Date:9/20/2021
To:NYS and Federal Governmental and Regulatory Leadership
From:Joseph Murabito on behalf of my entire organization
Subj:Vaccine Mandate and the psychology of people
For more than a year and a half we have been fighting COVID-19 as well as our regulatory leadership.
Healthcare workers everywhere have been in the crossfire of heated political debate and conflict in addition to managing
one of the most significant pandemics in recent history.
We are tired. We’ve been quarantined. We’ve been restricted. We’ve been surveyed and fined for sending reports in 1
minute late. We’ve lost friends, associates and family members.
We’ve had cotton swabs stuffed up our noses weekly and in some cases daily for months. We’ve worn protective
equipment to keep ourselves and our residents and patients safe.
We’ve worked long hours month after month. Our family and social lives have been disrupted and intruded upon.
As a profession we largely believe in this vaccine and its positive effects on public health.
Many of us however are scared and hesitant. We have grown suspect of our leadership due to the scandals, conflicts, and
polarization we see and feel everyday all around us.
We need time. We need a different approach. We need to trust again.
The execution of the current vaccine mandate is heavy handed and represents the final and most intrusive regulatory
action to date. In addition to all the external intrusions we’ve endured as well as the testing which has caused us minimal
but frequent internal intrusions, we are all being forced to take something inside our bodies....which is the ultimate
intrusion. Vaccines are not new to the world....but the context of the COVID pandemic and all its moving parts and
politics, makes this vaccine mandate very different in the eyes of many.
It may be this ultimate intrusion is the key to our collective public health. As the author if this memorandum, I can say I
am a supporter of the vaccine. I am vaccinated. My family is vaccinated. However, I am also a supporter of people. We
must support our people’s perspectives and nurture them, especially on the heels of such adversity. We must find a
better and more supportive way to manage this public health effort. Do not place this burden further on our health care
workers. Allow a testing and PPE option for a period of time to allow for our workforce to strengthen and the collective
trust to build.
We are here to care for others and we need our health care workers in full force to accomplish our work. We need better
regulatory and legislative support.
Date:9/20/2021
To:All staff members, leadership and partners
From:Joseph Murabito, President and Managing Member
Subj:Vaccination Mandate and our team and family
As most of you may feel, I too feel frustrated with current nature and position of our regulatory and governmental
leadership in regards to the myopic finality of the current vaccine mandate. I am frustrated in the execution of this
mandate as many people are.
My job, however, as is all of ours, is to provide time and efforts in providing care and service to other people. As I’ve
stated many times over the years, we healthcare workers are not working in this profession on accident. We are
responding to an instrisic calling to serve those people who need us.
We have been challenged greatly in the last 18-24 months. Our challenges began with COVID. We rose to this challenge
and continue working diligently with success to keep our residents safe.
In this last several months our challenges have come from other places as well. It’s safe to say that many people feel
hesitant when it comes to their views on governmental and regulatory leadership. It is not my purpose to provide any
excuses in this area. I do believe there are great efforts being made with the intention of public well being and safety.
At the same time, I also believe that the source of this current vaccine mandate is the same source that has created
hesitation and suspicion. I also believe the execution of this mandate is highly political at this point. Conflict has
resulted and we as healthcare providers seem to be caught in the middle. We must persevere. Our work is too
important.
Despite the political realities at hand, I do believe in this vaccine and its effectiveness in improving population health. IN
addition to individual decisions we must all make, there is a bigger picture at hand.
As a healthcare worker and a valued member of this organization, your time and service to our residents, their families
and your team is absolutely necessary. Every single person who works within this organization at each individual site is
essential and necessary to assure the well-being of others. We need you. For those of you who’ve received the vaccine I
thank you. For those of you who’ve not yet decided to receive the vaccine, I am asking you to think hard and reconsider
your position. Please reach out to company leadership for more information. My cell is 845-750-4566.
At this time our organization will honor both religious and medical exemptions as formally requested and
provided. Please be sure to get this information to your supervisor or Administrator as quickly as possible this
week. Please note, however, that the law regarding religious exemptions remains uncertain as the issue is the subject of
pending litigation. We will provide you with any updated information when it is available to us.
Let’s pull together here again. Let’s stay together and continue our great effort to assure our residents have the care
and services they need.
My most sincere thanks to you all for your work over the last year as we’ve struggled and succeeded with COVID. I am
optimistic we are approaching a much better place. Thank you for your consideration of my message and for your
continued service to our residents.
