Campus Update

COVID Cases at Southfield Village August 14, 2023

Residents	Independent Living	Assisted Living	Healthcare	Total
Active Positive Cases	0	1	0	1
Positive Cases Hospitalized	0	0	0	0
Team Members	Independent Living	Assisted Living	Healthcare	Serves Multiple Areas of Campus*	Total
Active Positive Cases	0	0	0	0	0

 

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October 20, 2022

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, transparency has been key. Therefore, we wish to communicate changes with our policy for COVID-19 precautions and required regulations, this letter will share new updates for our healthcare and assisted living areas of campus.

CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services) and the State Department of Health has begun to ease some of the restrictions for masking and testing as well as for quarantining residents. While we are excited to see these restrictions loosening, we want to communicate with you how we will continue to move forward on our campus.

As you may be aware, COVID-19 is still prevalent in our county, and the flu season has begun. Therefore, we will keep a high standard of vigilance to protect the health of the residents who live with us and the team members who work with us.

1. Masking. We ask all visitors, team members and residents to continue wearing masks when enjoying our public areas in healthcare and assisted living. When visiting inside a resident’s private room, we ask you to wear your mask however it is not required. Masks for residents are not a requirement when they are in their own room. If the resident you are visiting has a roommate, please protect each other by wearing a mask.
2. Screening In. Please continue to check in at the kiosk or sign in sheet as you have in the past. You will notice that the questions have changed so please read them carefully. This practice helps us should we need to communicate about a potential exposure in case of an outbreak on campus.
3. Testing. All team members who have a medical or religious exemption approved by Greencroft Communities will continue to test once a week. Any team member or resident who displays symptoms of COVID-19 will receive a test. If we have an outbreak, testing will follow state and federal requirements which may be more frequent.
4. Quarantine. Residents and team members who may have been exposed to COVID-19 but are not displaying any symptoms will not be required to quarantine. Residents and team members who have had an exposure AND have symptoms will be required to quarantine for the required days.

While it may seem like the holidays are too far away to think about, they are, in reality, not far away. In the new year, we plan to revisit these practices to determine how to proceed. Our priority is to keep your loved ones and our team members healthy and safe. We know you have that same wish.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions or reach out to our covidquestions@greencroftcommunities.org email address. We hope you enjoy this lovely fall season as we watch the green change into vibrant reds and yellows.

Sincerely,
Joseph M. Doran
VP of Operations
 

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November 22, 2021

I want to take this opportunity to wish all of you a blessed Thanksgiving.

As the holiday season is among us, we have received numerous questions concerning visitation and celebrations during this time of the year. Recently, CMS (Center for Medicare and Medicaid) issued new guidance concerning visitation at long-term health care facilities. We want to take this opportunity to update you on the Visitation During COVID-19 Pandemic policy. As we move into the holiday season, the following will be in place:

1. Visitation will be allowed at all times. All visitors should use the front entrance between 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., seven days per week. There will be no limits in the lengths of the visits, but the core principles of infection control (hand hygiene, masks, social distancing) must be followed. If the visit is after hours, in Assisted Living call 574-360-5183. For healthcare call the main number, 574-231-1000 and follow the prompts. All visitors must be screened.

2. There is no limit on the number of visitors that can enter the facility at a time. Please note that there still needs to be adequate space in the room to allow for social distancing. Therefore, we may ask that only a few people enter at a time. Larger gatherings in which adequate physical distance cannot be maintained (i.e., parties, large family meals) cannot occur.

3. Visitors should go directly to the resident's rooms. They should not be walking throughout the building or sitting in the common areas. One visitor at a time is allowed to walk the resident throughout the facility

4. When the county level of transmission is high, masks must be worn at all times, regardless of the vaccination status while inside the facility.

5. All visitors MUST screen in at the front desk using the electronic kiosk. If a staff member is not available at the front entrance, the kiosk MUST still be used before entering the building.

6. While it is not recommended, residents who are presently in Transmission Based Precautions or quarantine will be able to receive visitors. Appropriate PPE (mask, gloves, gown, eye protection) based on the level of isolation must be worn at all times.

