COVID-19 Information Archives

9/1/22: UPDATE FROM JON-PAUL VENOIT, PRESIDENT & CEO:

A new kind of COVID-19 shot will soon be available to the public. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) this week authorized updated vaccines that target the original strain of the coronavirus as well as the Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5. The hope is that these shots will improve protection against the currently circulating viruses that cause COVID.

The two subvariants mentioned above are currently causing most cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. and are predicted to circulate more heavily this fall and winter.

Essentially an “updated booster” of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, these vaccines are designed to be given as a single booster dose at least two months following primary or booster vaccination. The Moderna version is currently approved for individuals age 18 and over while the Pfizer version is authorized for those 12 and up. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices/CDC will meet to make additional recommendations for the updated boosters prior to them being administered.

In keeping with Masonicare’s COVID vaccination policy, employees should expect that this updated booster will be necessary to be considered “up to date” with vaccination. In which case, it would be mandatory for all staff. However, no timeframes have been decided and there will be much more communication to come.

Working with our pharmacy partners, we have scheduled booster clinics in November (see “COVID Vaccine Clinic Calendar” on the Masonicare intranet) in anticipation of offering the updated boosters to our employees and residents. However, we may add additional dates sooner.

HEALTHCARE SERVICES

Masonicare Health Center (Skilled Nursing): Two residents are currently COVID-positive and nine others are on quarantine due to symptoms or exposure. Three COVID-positive employees are out.
Behavioral Health Hospital: No cases reported.
Lower Campus Residential: Six residents are currently COVID-positive and 20 others are on quarantine due to symptoms or exposure. Three COVID-positive employees are out.

HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES

Masonicare Home Health & Hospice: Seven COVID-positive patients are on service as well as two presumed positive. Three COVID-positive employees are out.
Masonicare at Home: Has one COVID-positive client on service.
External ALSAs: No cases reported.

RESIDENTIAL SERVICES

Ashlar Village: There are nine COVID-positive residents and one on quarantine due to exposure or symptoms.
Chester Village: One COVID-positive employee is out.
Masonicare at Mystic: One COVID-positive employee is out.

RESOURCES

8/12/22: UPDATE FROM JON-PAUL VENOIT, PRESIDENT & CEO:

When we talk about all the heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic, we usually think about frontline healthcare workers. But there have been many others who performed essential jobs that kept our economy and society running.

The State of Connecticut will begin offering up to $1,000 to eligible, private-sector essential workers who were employed during the height of the pandemic. The Premium Pay Program (aka “Hero Pay”) will distribute funds to critical workers who were on the job between March 10, 2020 and May 7, 2022 and unable to work from home. Workers must have earned $149,999 annually or less to be eligible.

In addition to healthcare workers, people who work in childcare, grocery stores, pharmacies, transportation, critical manufacturing, and other frontline occupations may also qualify for the program.

For more information, or to apply, go to ctessentialworkerrelief.org.

MONKEYPOX

I was asked during a radio interview yesterday morning to share my thoughts about monkeypox. I understood the host’s curiosity, since this virus has been in the news a lot lately.

Monkeypox typically affects rodents and primates in parts of west and central Africa. Cases in humans are rare, but approximately 31,000 people across the globe have been infected this year. The first U.S. case was identified on May 19, and has
since grown to over 10,000. Symptoms can include flu (with fever), low energy, swollen lymph nodes, general body aches, and a painful or itchy rash or sores.

What I said during the interview is that although we are monitoring the spread of monkeypox, COVID continues to be the far greater threat to public health and to our residents and patients, specifically.

That’s because monkeypox doesn’t spread easily, the symptoms are easier to identify, outbreaks are easier to manage, and there are already two vaccines that are effective against it.

We did discuss monkeypox on our COVID Task Force call yesterday and the group agreed that we all need to think more broadly about defending against other communicable diseases that could threaten residents, patients, and coworkers.

Everyone should expect to see new signage at all of our locations soon stating “DO NOT ENTER IF YOU ARE FEELING SICK.” We need to work together to protect our communities from all communicable diseases including COVID, flu, gastrointestinal virus, monkeypox, etc.

CDC UPDATE

The CDC updated its guidance on “Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19.” I want to remind our staff that this update was intended for the general public. As a healthcare organization, Masonicare needs to adhere to different standards for isolation and quarantine. Please continue to communicate with your supervisor regarding travel, recent exposure, and symptoms. We will share any changes in guidance with you.

RESOURCES

7/21/2022: UPDATE FROM JON-PAUL VENOIT, PRESIDENT & CEO:

Q: Should I get another booster now or wait until fall?
A: If you’re eligible, get both!

It’s starting to feel like COVID is everywhere again. This time, the culprit is another Omicron subvariant called BA.5 which has mutated in a way that makes it easier to slip past our bodies’ immune defenses and infect our cells.

