COVID-19 Status Update

3/11/21

Demaree Crossing is getting ready for some wonderful family reunions! Yesterday the Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) released new guidance that communities like ours, can offer responsible and safe visit options regardless of the vaccination status for families and residents. CMS put in place some restrictions, and this has been the case throughout the pandemic, we must receive the green light from the Indiana health department before we can actually host more indoor visits. Read the specific information on our Cappella Living Solution’s website. 

COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Plans

We want you to get ready now. All residents and team members need to have their most current insurance cards. If you misplaced your insurance card please make sure you get a replacement card for yourself or your loved one as soon as possible, so the process moves forward as smoothly as possible. Please take a look at the below links for further information.

• A Frequently Asked Question document provided by the American Medical Director Association (AMDA)
• The Pfizer Vaccine information sheet
• A flyer about the myths and facts of the vaccine

To learn more about the Covid-19 vaccine for Demaree Crossing click here.

2/11/21

In our continued commitment to keep you informed during this COVID-19 pandemic, we want to update you regarding our work to offer indoor visitations per Indiana State Department of Health directives issued in November 2020.

At Demaree Crossing we have met the criteria required for our community to offer indoor visitations. The measurement that continues to be variable is our county’s positivity rate. We are thrilled to share that our county rate has finally gone below the requirement and we can offer indoor visitations in our Assisted Living and Memory Support neighborhoods.

As a reminder, now that we can offer visits, visitors must also meet specific criteria. A COVID-19 test is recommended, but not required.  

The following protocols are in place for visitations:

• Visits will be held in the discovery room and will be twenty minutes long.
• Our visitation hours will be 10:30 AM and the last visit is 6:30 PM, Monday through Friday, and 10:30 AM and the last visit is at 4:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday.
• To schedule an indoor visit please call the community at (317) 316-8380, and you can schedule with the concierge.
• We can accommodate four family members during each visit, with one visit per resident per week.
• All visitors must wear a mask, have their temperature taken and sign an acknowledgement form.

Outdoor visits will remain available as the weather allows. We also encourage residents and families to connect via technology, such as video chat, letters, and care packages.

We will continue to do everything we can to offer indoor visitations at this time, but please remember that this can change at any time due to virus activity in our community or an increase in the positivity rate in our county.

We will do our best to notify our Demaree Crossing family if our visitation status changes.

We know connections with loved ones and friends if vitally important to the health and happiness of those we serve, we will continue to look for creative ways to help preserve precious relationships.

12/3/20

All 23 CLC-Cappella Communities Prepared to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine 

Priority distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to seniors and healthcare workers who are at the most risk of contracting the virus is welcome news. CLC-Cappella is ready to receive the vaccine to protect residents and associates in all 23 of our communities as soon as it is available. We remain in constant communication with state health departments, the CDC, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as details of the distribution process continue to develop.

Learn more about how the COVID-19 Vaccine Plan here.

Update 7/17/20

New Visit Protocols to Start Next Week

Demaree Crossing is pleased to say that we continue to be free of Covid-19 in our community!
After review of the Indiana State Department of Health guidelines, we will begin offering indoor visitations rather than outdoor visitations starting on July 22 for the health and welfare of all during these hot summer days. Visitations will be in the Discovery Room just inside the front lobby. You will not be able to have access to the residents’ apartments or the other common areas. We will follow similar guidelines as we did with the outside visits, including all visits being supervised, a 20-minute time frame being enforced, virus screenings will be completed and social distancing protocols will be followed. All guests are asked to bring their own masks and are required to wear them. You are welcome to schedule the visit through the concierge by calling 317.316.8380. Previously scheduled outdoor visits will be transferred to indoor visits.
A friendly reminder that residents and families must continue to wear their masks and continue to follow social distancing protocols at all times when visiting each other. While we understand the desire to hug and see each other’s faces, the use of face masks and social distancing has shown to be very effective at preventing the spread of the virus. With the increase in active Covid-19 cases in the surrounding areas, we are very concerned that this action puts others at risk and we are trying very hard to keep everyone who lives and works at Demaree Crossing well. If we have an active case, we will have to quarantine all residents due to the exposure. We ask that you exercise patience in your desire to spend time with your loved one in order to help us protect your loved one as well as others.
We thank you for your patience with us and with this process as we continue to strive to keep

Update 7/10/20

Demaree Crossing COVID-19 Status Update

Demaree Crossing is pleased to say that we continue to be free of Covid-19 in our community and would like to thank you for your part in that. 

This week we have had the opportunity to open our beauty salon for limited services.  We want to start small to allow the beautician an opportunity to familiarize herself with the sanitation requirements needed in order for us to operate in compliance with the State Board of Health guidelines.  She will resume normal operations and appointments next week.  We have also been asked about manicures and pedicures.  We will be reaching out to inquire about starting those services in the near future. 

In addition, many of you have inquired about visits with residents within Demaree Crossing.  With our proximity to Marion County and the high incidence of Covid-19 within Johnson County, we are erring on the side of caution with visitations.  Our goal is to have a plan for visitation to share with each of you next week, allowing us to take into consideration the next steps taken by the State Board of Health with Marion County and the pattern of new cases within our immediate area.

We thank you for your patience with us and with this process as we continue to strive to keep our residents safe and healthy.  

Update 6/19/20

Updates on Outdoor Visitation

Demaree Crossing is pleased to say that we continue to be free of Covid-19 in our community and would like to thank you for your part in that.

