Re-Opening Plan for Life Care Centers in Idaho

Updated: Monday, June 29, 8:00 a.m. PDT

Goal:

To remain vigilant for COVID-19 among residents and healthcare providers in order to prevent spread and protect residents and HCP from severe infections, hospitalizations and death.

Until an effective vaccine or effective treatment, the facility will maintain an increased level of monitoring and mitigation strategies. In all phasing, social distancing (with a distance of 6 feet if applicable), source control (facial coverings), implementation of a non-punitive associate illness policy, practice of good hand-hygiene, cough etiquette and increased cleaning/disinfecting of high-touch surfaces will continue.

During the progression of phasing and relaxing restrictions, if at any time the facility identifies a new nursing home onset COVID-19 case, the facility will return back to the highest level of mitigation and will start over in the phasing process once the facility meets the criteria length between COVID-19 diagnosis(es).

Phase ONE (Restrictive Mitigation)

• Facility restricts entry of non-essential healthcare personnel.
• Communal dining is halted with no group activities.
• Facility screens 100% of healthcare personnel prior to entering the facility at the beginning of each shift.
• Facility screens current/active facility residents daily for signs and symptoms of COVID-19.
• Universal source control is used for everyone in the facility.
• Residents are encouraged to stay in their rooms; if a resident comes out of their room, facial coverings are in place and provided to the resident for use and hand hygiene is completed.
• Visitors will be allowed for compassionate care circumstances meeting requirement, from an interdisciplinary team review. Visitation will be approved only by director of nursing and/or executive director.
• Rehabilitation group and concurrent therapy are discontinued. Therapy will continue and be performed in individual resident rooms rather than in therapy gym unless equipment is required for the wellbeing/progression of the resident. Therapy equipment is cleaned/disinfected between use.

Phase TWO (Significant Mitigation) Changes

• Communal dining will begin but will be limited (for COVID-19 negative or asymptomatic residents only), but residents may eat in the same room with social distancing (limited number of people at tables and spaced by at least 6 feet if practicable)
• Identified high-risk residents will be assisted by staff in their room and/or in a dining room with as few other residents as feasible (maintaining 6 feet social distancing).
• The facility limits group activities while providing social distancing with a max group size of 10. There are no outside activity volunteers or vendors.

Phase THREE (Moderate Mitigation) Changes

• Visitation allowed if county in Phase 4 of Governor's reopening Idaho plan with screening of visitor(s) prior to beginning visitation for COVID 19 exposure or symptoms and signed acknowledgement of education.
• Visitation will be scheduled in advance with resident family member(s):
• Visits will be by appointment only and will be limited to 30 minutes in designated areas. Visits needed outside of facility visiting hours will be on a case-by-case basis and approved by the ED or DON.
• No more than 2 visitors per resident at a time
• Visitors under the age of 18 will need to be approved by the ED or DON.
• Communal dining is limited (for COVID-19 negative or asymptomatic residents only), but residents may eat in the same room with social distancing (limited number of people at tables and spaced by at least 6 feet if practicable).
• Facility encourages in-room dining for those who are capable of feeding themselves without supervision and/or assistance.
• Group activities are allowed (for asymptomatic or COVID-19 negative residents only) with no more than the number of people where social distancing among residents can be maintained, appropriate hand hygiene, and use of a cloth face covering or face mask.
• Facility rotates schedule(s) to ensure all residents have an opportunity to participate if desired.
• Rehabilitation group and concurrent therapy can be reinitiated for negative and asymptomatic residents as long as social distancing can be followed in the gym and there is cleaning/disinfecting of therapy equipment between use. Residents of an unknown COVID-19 status will complete therapy in their rooms.