases of COVID-19. We will discontinue outbreak testing. Due to our county positivity rate, we will routinely test staff weekly. We continue to follow all recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Our care center has plans to start indoor visitation pending next week’s testing results. For resident safety, all visitors and essential caregivers must obtain a negative COVID test prior to entering our care center. Routine visitors will be asked to be tested weekly to prevent the spread of COVID-19. If you are unable to find adequate testing, please contact us to find out more information on how to be tested at our care center. To schedule your visit or for more information on our visitation policy, please contact Kelly Squires at 218-231-8119.

We are committed to ensuring that physical distancing does not mean isolation. We are working to have a variety of small group activities that engage our residents such as hallway games like Bingo, bowling & other fun games, Mobile Happy Hour Carts. We have re-established communal dining for residents with concerns for weight loss and safety.

Looking for ways to help? We have a variety of positions available with flexible scheduling and on the job training. For more information or to apply, visit www.jobswithus.org.

Please follow our Facebook page (@Guardian Angels Health and Rehabilitation Center) or our website (www.sfhs.org) for all COVID updates and information on what is happening inside our care center. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Shane P. Roche, Administrator, at 218-231-8106 if you have any questions or concerns.

Dear Family and Friends,

Weekly Update 10-29-2020

We have completed entire-site testing on October 27th. This week we are proud to announce that WE HAVE NO NEW CASES OF COVID-19! Our next round of testing will be conducted on Tuesday November 3rd. We continue to follow all recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Our care center has plans to start indoor visitation on November 6th pending next week’s testing results. While we welcome the new indoor visitation guidelines, we continue to monitor the COVID outbreak in our community and nearby counties. Our care center may ask visitors to get tested for COVID-19 prior to visiting with your loved one. Even when not experiencing symptoms, you may test positive for COVID-19 and spread the virus without knowing. To schedule your visit or for more information on our visitation policy, please contact Kelly Squires at 218-231-8119.

COVID continues to change the way we celebrate holidays. This year our Halloween celebrations include Halloween carnival and bingo, and special treats.

Looking for ways to help? We have a variety of positions available with flexible scheduling and on the job training. For more information or to apply, visit www.jobswithus.org.

Don’t forget to get your flu shot this season to help protect our community. Please follow our Facebook page (@Guardian Angels Health and Rehabilitation Center) or our website (www.sfhs.org) for all COVID updates and information on what is happening inside our care center. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Shane P. Roche, Administrator, at 218-231-8106 if you have any questions or concerns.

Dear Family and Friends,

Weekly Update 10-23-2020

We have completed entire-site testing on October 20^th. This week, we had one additional resident test positive for COVID-19 and no additional staff. Unfortunately, we had one resident who previously tested positive for COVID-19 pass away.  Our next round of testing will be conducted on Tuesday October 27^th.

The resident who tested positive for COVID-19 has been transferred to our COVID unit. As a reminder, staff that work in our segregated unit will not care for residents outside of the unit or interact with any employees that are providing direct care to residents outside of the unit. All staff in the segregated unit will be equipped with N95 masks, face shields and gowns. Staff will enter and exit the segregated unit from a separate door to prevent exposure to the rest of our care center, residents and employees. 

Due to our current COVID situation in our care center, we are currently unable to resume indoor visitation or patio visits. We continue to follow all recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Looking for ways to help? We have a variety of positions available with flexible scheduling and on the job training. For more information or to apply, visit www.jobswithus.org.

Please follow our Facebook page (@Guardian Angels Health and Rehabilitation Center) or our website (www.sfhs.org) for all COVID updates and information on what is happening inside our care center. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Shane P. Roche, Administrator, at 218-231-8106 if you have any questions or concerns.

Dear Family and Friends,

Weekly Update 10-16-2020

We have completed entire-site testing on October 13^th. This week, we had only one staff member test positive for COVID-19. We are happy to announce we had NO new residents test positive for COVID-19. Unfortunately, we had one resident who previously tested positive for COVID-19 pass away.  Our next round of testing will be conducted on Tuesday October 20^th.

You may have heard in the news that care centers are able to re-open to visitors. Even though we are excited to open up our care center for indoor visits, it is tempered by the fact that part of the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) guidelines are that there can be no new onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 14 days and facility cannot currently be conducting outbreak testing. At this time, we do not fit the guidelines to resume indoor visitation. We will continue to monitor our COVID situation and keep you updated on our plans to re-open safely.

For your planning purposes, please see the following strict guidelines that will be enforced when indoor visitation resumes:

• All indoor visits MUST be scheduled in advance.
• Visitors must be screened prior to entering the care center for signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
• All visits must be conducted using social distancing.
• Visitors must wear a mask covering both nose and mouth while in the care center. Residents must wear a surgical mask during the visit.
• Proper hand hygiene must occur (use of alcohol-based hand rub) throughout visit.
• Visits may be restricted to a designated area within the building.
• Physical contact (hugs, kisses, handshakes, etc.) continues to be restricted to protect everyone from potential virus transmission.
• Visitors will be limited to two visitors per resident; the total number of visitors in the building will be limited; and the duration of visits will be limited.
• Visitors must adhere to all infection control policies (ICP) and staff should provide monitoring for those who may have difficulty adhering to ICP
• Cleaning/disinfecting high frequency touched surfaces and designated visitation areas must occur after each visit.
• All items brought to the visit must be left with staff for disinfection and not passed to the resident during the visit.

Looking for ways to help? We have a variety of positions available with flexible scheduling and on the job training. For more information or to apply, visit www.jobswithus.org.

Please follow our Facebook page (@Guardian Angels Health and Rehabilitation Center) or our website (www.sfhs.org) for all COVID updates and information on what is happening inside our care center. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Shane P. Roche, Administrator, at 218-231-8106 if you have any questions or concerns.

Dear Family and Friends,

Weekly Update 10-09-2020

We have completed entire-site testing on October 6^th. This week, we had six additional residents test positive for COVID-19 and NO additional staff test positive. We have reached out to family representatives and provided verbal notification for all residents that have tested positive.  Our next round of testing will be conducted on Tuesday October 13^th.

The residents that tested positive for COVID-19 has been transferred to our COVID unit. As a reminder, staff that work in our segregated unit will not care for residents outside of the unit or interact with any employees that are providing direct care to residents outside of the unit. All staff in the segregated unit will be equipped with N95 masks, face shields and gowns. Staff will enter and exit the segregated unit from a separate door to prevent exposure to the rest of our care center, residents and employees. 

Since the COVID Pandemic first began, we have had 38 residents and 27 staff members test positive for COVID-19. We are saddened to say we have had 9 residents pass away after testing positive for COVID-19 since the beginning of the outbreak. As of today, we have had 6 residents graduate from the COVID unit.

Due to the staffing impact of the COVID-19 virus, the Minnesota Department of Health has coordinated with the National Guard to provide us with staffing relief from October 3rd-October 11th. A nurse and 4 med techs will be on site to assist with resident care needs.

Looking for ways to help? We have a variety of positions available with flexible scheduling and on the job training. For more information or to apply, visit www.jobswithus.org.

Thank you again for being partners with us in fighting the COVID-19 virus. Your messages of support, prayers, and caring is important to all those living and working here. Without a doubt, there will be more challenges ahead, and we continue to ask for your patience as we navigate through the COVID Pandemic. Please follow our Facebook page (@Guardian Angels Health and Rehabilitation Center) or our website (www.sfhs.org) for all COVID updates and information on what is happening inside our care center. Please do not hesitate to reach out to Shane P. Roche, Administrator, at 218-231-8106 if you have any questions or concerns.