8/4/2021
RE: COVID-19 DELTVA VIRUS PREVENTION PLAN
Dear Family and Friends of Aaron Manor,
The Delta virus has been detected in our community; it is known to be highly transmissible. In response, Aaron Manor has implemented proactively the following infection prevention plan.
- All non vaccinated staff and visitors will be required to wear a face shield in addition to their mask.
- Visitors must be masked at all times on facility grounds and throughout the entire visit. Non compliant visitors will be asked to leave the premises.
- To minimize risks for transmission of COVID-19 to our residents, all non vaccinated visitors will be arranged for visitation in designated areas with increased ventilation and adequate spacing. These areas are limited to the outside front porch or inside front fire place room, excluded from resident living areas, with the exception of end of life visits only.
- The facility will be glad to assist any visitor who is interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccination.
- Staff weekly testing will now also include vaccinated staff requiring one test per week between Wednesday and Wednesday.
- Residents who are not vaccinated will be placed on contact and droplet precautions with staff using protective PPE when providing direct contact.
This plan will be effective at the beginning of the day on 8/4/2021. We appreciate in advance all the cooperation in keeping our residents safe.
Joseph Dilal III LNHA Administrator
Lauri Hulpiau RN Assistant Administrator
5/10/2021
RE: NATIONAL NURSING HOME WEEK
To all our essential and dedicated staff and leadership on behalf of this organization’s ownership at each location I want
to thank you and recognize you individually during this 2021 Nursing Home Week. We’ve had quite a ride in the last
year….and the ride continues.
I’ve always said that people do not find themselves working in healthcare by accident. Healthcare workers are
intrinsically drawn toward serving others. During the best and worst of times this inherent desire to help other people
remains.
We’ve all been tested for sure. From COVID and all its aspects, to layers of new and sometimes unrealistic regulations,
to legislative and governmental scrutiny and criticism, we persist. We will persist. We are in this profession to help
serve our senior population and those who need our time and energy to live better. We are here to help others succeed
in life.
This week is a special week. It is a week to be aware that our work is more than a job. It is a week to recognize that
whatever task you are doing leads to another person’s increased quality of life. Whether you are a clinician, dining
services team member, nursing assistant, accountant or environmental services team member, every task you do
combined with other people’s work creates a beautiful collaborative effort to improve people lives all around us.
I love and appreciate everyone in this organization for who they are and what they bring to the table to help us achieve
our mission, vision and goals as an organization of caring for others. We work to live a life in balance, and we work to
help others succeed. It is an honor and a pleasure to be a part of this organization with all of you.
During this week, please pause and take some moments for yourself as you perform your job and try to be aware of how
important you are to other people. Try to think about how much other people need your caring hands and presence in
their lives. In doing this, we will remember and realize why we are working in this profession. Despite all adversity we
are healthcare workers for an important reason no matter what our individual job may be. We are working to help
others. We find meaning and value in our lives by helping other people live better.
Thank you for being a part of this company and bringing so much love and compassion to our residents’ lives.
Sincerely and with all my appreciation and respect,
2/25/2021
Please be advised that Aaron Manor has updated our visitation per the new guidance
set forth by the New York State Department of Health. We are pleased to announce that
we are able to increase the number of visitation appointments available as well as the
duration of these visits. These changes take effect Friday 2/26/21. Please read through
the detailed information provided regarding visitation before making your appointment.
Rules for Visitation
- All visits are by appointment only and must be scheduled in advance. Visitation
appointments can be scheduled at https://signup.com/go/XauyCvg or by calling
your loved one’s unit Social Worker or the Activity Director.
- Visitors must have a negative COVID-19 test within 7 days prior to their visit. You
may provide your own test results or be tested at Aaron Manor 30 minutes prior
to your scheduled visit. Please see our website for details.
- Visitors who provide proof of completed COVID-19 vaccination at least 10 days
prior to and no more than 90 days before scheduled visitation do not have to
provide a negative COVID-19 test.
- The duration of visitation appointments has been increased to 45 minutes each.
- Two visitors are allowed at each visitation appointment.
- Visitors must adhere to infection control measures, including wearing an
appropriate face mask that completely covers the nose and mouth while on site
(if you do not have a face mask, one will be provided to you); by maintaining a
social distance of at least 6 feet at all times; and by using hand sanitizer before
and after the visit.
- All visitors must be screened and complete an attestation when they arrive.
- Visitors under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
- Staff will escort your loved one to and from the visitation area. Visitation remains
prohibited in resident rooms and care areas at this time.
- Please refrain from consuming food and drink during visitation, as well as from
passing items back and forth. Please ask for staff assistance if needed.