7. Compassionate care visitation is allowed at all times.

As the Thanksgiving celebration is just a few days away, we would like to encourage you to take your loved one to your celebration. The COVID-19 pandemic has meant that many times residents have felt isolated. Please remember that residents who are NOT vaccinated AND they spent more than 24 hours outside the facility would be required to quarantine for 14 days when they return.

Some family members have inquired about reserving a private room to host a meal for your loved one at our facility. Adequate social distance must be kept, so meeting rooms will have a maximum amount of people that would be allowed at one time. If you are interested in reserving a space, please call the Receptionist to find out about availability. Most of these have already been reserved.

As a community, we are glad that visitation policies are opening up. At the same time, we take this opportunity to remind you of the importance of being vigilant in observing and following all the principles of infection control. Visitors that have tested positive for COVID OR are experiencing COVID symptoms and currently meet the criteria for quarantine, should NOT enter the facility. Hand hygiene (use of alcohol-based hand rub is preferred), masks (covering mouth and nose), and social distancing at least six feet between persons must be followed at all times. This is for the protection of your loved ones and our team members. Keeping the members of our community safe is a high priority.

As we celebrate this time of the year, I will be grateful for many things, and one of them is the opportunity to serve each one of our residents. I thank God with my whole heart for the blessing of being part of this campus. As we celebrate together, I leave you the following verse as a blessing:

The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26

Sincerely,
Joe Doran
Vice President of Operations
 

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August 20, 2021

As you may have heard, on Wednesday August 18, President Biden announced he is calling on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to require all nursing homes who accept federal reimbursement to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for team members. We recognize that this mandate will be met with mixed emotions. Some will be undoubtably relieved while others will be disconcerted and alarmed.

Since the COVID-19 vaccination availability, we have done our part to encourage all team members who are able to get the vaccine. We feel it’s the best way to maintain the safety and health of our team members, their families, and our residents. At the same time, in accordance with our CROFT values, we respect those who choose to think differently.

You may be asking what this mandate means? The answer is, we don’t know for sure. It appears we will receive communication as early as September. We ask for your patience as we await formal guidance from CMS and our state department of health with the policy and procedures. Once that is received, we will begin to process this guidance as an organization in conjunction with our team members

In addition, we are working with our state and national non-profit associations to advocate for team members who are unable to receive the COVID-19 vaccine due to religious beliefs and/or medical conditions. We expect these protections will be included in the mandate but feel it is vital for us to have our voices heard now.

Should you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact myself or another member of the leadership team. In addition, you may also email your concerns or questions to covidquestions@greencroftcommunities.org.

Sincerely,
Joe Doran
Vice President of Operations

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July 15, 2021

In order to provide you with the most recent information about what is happening on campus, Southfield Village will be sending daily e-mails.

Our Covid-19 screening machine is up and operational. Thank you to Kristen for all the hard work. So, what does this mean with regards to visits? Effective immediately…

Visitations will be available, without an appointment, for all residents from 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., seven days per week. Please be sensitive to morning care when planning your visitation time. All visitors must screen in at the main entrance using the kiosk. End of life visitors do not have any time restrictions. It is recommended, but not mandatory, your first time using the kiosk, try to come when there is a receptionist on duty to walk you through the process. The visit can take place in the resident’s room/apartment or outside. You only need to be screened once per day, if you are leaving and planning on returning, you need to retain your badge. If you are not wearing a badge in the facility, we are asking staff to stop you and return you to the kiosks. Please do not visit in common areas of the campus. If you would like to reserve a private room, you can do this through the receptionist.

Any unvaccinated visitors must wear masks at all times, even in the resident’s room/apartment and maintain social distancing.  Vaccinated visitors must wear a mask in all common areas but may remove them once in the resident’s room/apartment or outdoors.

Children are allowed to visit; however, they must follow the same guidance as adults. Most children will not be vaccinated and will be require to wear a  mask and social distance at all times. Children under 2 years of age are not required to wear a mask.

At any time, if we have more than one Covid-19 positive case, indoor visitation will stop until all residents and staff test negative for 14 days.

If you have questions, please reach out to your assigned contact at Southfield Village at the numbers listed below. The main switch board is 574-231-1000.                               

