Dear Residents, Families and Employees:

Barring any changes in the city or state, and we remain where we are in the partial green phase, the plan I am presenting today will take effect as we invite visitors into the community.  At this time, we are planning our re-opening to visitors to begin on Monday, August 10.  Please note, there will be a conference call with the PDPH on Friday, July 31, and pending the outcome of that call, the August 10 date may need to change.  Rest assured I will update you with changes.

It is understandable that everyone is anxious to get on the calendar for a visit, and there is no way that everyone can be first.  In order to maintain some semblance of organization and sanity for our wonderful front desk co-workers, we have concluded that we are going to call every resident’s family to set up the initial visits, going in room order, 101A, 101B, 201A, 201B, etc. and by floor, i.e. Monday will be HC1, Tuesday will be R Building in PC, Wednesday will be HC2, and so forth.  The schedule will account for 20 residents each Monday, Wednesday and Friday in the health center and 20 residents each Tuesday and Thursday in personal care to have two visitors during the scheduled visit.  Between August 10 and 21 every one of our residents in health and personal care will have been able to receive visitors for the first time since mid-March.  After that first week of visitors, we will provide further information on how appointments for visits will be made as we move forward.  At this time, we do know that we will only be scheduling visits one time per month due to increases in positive COVID-19 tests in the region and our need to assess what may (or may not) occur after each “round” of visits.   

I have attached an updated copy of the re-opening plan that includes the visiting process.  Staff will be available to assist you through every step of the process.  Please read this document carefully and be prepared to cooperate with all staff in complying with the parameters we have set.  I appreciate this may be very difficult and the parameters may be stringent, especially after a prolonged absence from loved ones, but it is imperative for everyone’s safety that the process is adhered to without exception. 

It is anticipated that we will follow a similar process when we invite independent living families back to the community for visits.  Please appreciate that we want to limit all visitors’ access to the full community due to the additional exposure, cleaning and sanitizing that will be required in public areas, elevators, etc. 

We are all thankful for your patience, understanding and support throughout this pandemic.  Your continued patience and understanding will be appreciated as we explore this new way to visit.  This will be a different way to plan a visit, but we do believe the plan is equitable to all families and will work. 

Please do not hesitate to contact us with your questions or concerns.  You can send me an email directly at the address herein.  

RE-OPENING VISITING FOR THE HEALTH CENTER AND PERSONAL CARE

1. Re-opening for visitors scheduled for Monday, August 10, 2020.
2. ALL visits will be by appointment only.  No walk-in visits will be allowed.
3. Health Center visits will be conducted on Monday, Wednesday and Friday only.
4. Personal Care visits will be conducted on Tuesday and Thursday only.
5. Times available for visits will be:  10AM, 11AM, 1:30PM, 2:30PM and 3:30PM
6. *The staff at WEL Pennypack Park will call all families (beginning with power of attorney/responsible person) by order of room number, splitting the floors evenly, to schedule appointments for the visits.* 
7. Appointments will only be booked for one visit per month on dates to be determined.
8. Visits are limited to 45 minutes to allow for sanitizing between visiting residents and families.
9. If you are late for your scheduled visit, your visiting time will not be extended to compensate for lateness. 
10. Only four residents will receive visitors per hour.
11. Limit two visitors per family.  No children under 16 years of age.
12. ALL visits will take place in the Fireside Dining Room under staff supervision. 
13. Visits must be conducted with 6’ social distancing maintained, face masks must be on covering both the nose and mouth by resident and visitor.  No shirts pulled up to cover the face or other make-shift face coverings will be accepted.  VISITORS MUST PROVIDE THEIR OWN MASKS.
14. New admissions will not be permitted to have visitors until two negative COVID-19 tests are returned or 14 days pass, whichever occurs first.
15. If one new case of COVID-19 develops in the health center or personal care, visits must immediately stop, per CDC and Department of Health guidelines.
16. Health center and personal care residents may not leave the community with family for visits.
17. No visitors will be permitted who live in any of the states that are experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases or “hot spots”.
18. All visitors must be screened.
19. Visitors will be escorted to the Fireside Dining Room and may not leave that location. 
20. No visitors are permitted in the health center or in personal care.  Exceptions for health center visits will be based on the clinical needs of each resident and their ability to get out of bed for visits.
21. Any visitor who refuses to be screened or adheres to universal masking or social distancing will be prohibited from entering the community.
22. No visitors will be given access before the appointment time.  Visitors will not be permitted to wait in the vestibule or lobby.  PLEASE, wait in your car.
23. No beverages or snacks will be permitted during the visit.

VISITING PROCESS

1. Receptionist will make all visitor appointments
   • Limit visitors to schedule as described in the re-opening plan
   • Obtain all contact information for each visitor coming in the appointed time slot (name, address and phone number they can be reached on)
   • Obtain make, model and color of the car that the visitor will be arriving in
2. Visitors will arrive no earlier than 15 minutes prior to their visit appointment and park in one of the four (4) designated parking spots for visitors at the main entrance
3. Assigned Unit Clerk will escort visitors for the appointed hour from their vehicles to the vestibule, maintaining social distancing while waiting to enter the community
   • Ensure face mask is on and properly donned covering the nose and mouth
   • Monitor each visitor’s use of the hand sanitizer and proper use of hand sanitizer
4. Receptionist/security will screen all resident visitors to ensure they are on the appointment schedule (process to become electronic upon receipt of equipment)
   • Obtain temperature
   • Review questions
5. Unit Clerk will escort the visitor group to the Fireside Dining Room to assigned table to begin their visit
   • C.N.A. will escort residents to the Fireside Dining Room, with the goal to have resident’s present prior to arrival of guests
6. Unit Clerk will monitor all parties throughout the visit to ensure social distancing, continued use of universal masking, no eating or drinking is taking place and precautions are maintained
7. Unit Clerk will alert visitors and residents when 5 minutes of visiting time remain
8. Unit Clerk will escort all visitors from the Fireside Dining Room to the exit and hand them off to the receptionist
9. Receptionist will ensure all visitors sign out and sanitize their hands prior to leaving the community

SUBJECT TO CHANGE