- Pets are not allowed to visit at this time.
- Newly admitted residents, as well as those readmitted from the hospital, must
complete a 14 day quarantine before being eligible for in person visitation.
Failure to adhere to visitation protocols may result in your prohibition from future
visits for the remainder of the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Thank you for your continued understanding and cooperation in taking the
necessary steps to keep our residents safe.
1/18/2021
Good Afternoon,
We are pleased to announce that all in-house cases of COVID-19 have resolved
and we have begun our 14 day quarantine period. Upon completion of our
quarantine, we can begin welcoming visitors again on Monday 2-1-21. The same
rules for visitation remain per Department of Health directive. These are included
below and can be reviewed on the signup.com calendar, our Facebook page,
and aaronmanor.com. Please use the calendar on signup.com for in house
visitation appointments only. To schedule window or virtual visits please call 585-
388-4455 or email aaronmanoractivity@gmail.com.
Please note that this is subject to change. Should we have any further positive
COVID-19 cases among our residents or staff, we would again close for
visitation, wait for the cases to resolve, and complete quarantine.
Please use the link provided to schedule your visitation appointment:
https://signup.com/go/XauyCvg
Rules for Visitation
- All visits MUST be scheduled in advance.
- Visits will be limited to 30 minutes. Each resident may have 2 visits per week.
- Only 2 visitors will be allowed per resident at any one time. Please note that
the "spots" on the calendar refer only to the resident's reservation of the visit time
slot and not the number of visitors. Please select 1 for this option, even if 2
visitors will be attending.
- All visitors must wear a surgical/procedural mask that covers both their nose
and their mouth at all times. If you do not have a surgical mask, one will be
provided to you.
- All visitors must provide a negative COVID-19 test within 7 days prior to their
visit. The results must include the visitor's name, the date of the test, and the
negative results. You may bring a hard copy with you or email your results
to aaronmanoractivity@gmail.com
- All visitors must be screened and complete an attestation.
- Visitors must maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet at all times. No
touching, No hugging, No kissing. We understand this will be hard but is
necessary.
- Visitors under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
- Hand sanitizer must be used before and after visits.
- Staff will escort your loved one to and from the visit.
- Visitation is strictly prohibited in residents' rooms or resident care areas.
- No food or drinks may be consumed during visitation.
- Pets are not allowed at this time.
- Newly admitted residents as well as those readmitted from the hospital must
complete a 14-day quarantine before scheduled visitation may start.
- Rude behavior towards the staff will not be tolerated.
Please do your part and keep us all safe and commit to our guidelines. We are
working very hard at keeping your loved ones safe.
Visits will be supervised by Aaron Manor staff to ensure all safety measures are
being followed.
Failure to adhere to visitation protocol may result in your prohibition from
future visits for the remainder of the COVID 19 declared public health
emergency.
12/17/2020
Good Afternoon,
Visitation has been suspended until further notice. Department of Health regulations state that we have to be free of COVID-19 on site for 14 days prior to restarting visitation. Because we do have residents that have tested positive, we have to wait for them the clear the virus, then wait an additional 14 days before we can welcome visitors back. As such, all scheduled appointments have been canceled and the calendar on signup.com has been closed. As soon as we have the option to reopen it, an email notification will be sent out and spots made available on signup.com.
12/15/2020
Good Afternoon,
COVID-19 vaccines will soon be ready for distribution to the healthcare workers and residents in long term care. For more information on this view the Vaccine Resident Consent form.
Thank you,
Joseph B. Dilal III, Administrator
12/10/2020
Good Afternoon,
We are contacting you to inform you per the Department of Health regulations that we had another staff member who tested positive for the COVID virus. This employee was a direct care staff member. These do not appear to be related. Our residents continue to be closely monitored on a daily basis for signs and symptoms.
All residents have been tested once and will be tested again on Monday December 14 and Thursday December 17. If there are no further cases the last day of quarantine will be December 23. We continue to follow all CDC and Department of Health regulations and appreciate your continued support and understanding during this difficult time for all.
If you have any further questions or concerns please contact your loved ones unit Social Worker. Stay Safe and Stay Healthy. We will send along any updates as they change. Your Health Care Team at Aaron Manor
Best,
Penny Macartney
Director of Social Work
12/8/2020
Good Afternoon.,
We are contacting you to inform you per the Department of Health regulations that we had a staff member who tested positive for the COVID virus. This employee was a direct care staff member.
Due to this exposure we must close all visitation. Our residents will be closely monitored on a daily basis for signs and symptoms as well as being tested in the next few days.