Joe Doran	Executive Director	574-807-8300
Delynn Britton	Director of Nursing	574-807-8307
Lisa Norville	Assistant Director of Nursing	574-231-1000
Shannon ONeill	Social Services Director	574-807-8314
Jack Renbarger	Culinary Manager of Food Services	574-807-8311
Jennifer Liggitt	Resident Services Coordinator	574-807-8334
Keith Warrell	Maintenance	574-807-8310
Loren Kelley	Business Office	574-807-8316
Julie Thompson	Wellness and Leisure	574-807-8335
Heidi Przygoda	Human Resources	574-807-8302

If you have additional questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact Joe Doran, Vice President of Operations at 574-231-1000, or e-mail us at info01@southfieldvillage.org.

If the facility cannot resolve your concern, you can always reach out to the Corporate Compliance Hotline at 1-800-211-2713.  Please utilize the contact information above first.

The local Ombudsman: Sister Linda Kors, C.S.C. 574-284-7135

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June 11, 2021

We are beginning to open up resident room visitations more as the guidance from the Indiana Department of Health changes. The biggest difficulty for us is the continuation of screening everyone who enters the building. Although this sounds very simple, it is not. It is very time-consuming and costly. To expand current visitations, we have just hired a part-time receptionist and continue to recruit for a second one. This will allow us to have visits 7 days per week and for longer hours each day. Additionally, I am ordering a kiosk (screening station) that will automatically screen visitors entering the building. Once this is in place, in-room visits will be more common and not limited to a specific amount of time. 

Please remember, there is very little difference in terms of guidance between vaccinated and unvaccinated visitors. Vaccinated visitors and residents may remove their mask and touch while in the residents’ rooms. If either the resident or visitor is unvaccinated, masks must be worn and social distancing be maintained at all times

If you have questions regarding any of these changes, please reach out to me.

Joe Doran
VP of Operations

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May 7, 2021

It is official, our annual survey conducted by the Indiana State Department of Health resulted in no deficiencies.  Only 10% of all nursing homes receive a deficiency free survey.  Again, congratulations to the wonderful staff at Southfield Village.  It is an honor to work with them.

89 team members tested negative last week.  This was the second week in a row that we conducted testing.  Since the county positivity rate is below 5%, we can resume testing once per month.  Remember, visitations must stop if the county positivity rate exceeds 10%.  Encourage people to wear masks, social distance, wash hands and get vaccinated.

All visits and outings must be scheduled 48 hours in advance.  We are having families showing up with out advanced notice causing problems for the staff.  If you fail to schedule your visit, you will be asked to come back at another time.

Thank you!

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April 23, 2021

We are happy to report all staff tested negative this past Monday.  Testing will occur again next week.  If no new positive cases occur during that time, we will move back to monthly testing.  Remember, visitations must stop if the county positivity rate exceeds 10%.  Please encourage people to wear masks, social distance, wash hands and get vaccinated.  There are resources for information about the vaccines from trusted sources linked on our site.

Please give us at least a 48-hour notice for all visits (indoor and outdoor) and excursions.  The front desk staff are doing their best to handle scheduling so please have patience with us.  We will be only sending e-mails one time per week unless there is a significant change such as positive cases that would affect visitation. 

Please remember, if you are returning a resident  from an outdoor visit,  you are not allowed to travel throughout the inside of the community or continue the visit indoors in a common area.

If you have questions, please reached out to your assigned contact at Southfield Village at the numbers listed below.  The main switch board is 574-231-1000.

Thank you!

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February 10, 2021

With the pandemic still very much in our lives, we continue to keep our CROFT values at the forefront of what we do. Our values guide us in everything from how we treat one another to the decisions we make each day. As January has turned into February, we have completed the second and even third vaccination clinics for our residents and team members at each campus in the Greencroft system. 

This news is exciting as it means that most of our residents have gotten their second dose of the vaccine and are on their way to developing the needed immunity to COVID-19. While the number of team members taking the vaccine was not as high as our residents, we still had a good number of team members who decided to take the vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine is not mandatory for our team members. We will continue to make this a voluntary action. 

