October 8^th, 2020

Last week we had no additional positive cases of COVID-19 in our care center. We are testing all residents and staff again Thursday, October 8, 2020. We continue to follow the recommended guidance from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH).

MDH is currently developing guidelines based on the recently issued CMS guidance on how we our can safety re-open our setting to visitors and continue to protect the health of our residents and staff.  We plan to revise our current visitation policies to accommodate the MDH and CMS changes as soon as possible and distribute to residents and families.  

We appreciate your patience as we take time to evaluate and implement the guidance so that we can safely resume indoor visitation. These requirements not only apply to our ability to resume indoor visitation but also identify triggers for when we may need to restrict visitation. Restricting visitation may happen if we experience a positive case of COVID-19 among our residents and staff or if our broader community falls into a higher risk category.

We deeply appreciate the sacrifices you made to limit the impact of COVID-19 on our community and your patience as we prepare our setting to host safe indoor visitation. Our entire team looks forward to seeing you again. Families, friends and volunteers are a core fabric of what makes our community so special. In the meantime, we remind you to take advantage of outdoor visits, window visits, and the ability to connect residents and their loved ones through alternative communication, such as FaceTime, Zoom and Skype.

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 those working to keep our residents healthy and safe. Without a doubt, there will be more challenges ahead, and we continue to ask for your patience as we make adjustments and implement this next phase in our visitation. Please follow our Facebook page (@Thief River Care 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 Judy Bernat, Administrator, at 218-683-8101 or jbernat@trcc@sfhs.org if you have any questions or concerns.

October 2^nd, 2020

This week we had no additional staff or residents test positive for COVID-19. Our staff and residents were tested again on Thursday, October 1^st. If all results from this round of testing are returned negative, we will discontinue entire-site testing for our residents. Staff will be routinely tested monthly, following CMS guidelines and our current county positivity rate.

09/24/20 Testing	Tests Positive	Tests Negative	Tests Pending	Total Tested
Residents	0	53	0	53
Staff	0	69	0	69
09/28/20 Testing
Residents	0	54	0	54
Staff	0	77	0	77
Results from 9/28/20 (Staff Only) and 9/24/20 (All Residents & Staff)

We continue to follow the recommended guidance from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), and take all appropriate measures possible to protect the health and wellness of all who live and work here.

The coming cooler months will continue to challenge us in limiting the impact of COVID-19 on our community. It is important for each of us to think about how our actions affect others we come in contact with. We must protect one another.  You are a key partner in the safe reopening of our care center, please remember to social distance, wear a mask, and practice proper hand hygiene. Remember to stay home if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have had close contact with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

If you or someone you know may be interested in working side by side with us as we truly make a difference in the lives of our residents, please contact our care center or visit www.jobswithus.org for more information.

Thank you again for being partners with us in fighting the COVID-19 virus. Please follow our Facebook page (@Thief River Care Center) for all COVID updates and information on what is happening in our care center.  We appreciate all the support, prayers, and offers of help that we’ve received. If you have specific questions or concerns, please contact Judy Bernat, Administrator, at 218-683-8101 or jbernat@trcc@sfhs.org.

September 25, 2020

The results from our recent testing are shown below. We had one staff test positive on 9/21/22 and are waiting results on all tests for 9/24/20.  We will test staff again on 9/28/20 and residents and staff on 10/1/20. 

09/21/20 Testing	Tests Positive	Tests Negative	Tests Pending	Total Tested
Residents				0
Staff	1	81	0	82
09/24/20 Testing
Residents			52	52
Staff			76	76

We continue to follow the recommended guidance from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), and take all appropriate measures possible to protect the health and wellness of all who live and work here. We test symptomatic residents and staff as symptoms arise and perform entire-site testing during an outbreak (1 or more positive cases of either a resident or staff in our care center).

On September 17, 2020, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) released Memorandum QSO-20-39-NH Nursing Home Visitation – COVID 19 which provides updated visitation guidelines for skilled nursing facilities; https://www.cms.gov/files/document/qso-20-39-nh.pdf. We are currently waiting for the MN Department of Health direction on this Memo before we begin working on a policy & implementation plan.

Please follow our Facebook page (@Thief River Care Center) for all COVID updates and information on what is happening in our care center.  We appreciate all the support, prayers, and offers of help that we’ve received. If you have specific questions or concerns, please contact Judy Bernat, Administrator, at 218-683-8101 or jbernat@trcc@sfhs.org.