We continue to follow all CDC and Department of Health regulations and appreciate your continued support and understanding during this difficult time for all. We are currently in communication with the Department of Health and have implemented an action plan.
If you have any further questions or concerns please contact your loved ones unit Social Worker. Stay Safe and Stay Healthy. We will send along updates as they change.
Thank you,
Your Health Care Team at Aaron Manor
11/26/2020
To Elemental Group Owners, Leadership, Residents and Staff,
I am sending along a letter sent to us from the Principal at CBA where my children attend school. The message is wonderful. Ana Maria sent this to me yesterday and I think it is important to pass along. It is very well written and provides valuable insight into the objective truth we all face today. We must control our perspectives given circumstances and recognize life around us as a collective learning and growth opportunity in both the short term and long term.
Gratitude is what Thanksgiving and the holiday season are about. Stated below we must illuminate our blessings to dim our struggles. As we all wrestle with our own challenges these days, our focus on looking through the lens of optimism and hope will allow us all to prevail through the struggle and be better for it later.
This is my gratefulness letter to all of you – the people I work with and my family and friends. We are together in this effort and we’ve all grown as a result. To be grateful is not to be without pain and struggle; something also well said in the letter below. The pain and struggle we experience today is about bringing hope, success and relief to others during these challenging times. As I’ve communicated many times, we are not working in healthcare by accident. Our collective balance is being challenged. This is our struggle and we are all working to succeed together.
I am grateful for all the good people around me working to succeed and make life better for those around them. This is what we do.
I am grateful for you all and what all we do together,
Joe
Dear CBA family,
On behalf of all of us at CBA, happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
The following message is my Thanksgiving reflection to our CBA students regarding perspective and gratefulness.
A few years ago, there was a boom in house hunting and home improvement shows that emerged on television. While there were numerous shows, they all offered a similar format: a couple or family is searching for a new home; based upon the estimated sale of their current home, the host of the show presents intriguing options for a new home; this is juxtaposed with potential renovations that would entice the homeowner to remain in their current home; the homeowner weighs the options and decides between a “new” home or their current, renovated home. Often intertwined within the show is some form of a contest or disastrous unforeseen renovation complication or an unrealistic perception by the family regarding the grandiose nature of their potential new home.
Upon the conclusion of the show, and as the credits run across the screen, there is frequently one last interview with the family. Typically, the reflections are offered six months after “the decision.” Through the synthesis of many episodes of several shows, two prevailing trends of human nature emerge.
After six months in their new home, and with an added familiarity that only time spent living in a house provides, some families focus on the things that are wrong:
"How did we not know that the backyard would be too small for our children to play?"
"The kitchen does not provide enough room for us to eat as a family."
"The noise on the street makes it difficult to sleep."
Alternatively, given the same time in their new home, other families focus on gratitude for the hidden blessings that they did not notice at first:
"We did not realize how amazing it would be to live at the end of the street?"
"The front porch provides a great place to engage as a family while our children play."
"The closets fit much more than we anticipated."
None of the facts around the selection and purchase of the house changed - however the perspective on the facts varies greatly. More emphatically, the facts do not change, however the lens by which we view these facts can change.
This Thanksgiving, what can we learn from this glimpse into human nature that these television shows provide?
We are now more than 8 months into a pandemic that has impacted our city, our country, and the entire world. Certainly, it’s easy to recognize the challenges, disappointments, sadness, and despair that accompany this time period. The pandemic has created economic hardship and asked all of us to do more in our personal and professional lives. Some of us have seen loved ones get sick or perhaps even transition to the next stage of life.
The celebration of Thanksgiving was never meant to ignore the hardship, but rather to give us a reason to refocus ourselves on our many blessings. Gratitude does not eliminate pain. Gratitude is a choice to not give hardships the power over our happiness or faith. During his lifetime, De La Salle was faced with exceptional hardships. He was sued multiple times, suffered through his own poor health, endured many Brothers leaving the Institute, and witnessed his mission being reduced to very few Brothers and a scattering of schools remaining open. In the midst of these challenges, De La Salle reflected, “Thank God for the grace he has given you in your work.”
This Thanksgiving, here are two ways through which we can express our gratitude:
1. Write a gratefulness letter. Write a letter or email to someone in your life for whom you are grateful. In addition to the impact on others, psychological research shows that gratefulness letters refocus the writer on the blessings in their lives - improving mental health. It is truly in giving that we receive!