The vaccine is now available to more and more age groups in each state which will bring us closer to the level of immunity needed in order be able to make changes in our routines. We have heard from many of you asking when restrictions will be removed. Our answer is that we must continue to follow the same guidelines put forth by the CDC (Center for Disease Control) and CMS (Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services) and our State Department of Health. We are unable to offer visitation until county positivity rates remain under 10% and we are COVID free for residents and team members. We wish that answer could be different. Truly, we do.  We are happy to report that some of the Greencroft Communities’ campuses will be able to have visitations restored now that county positivity rates are below 10%. We celebrate the joy this brings to our residents and family members.

For the time being, we must continue to social distance, wear masks, keep washing our hands, and avoid gatherings until we, as a society, can reach a level of immunity which would make those actions less important. Trusted resources tell us that while even after the second dose of the vaccine, we can still contract COVID-19, and thus we can still transmit the virus to others. The vaccine may keep recipients from experiencing the severe symptoms of COVID-19 but not from transmitting the virus to those who have not been vaccinated. Therefore, we must adhere to the safety protocols we have in place.

We are thankful for the protection the vaccine offers to our residents as they have suffered the most severe of the effects of this virus. To know they have protection is a blessing. We continue to educate and answer questions for our team members and families so you may make an informed decision on whether to accept this protection for yourself when you are eligible.

Should you have questions specific to our campus, please do not hesitate to contact me directly. Should you have questions about COVID-19 or the vaccine, please don’t hesitate to email covidquestions@greencroftcommunities.org.

Sincerely,
Joe Doran, VP of Operations
 

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February 8, 2021

We are pleased that all our residents and team members for assisted living and healthcare have tested negative. We have also completed our second vaccination clinic which had high participation for residents in both assisted living and healthcare. We also had many team members who accepted the vaccine.

According to a call last Thursday, with the Indiana State Department of Health, visitation can start when the county positivity rate is below 10%. We are pleased that we no longer have to hold that for 2 consecutive weeks. This will allow us to begin visitation this week. 

Please call the reception desk to schedule a day and time. 

There have been no changes by the CDC or Indiana State Department of Health regarding the visitation guidelines related to receiving the vaccine. This means you will follow the same guidelines for visitation. Please comply with screening requirements prior to the visit, wear a mask at all times during the visit, maintain social distancing of 6 ft, sanitize hands before and after visits.  Please do not come to visit if you feel ill.

All of us at Southfield Village, team members and residents are excited to have visitors once again.
 

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December 18, 2020

As Christmas Day quickly approaches, together we anticipate the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior. This is normally a time for celebration with friends and family from near and far. This month, we are once again asking you to please think carefully prior to participating in any gatherings beyond your immediate household. Please look for other ways to stay connected with family and friends so that in the new year we can gather again as we once did. We ask this of you and our team members as well. The news has been full of exciting stories about the COVID-19 vaccine. Just this week, hospitals around the country have begun vaccination of healthcare workers. For us, that means things will be happening quickly. Currently, all team members who have contact with our assisted living or healthcare residents can receive the vaccine at an area hospital, or they can wait to receive it on campus within the next few weeks. Preparation is underway for onsite clinics which will be run by Walgreens. We do not have specific dates as of the writing of this letter; however, preparations are already underway. We view this vaccine as the first step in helping us to slow and potentially stop the spread of COVID-19, with the hope of an eventual return to life as normal.

In addition to team members, our residents in assisted living and healthcare will be offered the vaccine in the first phase of the rollout. You might have heard from us already, or you will hear from us, regarding consent for your loved one to receive the vaccine if you are the responsible party or healthcare power of attorney. Our independent living residents are not eligible to receive the vaccine in the first phase. However, they should reach out to their physician to discuss when and how they may receive a vaccine.

The CDC has published a list of eight things you should know:

1. The safety of COVID-19 vaccines is a top priority.

2. COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you from getting COVID-19. Two doses are needed. (A second vaccine will be administered three weeks after the first).

3. Right now, CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccine be offered to healthcare personnel and residents of long-term care facilities.

4. There is currently a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccine in the United States, but supply will increase in the weeks and months to come.

