CINCINNATI (WKRC) – As the country reopens, the Health Care Management Group, which has 7 nursing homes and assisted living facilities in the Tri-State, is making a big effort to limit the spread of coronavirus among residents.
After weeks of celebrating those who have recovered from the coronavirus, some of residents at Brookwood Retirement Community say they’ve never been more grateful to those “heroes that wear scrubs”.
Nurses tell us they’ve welcomed this role where they hold hands, give hugs, whatever is needed.
While residents can’t see their own family members in hopes of preventing COVID-19. Nurse Lashawnda Roach said they do a lot of face-to-face calls. Some people even come to windows and they take residents out and have them wave at their loved ones.
The team said they’re ready for the next phase of coronavirus management: opening back up to family without spreading the virus.
They all admit they have learned a few things along the way and because of that, now there are some very specific steps to keep our loved ones safe. They also know that many of us might not understand the reasons behind them, but they do know they make a difference.
“Facilities that are specifically taking COVID positive patients,” said Shane Craycraft, the director of clinical operations for the Health Care Management Group. “They have the general plant, a separate building, a separate location. They’re able to isolate those patients to the particular area.”
For those already inside who are suspected of the virus, there’s a quarantine unit.
“Which means that we are unsure of if they’ve had an exposure, to find out if they are going to get the virus, or have the virus,” said Craycraft.
The national guard has also been assisting with testing, mainly to those providing care.
“What we are finding is that less than one percent of team members are testing positive,” said Lori Baker, the director of senior services post-acute and ambulatory care management at TriHealth. “So, just like we are seeing in the community, we are seeing the same in the nursing facilities.”
The goal is to keep these protocols in place until there’s a vaccine and to keep the gratitude in place until the staff knows for sure.
“It’s the whole combination of all of them together they make a very good team, and they treat us very well,” said Patty Gibson, a resident at Brookwood Retirement Community.