2. Keep a journal to recognize and note the small and large blessings of your daily life. Extend Thanksgiving beyond just this day by keeping a journal throughout this pandemic. Focus on positive words and eliminating negative thoughts from your writing. Research has shown that journaling and removing negative words improves overall happiness.
My personal gratefulness letter is to you. Please let me express my gratitude to our CBA students and families. Our students, their perseverance, care for each other, and enthusiasm for life are a blessing! From the students who created a technology support program to help their classmates and teachers deal with the challenges of new technologies, to those who have used their artistic talents to create Christmas cards for this Christmas season - our students bring joy to all of my days.
I am grateful for our alumni, 13 of whom volunteered to assist as substitute teachers while they are home studying an education-related field or are on winter recess. And to the many alumni who contributed to our recent capital campaign. Without your support, we would not be able to help our families during their economic hardship nor would we have had the facilities to make an exceptional education even more so.
My gratitude overflows for our faculty and staff members, all of whom have risen to the challenge of supporting the academic, emotional, and spiritual development of our students throughout this pandemic. Our coaches sacrificed family time to move all practices and games to the evening. Our teachers became “1st year teachers” overnight - having to redesign every lesson for in-person, hybrid, and fully remote learning. Our staff restructured work flow and pivoted nearly our entire school operations.
In all of our lives, personal and professional, the COVID-19 pandemic has created significant challenges. This Thanksgiving, may we learn from examples of the “house searching” television shows that there will always be things we wish were different. Let us choose the lens of gratitude which illuminates our blessings and dims our struggles. Thanksgiving is but one day, but the spirit of Thanksgiving is life-changing. Choosing gratitude will help us keep the spirit of Thanksgiving alive throughout the year.
May God bless each one of you. Happy Thanksgiving!
Mr. Matthew Keough
President, Christian Brothers Academy
November 19, 2020
To: Staff, Residents and Families
From: Joe Murabito, President and Managing Member
Subj: AMENDED>>>COVID 19 and OUR WORK TOGETHER TO STAY SAFE
Everyone, we have been working through this COVID challenge for many months now. We are all experiencing unprecedented cases and stress. I sit here writing this to you all from quarantine with my kids at a separate address from my wife who tested positive and is working through the process. If all goes well we will complete back to back quarantine on 11/25....23 days in total due to exposure dates for us. COVID has affected all of us. I pray that a vaccine is near release that will help us realize some semblance of normalcy. We must persist, be positive and continue forward.
Looking forward, given our current experiences, I implore everyone to sit tight and follow state and federal guidelines through the holidays more intently than ever. Holidays are tough for everyone in the best of circumstances. Normal holiday stress is highly exacerbated with the resulting effects of COVID in our lives. It will pass and we will get on with our lives.
I am asking for your continued diligence and help to keep yourselves safe by wearing your PPE, washing hands, keep socially distanced. This is difficult normally and more difficult during the holidays. No matter, we must stick to our plans and follow the guidelines from our leadership.
Specifically for the upcoming holidays, starting with Thanksgiving, I am asking for everyone’s support and cooperation in assuring our residents’ safety. It is my priority and objective that our residents stay with us at our facilities and not congregate with family and friends during the holidays this year.....I know it sounds ridiculous almost....but it is the way to minimize transmission until vaccination and treatment can help assure better outcomes as we manage this condition. Home visits and visits with friends at this time exponentially increase the risk of transmission and negative outcomes. I ask for your cooperation here please.
Staff we will be following all state and federal guidelines for your continued testing and ask that you recommit to your role in the community as a healthcare worker and minimize your travel and contacts. Wear your PPE please, wash hands....especially outside of work. PLEASE MINIMIZE YOUR SOCIAL CONTACTS....WE NEED YOU HELP TO CARE FOR OUR RESIDENTS. WEAR MASKS. WASH HANDS. EAT TURKEY WITH YOUR IMMEDIATE FAMILY AT HOME PLEASE. YOU’VE BEEN DOING GREAT....PLEASE PERSIST AND LETS GET THROUGH THIS.
Residents, our facilities are the best and most controlled environments to wait for a soon to be released vaccine. Please stay at the facility during Thanksgiving and possibly Christmas given current statistics and cases in the community. In the event you decide to leave the facility please know we will be implementing the following steps to assure our overall population remains as safe as possible:
1. Residents who leave the facility for 2 hours or less will continue to have temps/vitals taken and attestations upon return to the facility.
2. Residents who are out of the facility for more than 2 hours may be tested and temperatures/vitals taken each shift. Residents will quarantine for up to 14 days as determined by our clinical and medical team based on the nature and duration of the out of house trip.