5. After COVID-19 vaccination, you may have some side effects. This is a normal sign that your body is building protection.

6. Cost is not an obstacle to getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

7. The first COVID-19 vaccine is being used under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Many other vaccines are still being developed and tested.

8. COVID-19 vaccines are one of many important tools to help us stop this pandemic.

We have begun educating our team members about the vaccine so they may make an informed decision. We have sent letters, provided fact sheets, and are currently conducting team meetings and one-on-one conversations to address concerns and answer questions. We are not requiring our team members to accept the vaccine. We are encouraging our team members to take the vaccine in order to protect our residents and one another.

While the administration of the vaccine will provide you and the entire community with an extra layer of protection from COVID-19, we will still continue to practice safety measures to prevent the spread of the disease. We encourage you to continue to wear masks outside of your residence, to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds, to maintain social distancing and to avoid groups. Together we can successfully fight this disease and keep our community safe!

A COVID-19 vaccine FAQ page is being added to this website. This should be available early next week. You can find it by clicking on the orange bar at the top of the page. We will share information regarding the vaccine from trusted sites. We have also established an email account, covidquestions@greencroftcommunirics.org for anyone who may have questions about the vaccine or COVID-19.

The health and safety of our residents and staff continues to remain our top priority. Your care and safety practices during this pandemic are a true service to our campus and in the broader community.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us should you have questions.

Joe Doran
VP of Operations

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December 1, 2020

Due to the high positivity rate in St. Joseph County, all staff are required to be tested twice a week. We tested all staff yesterday, there was one new positive case.

On Friday, we retested all health care residents and two more converted to positive.  That made a total of three for last week week. Today we retested all the health care residents again and had four positive tests.  All positive residents are being located to other facilities  that have a working COVID units.

We tested all assisted living residents today.  We are please to announce all tested negative for COVID.

Since we cannot do inside visits at this time, we have begun window visits.  Please contact Jennifer Liggitt for assisted living or Julie and Jenny for health care.
 

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September 22, 2020

 

We continue to have no new positive, resident cases so far this week. We are saddened to report one of our residents who tested positive for COVID-19 and had no symptoms, has passed due to another illness. We ask for your prayers for this family as they grieve their loved one. 

We have completed resident testing today and tested all team members yesterday in accordance with CDC and ISDH recommendations and regulations. We had two staff members who received a positive test result from last weeks round of testing.

Currently, we are asking that families do not transport residents to medical appointments. Our team members will be able to assist you with this task.

Thank you,
Joe Doran
 

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September 18, 2020

 

Today, two team members who had been working on the COVID unit have tested positive.  This bring us to four current positive team members.  They are currently quarantining at home.  We completed all residents and staff member testing on Wednesday of this week and anticipate results on Tuesday or Wednesday of next week.  We are thankful to continue to have no new positive test results in our healthcare and no positive tests in our Assisted Living. 

Thank you!

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September 17, 2020

We continue to have no new COVID-19 cases on campus.  We still have 16 residents that have tested positive on the skilled unit.  Test results are beginning to come in from Friday’s tests.  All Assisted Living residents results have come back as negative.  All positive residents are quarantined on our COVID-19 unit.  We will continue to test all residents weekly and staff, two times per week.  Currently, there is only one staff member who is at home with positive results.

Due to residents and staff members testing positive, our resident and family visitation must be suspended until all residents and staff test negative for 14 days.  You will receive communication from us when we are able to resume visitation.

We also continue with daily emails to family members regarding any changes from the previous day.  The team is also calling each family on a weekly basis to answer any questions and provide additional information.

Thank you!

Joe Doran

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September 14, 2020

Greetings,

The team pulled together since Friday to make sure all residents who had tested positive were in an isolated area in one hallway in healthcare.  Any residents who tested negative were moved if needed to make sure they were not in the isolation hallway.  We have also set up our new therapy gym as back up should we need additional beds for isolation or temporary placement while room moves are made.  Over the weekend, we had two more residents that converted to positive.  One is symptomatic the other is not.  We now have a total of 16 residents who are positive.  Staff are being tested twice a week and residents will be test once per week unless someone is showing symptoms, then more often.