This week we conducted 2 rounds of routine staff testing. As of 9/18/2020, we have no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our care center. We are required to review the county positivity every two weeks. This coming week, we will review the rate and adjust the routine staff testing frequency accordingly. Any changes to this testing frequency will be communicated through our weekly updates and our Facebook page.

We continue to follow the recommended guidance from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), and take all appropriate measures possible to protect the health and wellness of all who live and work here. We test symptomatic residents and staff as symptoms arise and perform entire-site testing during an outbreak (positive case in our care center). Should a confirmed case come from any of these tests, we would promptly notify our residents, staff and their families.

The COVID Pandemic has created new employment opportunities in our care center for people wanting to help our most at-risk population combat this virus. If you or someone you know may be interested in working side by side with us as we truly make a difference in the lives of our residents, please contact our care center or visit www.jobswithus.org for more information.

Residents continue to enjoy one on one activities with staff as well as small group activities while socially distancing and wearing surgical face masks. Visiting with your loved one can be done virtually, open or closed window, and outdoor patio visits. We ask that you schedule your visits ahead of time due to high demand, staffing and the safety of our residents.

Please follow our Facebook page (@Thief River Care Center) for all COVID updates and information on what is happening inside our care center. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to Judy Bernat, Administrator, at 218-683-8101.

Last week we learned about the new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) testing requirements that include routine staff testing. Based on our current county positivity rate provided by CMS, our care center is in the high category.  CMS recalculates the county positivity rate weekly and we will keep you updated if our category changes. This category requires us to routinely test staff twice weekly. Our first round of routine testing for staff was done on September 10^th. We will do our next round on 9/14/2020. We continue to test symptomatic residents and staff as symptoms arise and perform entire-site testing during an outbreak (positive case in our care center). Should a confirmed case come from any of these tests, we would promptly notify our residents, staff and their families.

The threat of this devastating and deadly virus is still with us. Minnesota is experiencing an increase in the number of positive cases in areas across our state, which can pose a greater risk of exposure to both our residents and our staff. As of 9/11/2020, we have no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our care center. 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).

We continue to offer outdoor visits, window visits and virtual visits. As a reminder, all visitors must comply with our screening protocols and other infection control measures when they visit their loved one. Please contact our activities department to schedule your visit in advance.

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

Thank you again for being partners with us in fighting the COVID-19 virus. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me at Judy Bernat, Administrator, at 218-683-8101 if you have any questions or concerns. Updated information on our planning and preparedness for Coronavirus and our activities within our care center can be found by visiting our website (www.sfhs.org) or our Facebook page.

As of 9/4/2020, we have no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our care center. 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).

This week, CMS and MDH released new testing requirements for our care center’s staff and residents that are effective immediately. “Facility Staff” is defined broadly, to include employees, consultants, contractors, volunteers, and caregivers who provide care and services to residents on behalf of the facility, and students in the facility’s nurse aide training programs or from affiliated academic institutions.  The requirements outline routine testing depending on our county positivity rate:

• Low: Monthly testing in counties with less than 5% positivity
• Medium: Weekly testing in counties with 5-10% positivity
• High: Bi-weekly testing in counties with greater than 10% positivity

The rule also requires testing in three scenarios: (i) symptomatic individual identified; (ii) outbreak (new case arises in facility); and (iii) routine testing.  While CMS does not recommend routine testing of residents unless the resident leaves the facility regularly, it does require routine testing of staff.

As providers of senior care, we know how important family and friends are in supporting the physical and mental health of our residents. We continue to review our visitation policy on a weekly basis. In the meantime, we welcome open and closed window visits, and virtual visits. As a reminder, you can help limit exposure in our community through appropriate hand hygiene, mask use, and social distancing.

If you or someone you know is looking for ways to help, our residents and staff enjoy receiving letters and cards from the community. We also have a variety of open positions that can be found at www.jobswithus.org.

Updated information on our planning and preparedness for Coronavirus and our activities within our care center can be found by visiting our website (www.sfhs.org) or our Facebook page. If you have any questions or concerns, please call our care center.

On July 14^th, the Trump Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would be distributing diagnostic antigen testing equipment that are authorized for use at our care centers. This technology will enable our care centers to administer tests on-site as needed and receive those results quickly. We are expecting to receive this equipment soon. Watch for more information on this in the coming weeks.