3. BOTTOM LINE IS DO NOT LEAVE THE FACILITY FOR NON-MEDICALLY NECESSARY REASONS NOW - PLEASE. WHILE WE CAN ONLY EDUCATE AND DISCOURAGE, A RESIDENT LEAVING THE FACILITY FOR A NON-MEDICALLY NECESSARY REASON AT THIS TIME IS DOING SO AGAINST MEDICAL ADVICE GIVEN CURRENT COVID STATISTICS IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
Despite all frustration with this process, we must continue to support one another and consider how our actions may affect others. There is a much bigger picture at hand. Our timely success over this challenge depends greatly on a collective and consistent approach to managing this issue. Nothing new....just much more important right now given all circumstances.
I want to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to everyone. So many people have been supportive, positive and objective during these months. We will succeed ultimately and I believe that our actions now – together and in concert – will ultimately define our most timely return to a more comfortable and quality way of life.
I am hopeful this amended letter is more clear and everyone in our circles continues to be diligent until we are relieved from this burden we all share.
Sincerely and with my respect and appreciation,
November 13, 2020
To our Family and Friends,
This is to inform you that due to an individual testing positive for Covid-19 Aaron Manor must by Department of Health directive suspend resident visitation immediately. Aaron Manor will monitor daily and with no further Covid – 19 positive results will resume resident visitation in 14 day. We will continue virtual visits, and any medically necessary visits. We are saddened that we must suspend visitation, however we must for the safety of our Residents and the Staff. We appreciate your patience, and look forward to resuming visits soon.
Thank you,
Joseph B. Dilal III, Administrator
October 16, 2020
To: residents, families, visitors and local community
SUBJ: Resident Visits
As we have all adjusted to the new rules regarding visitation, we have done
our best to compromise and safely accommodate all visits, utilizing outdoor
space as needed.
Effective immediately, all scheduled visitation appointments will take place
indoors, in the space provided, and only with a negative COVID-19 test
including all necessary documentation. Visitors must provide COVID-19
test documentation that includes the visitor’s name, the date of test, the
date of results, and a negative result. Tests are good for 7 days from the
date the test was administered.
Furthermore, all visitors are expected to treat the staff of Aaron Manor with
respect. We understand that it has been and continues to be very difficult to
cope with not being able to freely visit your loved one here. Please be
reminded that the facility is carrying out the directives put forth by the
Department of Health. These measures are even more important at this
time as we see a spike in Covid cases around the state. Our goal is to
follow this guidance to ensure continued visitation.
Thank you for your continued patience and cooperation. We are all in this
together.
Joseph B. Dilal III, Administrator
October 12, 2020
To: residents, families, visitors and local community
SUBJ: Resident Visits
Effective Monday, October 12, 2020, we will move visitation indoors.
Visitation will take place in our Main Lounge only. All other rules for
visitation remain the same.
Please note that in order to safely accommodate indoor visits, we have
limited the number of appointments to three slots per appointment time.
There will be four appointment times as follows: 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m.,
2:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.
Visitation appointments can be scheduled
on signup.com.
If you do not have access to a computer you can call your loved one's unit
Social Worker who can assist you with a time slot.
Thank you for your continued patience and cooperation.
Joseph B. Dilal III, Administrator
July 16, 2020
To: residents, families, visitors and local community
SUBJ: PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
Good Afternoon, We are proud to announce that we will be able to start limited outdoor resident visitation. Our goal is to have our first visitors on Monday 7/20/20.
- All visits MUST be scheduled and there will only be one visit per resident per week. This will change as each of our residents have had the opportunity to see their loved one.
- Outdoor visits will be limited to 30 minutes.
- Visitors should provide their own masks.
- All visitors must wear a mask which covers both their nose and their mouth at all times while on the premises.
- All visitors must be screened and complete an attestation.
- Visitors must maintain social distancing at all times. No touching, No hugging, No kissing. We understand this will be hard but is necessary.
- Only 2 visitors will be allowed per resident at any one time.
- Visitors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
- Hand sanitizer must be used before and after visits.
- Staff will escort your loved one to and from the visit.
- Visitation is strictly prohibited in residents rooms or resident care areas.
Written guidelines are available on our website and Facebook page. Please review those for further details. We are very excited to have you back. Please do your part and keep us all safe and commit to our guidelines. We have worked very hard at keeping your loved ones safe.
Visitation appointments can be scheduled at signup.com.
If you do not have access to a computer you can call your loved ones unit Social Worker who can assist you with a time slot. Please note that if your loved one is signed up for more than one visit per week the visit will be cancelled.