We thank you for your prayers during this time as we work to mitigate the spread of this virus.

Thank you,

Joe Doran

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September 11, 2020

Dear Families and Residents,

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been our goal to be transparent in our communication, so you know what we know.  This is what our CROFT Values (Creativity, Respect, Openness, Fairness and Teamwork) calls us to do for one another.

We have always been prepared for when the virus would appear, not if it would appear.  Even with our best efforts, we have experienced an outbreak of COVID-19 in our healthcare center.  As you know, we have 5 team members who have tested positive and have begun quarantining at home.  With these positive cases, we began testing residents in accordance with guidelines we have from the CDC and Indiana State Board of Health.  With the testing of residents, we now have diagnosed 13 residents who have tested positive.  If your loved one tested positive or had an exposure, you will have already received a phone call. 

Early in the pandemic, we prepared a COVID-19 unit so we would be ready when we needed to care for our residents.  Any positive residents will be moved to the COVID-19 unit.  All team members are wearing full PPE when in close contact with any resident in our healthcare area.  We will continue testing residents and team members as well as checking for signs and symptoms which can often be the first method for uncovering the presence of this virus.

Currently, there has not been an exposure in our assisted living area.   However, we have implemented shelter in place protocols and discontinued visitation and communal dining and activities.  We feel this is the best and safest course of action for the safety of your loved ones.

As you can imagine, this is a time of high stress and anxiety for residents and team members.  We know this is a difficult time for you as well.  We ask for patience and grace in following up on questions as we will prioritize those who are most impacted.  You will always hear directly from us if your loved one is impacted.  We know God is with us and you as we all navigate this outbreak together.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to us should you have questions.  You can also find our daily updates on the website at www.greencroft.org.

Sincerely,

Joe Doran

Vice President of Operations

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July 14, 2020

As we continue finding our way through this pandemic, we have and will continue to follow the guidance of the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH), our state regulatory agency and the Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC). The guidance provided by these agencies is designed to protect the health and safety of those we serve. We would like to provide some clarity around future visitation of our residents.

 

As the State of Indiana follows its “Back on Track" plan to reopen the state, our guidance has moved us at a much slower and conservative approach since residents are the most vulnerable to COVID-19. A few weeks ago, we allowed outdoor visitations for residents and family members with certain protections in place. These included screening of visitors, wearing a face mask, sanitization of the area between visits and 6 ft distancing. We have also made sure team members available to assist residents as needed. As many of you are aware, beginning Monday, July 20, we will be moving our visits indoors and including weekends. The same practices around protection that were in place with the outdoor visits will continue indoors.

Please remember, if we have a facility acquired case of COVID-19, by either residents or staff, all visitation must stop for 14 days.

If you do not have an appointment scheduled for next week’s visit, please contact the Receptionist at 574-231-1000.

Joseph M. Doran
Vice President of Operations

Indoor Visitation Guidelines

1. Visitation will be allowed indoors only.

2. The visitation schedule will include set hours each day. There will be some evening and weekend time slots available for the convenience of family members and residents.

3. Visitation hours are as follows:

Monday 3-5:00 PM
Tuesday 10 AM-3:00 PM
Wednesday 10 AM-3:00 PM
Thursday 3-5:00 PM
Friday 10 AM-4:00 PM
Saturday 10 AM-3:00 PM
Sunday 10 AM-3:00 PM

4. Visitations should be scheduled the prior week.

5. Visitation is limited to COVlD-negative or COVID-19-recovered residents, as defined by the resident meeting the CDC's guidance for discontinuation of transmission-based precautions.

6. Visitors will enter facility through the Common's Main Door.

7. Visitation will be limited to 2 visitors at a time. The schedule will provide for equal opportunities for all residents to receive visitors should they wish.

8. The facility will provide proper PPE for residents and Staff. Each visitor will provide their own mask.

a. If a visitor arrives without a mask, the visitor will be given one by the facility.

b. Both visitor and resident must wear mask during the visit.

c. If a visitor refuses to wear a mask, they will not be allowed to visit.