We will continue to the outdoor visitation for all residents but we again ask that you limit this to once per week to allow all of our residents and families a chance to visit. Please contact the concierge to schedule an appointment.

In addition, we are now able to allow window visits with the window open. We do ask that you please remain 6 feet apart to avoid the transmission of the disease through the screen.

Lastly, we will also begin expanding our resident’s ability to move through the community this week. Residents will no longer be asked to stay in their apartment as long as they are wearing masks, remaining socially distant and using proper handwashing or use of hand sanitizer. We will also be working on a plan for some small group activities to begin this week as well. We will, of course, remain socially distant, wear masks and not use any shared materials or equipment.

In order to allow our residents more freedom within the community, we would ask again that families use masks, social distancing and refrain from touching residents when on appointments. All residents who go out on appointments and for visits with families will be asked to quarantine in their apartments for 14 days following the outing.

We thank you for your patience with us and with this process as we continue to strive to keep our residents safe and healthy.

Q: What is being done to protect residents and staff? 

A: We continue to implement rigorous virus sanitizing protocols daily.  The county health department continues to direct our actions. Residents’ temperatures are taken twice daily and the team is vigilantly monitoring all signs and symptoms for everyone who lives and works at Demaree Crossing . 

Q: Is Demaree Crossing Safe? 

A: The COVID-19 Pandemic is a world-wide health crisis. While no place at this time is immune to the virus, we continue extraordinary precautions with the guidance of local health officials and the CDC. 

Q: What are the ‘rules’ your respective communities follow to detect, contain and isolate COVID-19?

A: The health and safety of our residents and team members is our top priority and we will continue to practice all federal, and local mandated measures as well as our organizational procedures to limit exposure of COVID-19 in our communities.

Q: Who is allowed to visit your communities?

A: The community is scheduling video calls and courtyard visits (patio visits, lawn visits) with social distancing and plexiglass for family visitors. 

For all licensed neighborhoods – assisted living and memory support are on ‘restricted status.’ We are adhering to visitation guidelines established by the state health department, CDC and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Visitation to, assisted living community, or memory support community is limited to:

• ‘Essential Need Only’ visits. Essential need visits include support care and family visits in resident mental health and end-of-life situations.
• Visits must be brief.

Q: How are visitors being screened?

A:  We screen everyone entering the building everyday immediately, including team members and essential care providers. Screening includes:

• Fever screening, we take temperatures of everyone, including team members
• Cough and/or shortness of breath
• Sore throat
• Any travel outside of country or state
• Identifying if they have visited another senior living community
• Questions on purpose of visit
• Once screening is complete, visitors must wash hands before visiting residents and after leaving the community

Q: What are residents doing to stay positive and connected

A: Maintaining a positive attitude is crucial. Positivity begets positivity. We encourage our team member to stay positive and imbue residents with positivity. We are also encouraging residents to:

• Continue to be social and actively engaged at safe social distances – for example hallway BINGO, hallway exercising and trivia
• Communicate with loved ones through texts, emails and social media. We’re encouraging community members to post photos on Facebook and tag everyone they want to see the photo
• We’re leveraging technology (FaceTime, Zoom, Skype, Facebook, Instagram, emails and text) to connect residents with loved ones outside the community and with each other. Examples include:
  • Virtual visits
  • Bible study
  • Playing and listening to music performances
  • Message board photos
  • Reading books to children via Skype
• For residents who don’t know how to use/unable to use technologies, families can sign up for a team member to assist their loved one to use virtual visit technologies.
• We’re encouraging folks to drop off a favorite pre-packaged food item or card. These will be wiped with EPA-approved disinfectant wipes before being delivered. We’re also encouraging:
• Writing notes to each other, to family and team members
• Enlist internal and external groups/committees – church, book clubs, knitters to do a card shower for residents and team members
• Continuing Pen Pals programs – letters and notes back and forth between students and residents
• Musical performances/poetry outside resident windows

Q: Can you describe your training protocols?

A: CLC/CLS already conducts extensive yearly training for all team members in managing infections and preventing the spread of infectious diseases. These protocols are multi-disciplinary and prescriptive to prevention, containment and how to stop the spread of the disease should it occur.  

All communities are following a special set of coronavirus-specific policies and procedures modeled after our very successful flu and norovirus protocols. Training and protocols include:

• Provide training for all employees on infection control standards
• Report and act quickly if any symptoms are reported in the community
• Start isolation procedures immediately if COVID-19 is suspected
• Notify State and/or Local Health Department which coordinates with CDC to transport resident or team member to hospital for testing
• Follow state report guidelines for any confirmed cases

Q: What is done if a team member or resident shows symptoms?

A: If a team member has any symptoms, they are required to stay home and report symptoms to their doctor to determine if they meet COVID-19 test standards. If a resident exhibits symptoms, we are contacting the local health department and their doctor to determine the best plan for testing.

You can view the last organizational Town Hall Webinar pre-recorded on June 25th here.

Cappella (or CLC) President and CEO Jill Vitale-Assume recently hosted a FB live event with two clinical experts, CLC Medical Director Dr. Erick Gomer MD, and VP of Clinical and Compliance, Pat McBride, RN, BSN, MSN. Watch the video to hear these experts sort COVID 19 Vaccine fact from fiction.

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

State of Indiana

Johnson County, IN