Please note that all visits are weather permitting. We appreciate your time, cooperation and patience with this matter.
Joseph Dilal
July 10, 2020
To: residents, families, visitors and local community
SUBJ: PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
We are excited and proud to announce that the Department of Health will be allowing limited visitation starting soon.
We are working on a comprehensive visitation plan to be submitted to the Department of Health before ANY visitation will start.
Some of the guidelines you can prepare for that will be incorporated in our plan will be:
- All visits must be by appointment ONLY
- We are limited to 10 percent of our resident census at any one time for the maximum number of visitors in the facility
- All visitors will go through a COVID screening, temperature must be taken and are required to wear a mask, a faceshield and gloves at all times during the visit
- All visitors must visit 6 feet apart
Please understand until we have a successfully submitted visitation plan to the department of health we are still restricting visitation.
We will be sending you our plan and all information that you will need regarding visitation once completed. Please wait for the plan, read it and then contact our Social Worker if you have any questions.
June 12, 2020
To: residents, families, visitors and local community
SUBJ: PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
As we head approach the middle of June we continue with the same restriction level as
directed by NYSDOH. With shared challenge and frustration we continue doing everything in
our power to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 to our most vulnerable population. To date
with everyone’s cooperation and diligence, we have experienced a total of six COVID cases in a
single facility in Rochester, with two staff positive cases. We remain proud of, and optimistic
with, our efforts. With 450 beds and well over 500 employees, I can’t express my appreciation
enough to all the healthcare workers who take this seriously every day. Our staff does an
excellent job and we are so proud of them. We are thankful and committed to ongoing success
here.
I want to again publically thank all of our leadership and staff for their focus and efforts so far.
They have been great. We know that we must continue with our diligent work. As the world
determines how it must begin to start our economic and social engines again I must stress that
our operations will conduct themselves in a most conservative way. We were the first
organizations to implement restrictions. We will be the last organizations to lift restrictions.
There is no better option. If we can prevent transmission and subsequent suffering related to
this condition then we will do so..
THROUGH THE 30th OF JUNE 2020 our organizations (all four locations), in an effort to be as
conservative and proactive as possible will continue restricting ALL visitation to our facilities.
We are only allowing residents to make critical healthcare appointments as directed by our
Medical Directors and NYSDOH. Despite our optimism we know we are not out of the woods
yet.
HOWEVER, please be assured that our management team is planning how we can begin
structuring some controlled and managed visitation. We’ve begin increased socialization
among our residents within our facilities and are trying to use our green spaces more effectively
as the weather allows. We all look forward to taking more steps toward better and normal
social interactions all around.
While it is impossible to guarantee that COVID-19 will not present itself within our facilities, we
work diligently and are committed to protecting people. Your continued support with our
decisions is important and very much appreciated. Please continue with your own efforts to
minimize and hopefully eliminate transmission by following all the governmental guidelines and
directives....it is worth the effort to protect our most vulnerable.
We take great pride in our work and continue to be honored with the privilege of caring for you
and/or your loved one.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT. WE WILL RE-EVALUATE THIS
CURRENT POSITION AT THE END OF MAY AND LOOK FORWARD TO SOME LIGHTER
RESTRICTIONS AND MORE NORMAL INTERACTIONS IN THE DAYS AHEAD.
May 15, 2020
To: residents, families, visitors and local community
SUBJ: PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
The challenges with COVID management continue as we reach mid-May 2020. Our facilities
continue with significant restrictions and exercise all the measures of caution and prevention
we can to avoid the virus. With shared challenge and frustration we continue doing everything
in our power to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 to our most vulnerable population. To
date with everyone’s cooperation and diligence, we have experienced a total of six COVID cases
in a single facility in Rochester, with two staff positive cases. We remain proud of, and
optimistic with, our efforts. With 450 beds and well over 500 employees, I can’t express my
appreciation enough to all the healthcare workers who take this seriously every day. Our staff
does an excellent job and we are so proud of them. We are thankful and committed to ongoing
success here.
I want to again publically thank all of our leadership and staff for their focus and efforts so far.
They have been great. We know that we must continue with our diligent work. As the world
determines how it must begin to start our economic and social engines again I must stress that
our operations will conduct themselves in a most conservative way. We were the first
organizations to implement restrictions. We will be the last organizations to lift restrictions.
There is no better option. If we can prevent transmission and subsequent suffering related to
this condition then we will do so.
THROUGH THE 31 st OF MAYour organizations (all four locations), in an effort to be as
conservative and proactive as possible will continue restricting ALL visitation to our facilities.