9. Designated routes to visiting areas will be determined by the facility.

a. Physical barriers for safety and for privacy may be utilized.

10. Visits in a private resident room will be established for bedbound residents or those who for health reasons cannot leave their rooms.

a. Accommodations will be made for bedbound residents with roommates, so safe visitation can occur. Physical barriers such as curtains for added safety and privacy may be used.

b. When both roommates are bedbound, scheduling visitation of families at the same time will be avoided.

11. Visitors will be screened prior to entry.

a. Visitors will be required to sign in and attest to their current COVID-19-status and symptoms, have temperature taken and answer questions relating to symptoms,

b. A log will be taken of visits, which will include name, contact information and start and end time of visit.

c. Visitors who do not "pass" will not be allowed to visit.

13. During the visit, visitors will:

a. Wash their hands or utilize an alcohol-based hand rub upon arriving at the facility.

b. Wear a mask at all times while visiting.

c. Maintain at least six (6) feet distance from all residents in the facility.

d. Utilize the routes indicated by the facility to travel to and from the visitation area.

e. Children 12 years and older are allowed to visit with a mask.

14. Designated visiting area will be disinfected after each visit.

Visitors that do not follow these criteria may have the privilege of visitation revoked.

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July 1, 2020

We are excited to announce that the beautician's shop will once again be open for residents to get their hair done! We are working on setting up appointments for residents. We also have a policy for how we will do our best to make sure everyone stays safe. The protocols look very similar to our other protocols with masks and sanitization of the area between visits. We will also be screening everyone for signs and symptoms prior to each appointment. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you wish to hear more about the precautions being taken. 

Thank you!

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June 29, 2020

We are pleased to have our outdoor visitations resume this week! We received clarification that a positive team member would not mean outdoor visits would have to be postponed. The team member who had tested positive had not worked for some time.  We feel the risk level is low for exposure and the benefits of visitors far outweighs any risk. Masks are required, social distancing and sanitizing the area is all required. We also screen all visitors for signs and symptoms prior to the visit. We also have set times for visits so we can provide assistance as needed. Please contact our staff to schedule a visit should you wish to see a resident of Southfield Village.
 

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June 18, 2020

Dear Residents and Family Members:

I regret to inform you that we will be canceling our family visits effective immediately. 

This past Monday and Tuesday, the Indiana State Department of Health tested all our staff for COVID-19, as part of its plan to test all staff across the state, who work in skilled nursing facilities. Today, we were told that one of our staff member’s test results was positive. This staff member has not worked since June 7, 2020 and has been taken off the schedule as outlined by the Center For Disease Control (CDC).

In order for visits to resume, the Indiana State Department of Health requires that we have no positive cases of COVID-19 for residents or staff for 14 days. As we continue to receive results over the next several days, we will keep you informed of any additional, positive tests.

Again, I apologize for the bad news and I assure you we will resume the visits as quickly as the state allows us.

Sincerely,

Joseph M. Doran
Vice President of Operations
 

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June 15, 2020

We have started the state mandated testing of all team members today and will continue tomorrow. We will report those numbers as the tests as the results come back to us. We expect the results will begin coming back by the end of this week.

We are pleased to announce that we were able to begin outdoor visits between residents and families/friends today. The first day of visits has gone well. It has been a joy to see the big smiles and even a few tears of happiness between residents and their visitors. For those who are not part of our daily updates to residents and responsible parties, the visits are allowed outdoors, socially distanced and the participants must wear masks. We have a team member who is present during the visit to provide any assistance needed. They also screen all visitors for signs, symptoms and temperature as well as sanitize the area in between visits. We will be able to continue visits if our campus remains COVID-19 free for the prior 14 days.

We are grateful for the words of encouragement and support as well as the prayers we know are coming our way. We also pray for your health and safety.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Thank you!

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June 10, 2020

The Indiana State Department of Health has begun to allow outside visits when certain conditions are met.  We are working on a plan and will have further communication for our residents and family members by June 12, 2020.

Thank you!

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April 3, 2020

Dear Residents and Families:

 With the coming of Spring, it is important for your loved ones to have an opportunity to go outside and enjoy the sunshine. It is equally important to protect your loved ones and our staff from the spread of COVID-19 virus. When we have visitors outside on our campus, it makes it difficult to provide for both.

