Page 3 - The Clare Connection_Summer 2020 Flipbook

“The reason The Clare has managed COVID-19

successfully is that our team was unknowingly built for it.”

Around the same time, our Director/ even purchased 100 sleeping bags, just them, trying to establish connections
Management team met every morning in case we needed team members to with labs to produce timely results.
in The Grafton. This functioned as our spend the night at The Clare. We heard on the news how readily
COVID-19 task force to quickly adjust PPE and Masks available tests were, but the reality was
to feedback and new information much different. We had employees
from the Centers for Disease Control Looking back, I realize we were never with a symptom that could never get
prepared for this type of situation.
and Prevention (CDC) and the Illinois tested, and a few of our employees
Department of Public Health (IDPH). I have been in communities dealing were out for nearly six weeks awaiting
with minor infectious outbreaks, but
Within a few days, we halted all a test.
community programs and restricted with those, we were able to isolate
visitor access. the resident and immediately stop the While testing has certainly improved
spread. While we were always ready for and we now test every employee each
Staffing those type of occurrences, COVID-19 week, we still face a 48-hour delay in
We always felt that if the virus was presented challenges we didn’t getting results. With the incubation
going to get into The Clare, it would expect. We quickly scaled our supply period of the virus, that means the test
come from our employees. The biggest of personal protective equipment is outdated the minute you get the
threat we faced was that many of our (PPE) and found new outlets to results. The Centers for Medicare and
employees work in other retirement source various items. This started by Medicaid Services (CMS) is working
communities and health care centers. identifying our current inventory and on sending retirement communities
We therefore made a decision early on establishing what our “burn rate” was instant testing, which will go a long
that if an employee worked at another for specific items. Masks and gowns way in our ability to reopen.
community, we would not allow them became the hardest to source. The
to also work here. Federal Emergency Management Today
Agency (FEMA) sent us trash bags for I could write for days about this
Additionally, we documented employee gowns, and we purchased rain coats,
spouses who worked at other virus and its overall impact on the
communities, tracking cases in these scarfs and other makeshift gear to community. Oftentimes we have felt
facilities. If an outbreak was reported protect us in case we ran out of PPE. like we are flying blind, unaware of
at a community in which one of our In the beginning, it wasn’t perfect. We what’s to come. Our motto has been
employee spouses work, we required had to be very strategic with our PPE to make the best decision today, for
our employee to quarantine for 14 distribution while still protecting our today. We have been lucky to have the
days. Likewise, if an employee, spouse residents and employees. Fortunately, unwavering support of our residents
or someone else in the household Life Care Services (LCS) was able to and their families, and for that I am
experienced any symptom, however do much of the heavy lifting and found eternally grateful.
minor, we had them quarantine for 14 reliable sources for PPE. Currently, we When you move to The Clare, you
days, as well. track PPE every day, and we now have
a year’s worth of supplies. expect the very best. This is the brand
Throughout March and April, we had The Clare has built over the last 10
close to 100 employees stay home for In early April, we made it a requirement years. Our world has changed, and The
a variety of different reasons. Safety for residents to wear a mask when in the Clare has changed with it. You should
was our greatest priority, and we made building outside of their apartments, have great confidence in knowing The
the crucial decision to take absolutely and we provided washable masks to Clare will consistently rise to the top.
zero risks with our staff. If we were even the community. As we have learned I look forward to seeing you all very
the slightest bit concerned about an more, that recommendation and our soon around The Clare.
employee’s health, they stayed home. residents’ willingness to follow that
guidance has likely saved lives.
At this point, we played out worst
case scenarios to determine how we Testing
could deliver essential services with Early in the pandemic, COVID-19 tests
the lowest number of employees. We became gold. Everyone was looking for