We continue cancelling all non-critical medical appointments. We continue cancelling traveling
entertainment. We don’t like it either but as society begins to loosen its restrictions we need to
refocus our efforts and watch things closely possibly into the end of May. Despite our optimism
we know we are not out of the woods yet.
HOWEVER, please be assured that our management team has begun discussions and planning
for how we can begin structuring some controlled and managed visitation. We’ve also
discussed how and when we can begin some normal type interactions between residents
through activities and managed social interaction. We know we need to take steps forward and
expect some better information for everyone by months end. We are frustrated with the
situation along with everyone else but know that small subtle steps forward will allow us to
proceed safely and avoid unnecessary negative outcomes.
While it is impossible to guarantee that COVID-19 will not present itself within our facilities, we
work diligently and are committed to protecting people. Your continued support with our
decisions is important and very much appreciated. Please continue with your own efforts to
minimize and hopefully eliminate transmission by following all the governmental guidelines and
directives....it is worth the effort to protect our most vulnerable.
Lastly, I believe it is important to mention some key points specific to our organization’s efforts
to comply with recent state mandates for COVID-19 testing. As you may know recent directives
require all adult care facilities to test all personnel twice weekly. We strongly agree that testing
leads to better knowledge and awareness allowing us to provide optimal care. While we
support the intent of recent testing mandates and believe we have common goals with our
governmental leaders, the resource and supply chain statewide prohibits total compliance as
mandated, at least at the present time. At the same time, we are working diligently together to
accomplish the goals as laid out by our government. Our testing success has increased notably
in all areas and we push forward. We are optimistic support for our work will increase and
improve.
We take great pride in our work and continue to be honored with the privilege of caring for you
and/or your loved one.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT. WE WILL RE-EVALUATE THIS
CURRENT POSITION AT THE END OF MAY AND LOOK FORWARD TO SOME LIGHTER
RESTRICTIONS AND MORE NORMAL INTERACTIONS IN THE DAYS AHEAD.
April 29, 2020
To: residents, families, visitors and local community
SUBJ: PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
We are completing our second month of very active efforts to care for, preserve and protect our residents. Our facilities implemented significant restrictions and direction to all who come in contact with our residents for the purpose of doing everything in our power to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 to our most vulnerable population. To date with everyone’s cooperation and diligence, we have experienced only five COVID cases in a single facility in Rochester, with one staff positive case. The team in Rochester has worked very hard to contain this issue and provide the best care....they are doing an excellent job and we are all proud of them. In our other three facilities we continue with no cases in residents or staff. We are thankful and committed to ongoing success here.
I want to again publically thank all of our leadership and staff for their focus and efforts so far. They have been great. We know that we must continue with our diligent work. As the world determines how it must begin to start our economic and social engines again I must stress that our operations will conduct themselves in a most conservative way. We were the first organizations to implement restrictions. We will be the last organizations to lift restrictions. There is no better option. If we can prevent transmission and subsequent suffering related to this condition then we will do so.
THROUGH THE 15th OF MAY our organizations (all four locations), in an effort to be as conservative and proactive as possible will continue restricting ALL visitation to our facilities. We continue cancelling all non-critical medical appointments. We continue cancelling traveling entertainment. We don’t like it either but as society begins to loosen its restrictions we need to refocus our efforts and watch things closely possibly into the end of May. Despite our optimism we know we are not out of the woods yet.
While it is impossible to guarantee that COVID-19 will not present itself within our facilities, we work diligently and are committed to protecting people.
Your continued support with our decisions is important and very much appreciated.
Please continue with your own efforts to minimize and hopefully eliminate transmission by following all the governmental guidelines and directives....it is worth the effort to protect our most vulnerable.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT. WE WILL RE-EVALUATE THIS DECISION MID-MAY AS THINGS UNFOLD.
April 27th, 2020
Our staff and leadership continue their diligent efforts and work to manage all aspects of the current COVID-19 pandemic. We appreciate your continued support through this challenging time. We are dedicated to our work, our residents and our families as you know. We are available for questions and recognize the concerns people may have. With that said we ask for your continued patience and understanding as we continue to navigate all aspects of this topic.
The following is a link for information and resources on COVID: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home
You may also contact directly the NYSDOH via email: icp@health.ny.gov OR covidadultcareinfo@health.ny.gov OR covidnursinghomeinfo@health.ny.gov
We understand and feel the stress of this matter and want to assure everyone that our complete focus and efforts are being directed toward managing this issue.
Thank you again for your support and understanding.