As of 8/28/2020, we have no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our care center. 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 doors are not yet open to the public but there are a number of options for meaningful social interactions between residents and their loved ones. Residents enjoy socially distanced dining and activities with each other and outdoor visits, window visits, and virtual visits with family and friends.

Outside of our care setting, we urge our community members to practice social distancing, wear a mask, and wash your hands frequently. You continue to be a key partner in limiting the spread of the virus and protecting our seniors. If you are looking for other ways you can help protect our seniors, please visit www.jobswithus.org or call our care center for more information.

Updated information on our planning and preparedness for Coronavirus and our activities within our care center can be found by visiting our website (www.sfhs.org) or our Facebook page. Please do not hesitate to reach out to our care center with any questions or concerns.

As of today, we have no known cases of Coronavirus in our care center. We continue to follow the recommended guidance from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the Minnesota Department of Health. We carefully monitor all residents for symptoms, screen all staff at the beginning of each shift, use PPE, and conduct audits of our infection control practices, providing further education as needed. 

COVID-19 is still being contagiously transmitted throughout our state. It’s important to keep in mind that our residents are highly vulnerable to the virus and are the most at risk if they are infected.  It is our policy to continually evaluate the presence of positive COVID-19 cases in our communities and nearby counties. We are carefully considering our options regarding visitation, evaluating our policies and protocols and will update you weekly. In the meantime, please contact the care center with any questions or concerns.

Currently, visiting with your loved one can be done through scheduled patio visits, open window visits, and closed window visits. We also encourage alternative means of communicating with residents such as phone calls, Facebook, Skype, etc.

Looking for ways to help? We have a variety of positions available with flexible scheduling and training. Please contact our care center for more information or visit www.jobswithus.org to apply.

Updated information on our planning and preparedness for Coronavirus and our activities within our care centers can be found by visiting our website (www.sfhs.org) or our Facebook page. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or concerns.

August 14^th, 2020

All Thief River Care Center residents and staff who were tested on August 10^th came back negative. These results are reflected in the graph below. We had NO new positive cases of COVID-19.

	Tests Positive	Tests Negative	Tests Pending	Total Tested
Residents	0	54	0	54
Staff	0	68	0	68

Results as of date 08/14/2020

Thief River Care Center has now gone two consecutive weeks with no additional positive cases of COVID-19. Following these results and all recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, we will discontinue weekly testing and will be lifting the precautions we introduced during the threat of COVID-19. Beginning August 18th, we will begin scheduled, monitored, social distanced open window visits. Please contact the Activities Department at 218-683-8106 to schedule your visit. We will review patio visiting over the next few weeks and will share details as they are determined. 

If you or someone you know are interested in becoming a healthcare hero, visit www.jobswithus.org. We have a variety of positions to start or continue your career in senior care. Plus enjoy flexible scheduling and compelling benefits including a sign-on bonus, as you care for our seniors on the front lines of this pandemic.

Updated information on our planning and preparedness for Coronavirus and our activities within our care center can be found by visiting our website (www.sfhs.org) or our Facebook page. Please do not hesitate to reach out to a department manager at 218-683-8100.

August 6^th, 2020

Thief River Care Center tested residents and staff who tested negative previously for the 4th time on August 4^th. These results are reflected in the graph below. We had NO new positive cases of COVID-19. We are testing again on August 11^th.  

	Tests Positive	Tests Negative	Tests Pending	Total Tested
Residents	0	54	0	54
Staff	0	68	0	68

Results as of date 08/06/2020

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. Our staff are equipped with full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including face masks, eye protection, gowns, and gloves while in our care center. As a reminder, because of the active cases in our care center, we are only allowing closed window visits and virtual visits at this time.

Due to the confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our care center, open window visits and patio visits were halted. It is crucial that we all remain vigilant on social distancing, face masks and proper hand hygiene. The healthcare heroes in our community need you. This week we are calling on the friends and family of all who live and work here to partner with us and our affiliates, as we keep face masks and social distancing as important in our everyday lives as it is in our care center. Post a picture of you wearing a facemask and tag our Facebook page @Thief River Care Center using the hashtag #MaskingWithSFHS. Tell us and the rest of our community why you continue to wear a facemask and be proud of helping protect our seniors and those who care for them.

Updated information on our planning and preparedness for Coronavirus and our activities within our care center can be found by visiting our website (www.sfhs.org) or our Facebook page. Please do not hesitate to reach out to a department manager at 218-683-8100.