As I communicated in an early letter, the only reasons anyone should be coming to campus is to deliver medications or a scheduled visitation at the end of life. The Governor of Indiana has already issued a “Stay At Home” order and likewise, St. Joseph County has issued a travel ban. Both of these directives limit travel to only “essential” (groceries, health care workers, etc.) purposes. Coming to visit your loved one, even through the window, does not meet the definition of “essential”. While I understand the difficulties of being separated during this time, it is important that we follow the directions from trusted sources like the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Indiana State Department of Health.

We have technology available for you to communicate with your loved ones through either Facetime or Skype. We encourage you to take advantage of this venue. Please contact Julie Thompson at 574-231-1000 to arrange for a time to talk with your family member.

As a reminder, Assisted Living residents will be provided with essentials such as toiletries, toilet paper and incontinency products. Our staff are also making shopping runs for essentials as well. Therefore, any packages other than medications are being restricted. When dropping off medications in a reminder box, pills should already be in the box.

We need your help to keep your loved ones safe. We all must do our part. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time.  Please know what we are doing all we can to provide the quality care you expect from Southfield Village.

Sincerely,
Joseph M. Doran, Vice President of Operations

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March 24, 2020

Yesterday, the Indiana State Department of Health has recommended that no resident be allowed to leave our healthcare or assisted living areas except for emergency medical services. If a resident and/or family does not comply, the facility may refuse to allow the resident back into the building because of the risk that they pose to others. Our Medical Director on campus supports this policy as well. Any time an assisted living or healthcare resident leaves our campus, they risk exposure to COVID-19.  This policy does not apply to our independent living residents. However, the Governor has implemented a stay at home order which restricts travel for non-essential reasons. Therefore, independent living residents should practice self isolation and restrict visitors from their homes.

While we understand that this is a difficult time to be apart from your loved one, it is for the protection of your family member as well as all the other residents on our campus. 

Thank you for understanding and patience. 

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March 23, 2020

This past week has been a challenge for us in managing the number of visitors who keep arriving at Southfield Village.  Each and every visit is an opportunity to transfer the virus into our community.  As you are aware, our residents are at high risk due to their age and underlying health issues.  To minimize their exposure, I am providing the following clarification as to what is an essential visit.

Visitation only for those residents who are at the end of life and deliveries of medications are the only essential reasons for coming to the campus.

Bringing in food items, groceries, or picking up and delivering personal laundry is not considered to be essential.  We will immediately begin doing all residents’ laundry.  If you are delivering medications that are set up in a pill reminder box, please go out and purchase another box that can be filled at home prior to your dropping them off.  We are asking that the delivery of medications be done Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 11:00 -12:00 PM and 1:00-4:00 PM.

Our activity staff have agreed to make important, basic purchases for residents at the local grocery store.  This does not mean we will do all your shopping, just the basics provided they are available in the store.

Last week, we stopped communal dining in our health care center.  We also rearranged the seating assignments in our assisted living dining room to create social distancing.  In addition to meal services, we have also been instructed to end large, group activities.  Individual and small group activities are continuing. 

Yesterday, the Indiana State Department of Health is recommending that no resident be allowed to leave the facility except for emergency medical services.  If a resident and/or family does not comply, the facility may refuse to allow the resident back into the building because of the risk that they pose to others.  I have spoken to our Medical Director who agrees with this policy.

Remember, if you have questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to the staff member that was assigned to you as a contact.

Thank you for your continued support.

Joseph M. Doran

Vice President of Operations

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March 16, 2020

As a precautionary measure to protect our residents and in response to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) we have canceled all public events on each of our campuses. Please keep an eye on our Facebook page and/or website for additional updates and information on when we will reschedule these events. 

For additional information about the prevention of COVID-19, visit https://www.cdc.gov/…/2019-…/about/prevention-treatment.html.

We thank our visitors and residents for their cooperation with these temporary protocols and for your understanding as we work to ensure the safety and well-being of all who live in, work at and visit our communities.

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March 13, 2020

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