Social Distancing Works

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(All updates are in bold)

Visitor access, at Brownway Residence, continues to be restricted to medically necessary personnel only. 

This includes: Facility Staff, Home Health, Primary Care Providers and Emergency Medical Services. 

**Facility staff must be without a temperature and demonstrate absence of symptoms consistent with COVID-19 prior to entering the facility - staff are required to document temperature and absence of symptoms at the beginning and end of their shift. 

**All facility staff are required to use facility provided and laundered uniforms. Staff change into their scrubs prior to beginning their shift and change back into their street clothes prior to leaving their shift to eliminate exposure to both residents and their families. Staff are also required to leave a set of shoes at work to provide additional security from any unnecessary exposures.

**Facility staff are required to wear masks inside the building as a form of reverse precautions to protect all residents. 

* All residents continue having their temperature, oxygen saturation and absence of symptoms monitored twice daily as recommended by the CDC. 

As of March 25th, all unnecessary hallway traffic was stopped and residents have been restricted to their personal rooms for the health and safety of everyone. The only hallway movement, permitted at this time, is for scheduled showering and smoking. Residents are required to wear a mask when moving throughout the hallway during these scheduled times. 

 
Our decision to place limitations on the traffic in the hallways and common areas has provided an additional layer of security as it relates to resident health and safety and allowed for better access for deep cleaning of common areas for our housekeeping department. So far, our actions have proven to be effective as we are without any positive cases of COVID-19 - it is our sincere hope that we continue in this positive direction.  

We continue to implement contact precautions, in addition to respiratory surveillance, for any resident who begins presenting with symptoms consistent with the guidelines set forth by the CDC and the Vermont Department of Health. Residents who are symptomatic will continue to selter in place here at Brownway and hospital transports will be limited to only life threatening emergencies which cannot be managed in house between the nurse and the primary care physician.

Residents who have memory impairments or are showing that they're struggling to cope with this change are being handled on a case by case basis depending on absence of symptoms. We recognize that this is extremely challenging for everyone - we are being flexible in our approach for the folks that will be impacted most by this change. 

As you know, the Governor has extended the "Stay At Home" order to May 15th. This was upsetting news to everyone as residents and staff are anxious to see the restrictions lifted. We are doing our very best to make sure that all residents are getting out of their rooms for walks outside (weather permitting). Overall, residents have been very understanding of the restrictions and have been appreciative for the continued health and safety of everyone at the facility. 

There have been rumors that Brownway has a few positive cases of COVID-19 and I want to assure you that the rumor is without merit. As a licensed facility, we are mandated to report any positive cases to The Vermont Department of Health, The Division of Licensing and Protection, all staff, all residents and all family. Our policy indicates that all notifications, to the appropriate parties, will be made within the first 12 hours of identifying a positive case. While we are hopeful that we can continue with good health, free of the virus, please do be assured that we are fully prepared to isolate and manage any positive cases that may occur. 

I genuinely appreciate all of the support that you have given to the residents, to the staff and also to myself. As you know, it has been a very difficult time - in my 16 years of nursing, I never imagined having to go through anything like this. With that being said, we are collectively learning a lot and we are most definitely very lucky to have all of you around us (6 feet away, of course) cheering us on.

Please continue to be safe out there and know that you are all very missed! Everyone sends their love!

Best,

Morgan