That’s why many people who recovered from COVID as recently as March or April have found themselves feeling sick again (though usually not as sick as they might have been had they not been vaccinated and boosted). It’s estimated that two out of every three new cases of COVID in the U.S. are caused by this BA.5 subvariant.

Omicron is continuing to mutate, which could (and probably will) lead to another wave in the fall. The CDC recommends individuals get added protection from staying up-to-date with vaccination. If you’re not up to date with your COVID vaccination, you don’t have to wait until fall to get your next shot.

More information on booster doses can be found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html

Use this link to Connecticut’s vaccine portal to find a provider near you: https://bit.ly/3opoDYo

NOVAVAX VACCINE APPROVED

This week, federal authorities granted emergency approval for the Novavax COVID vaccine for adults. It’s the first new type of vaccine approved in the U.S. in more than a year.

Unlike the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, Novavax uses the more traditional protein-based technology found in vaccines used to defend against viruses like hepatitis B and HPV.

Although it’s expected to be a popular alternative to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, supply will be limited … at least initially. States can begin requesting their first shipments of the Novavax vaccine next week but the first doses probably won’t arrive in Connecticut until sometime in August.

HEALTHCARE SERVICES

Masonicare Health Center (skilled nursing): There is one COVID-positive resident and three employees out (two COVID-positive, one due to exposure or pending test results).
Behavioral Health Hospital: The unit currently has 10 COVID-positive patients. One employee is out after testing positive.
Lower Campus Residential: No cases reported.

HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES

Masonicare Home Health & Hospice: There is one COVID-positive patient on service and five others presumed positive. Three employees are out: two confirmed COVID-positive and one due to exposure or pending test results.
Masonicare at Home: No cases reported.
External ALSAs: One employee at Welles Country Village is out with COVID.

RESIDENTIAL SERVICES

Ashlar Village: Four residents are currently COVID-positive and one is on quarantine due to symptoms or exposure. One employee is out due to exposure or pending test results.
Chester Village: Three employees are out after testing positive for COVID.
Masonicare at Mystic: No cases reported.

7/7/2022: UPDATE FROM JON-PAUL VENOIT, PRESIDENT & CEO:

IN THE NEWS

Sandra Lindsay, a New York City nurse and the first person in the United States to receive a COVID vaccine, will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in a ceremony at the White House next week.
COVID vaccinations for children under five are underway, with about 3,000 youngsters in Connecticut vaccinated so far. If you are a parent of a child between the ages of six months and five years, please discuss the children’s COVID vaccine with your pediatrician or family doctor.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given its approval for omicron-specific COVID vaccines, which are expected to be available later this year. We are still awaiting more guidance on whether additional boosters will be recommended in the fall.

HEALTHCARE SERVICES

Masonicare Health Center (skilled nursing): There are three COVID-positive residents and four employees out (one COVID-positive and three due to exposure or pending test results).
Behavioral Health Hospital: There are currently eight COVID-positive patients.
Lower Campus Residential: One COVID-positive resident is in quarantine.

HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES

Masonicare Home Health & Hospice: Six COVID-positive patients are on service as well as five who are presumed positive.
Masonicare at Home: No cases reported.
External ALSAs: No cases reported.

RESIDENTIAL SERVICES

Ashlar Village: There are five COVID-positive residents and three others in quarantine due to exposure or symptoms. Two COVID-positive employees are out.
Chester Village: One resident is COVID-positive.
Masonicare at Mystic: One COVID-positive employee is out.

RESOURCES

UPDATED 10/16/2020

Over the last week, Connecticut has experienced a spike in the number of positive COVID-19 cases and COVID-related hospitalizations. You may have also heard about recent outbreaks at nursing homes and assisted living communities in Norwich, Colchester, and Avon.

A Masonicare Health Center employee tested positive for the virus last week, prompting us to suspend indoor, in-person visits after just a day, as well as a resident of the Wright Building. We are also seeing an influx of COVID-positive patients on service with Masonicare Home Health & Hospice.

Whether all of the above is evidence of the second wave we’ve been expecting, we can’t say. But it is a sobering reminder that COVID-19 isn’t going away anytime soon.

Here’s what’s happening around the continuum:

HEALTHCARE SERVICES

One Masonicare Health Center employee remains out with COVID-19. A Wright Building resident who recently tested positive for the virus has been admitted to MHC’s dedicated COVID unit on 4 Central to continue recovery. Other Wright residents who had prolonged, unmasked exposure to that patient have tested negative for COVID but remain under quarantine.

HOME AND COMMUNITY-BASED SERVICES

Masonicare Home Health & Hospice reports three COVID-positive patients currently on service. A resident at our ALSA site, Immanuel House, is showing signs and symptoms of COVID-19. The resident was tested yesterday and we are awaiting results. No positive cases have been reported at Masonicare at Home.

RESIDENTIAL SERVICES

Mandatory weekly testing continues at Masonicare at Ashlar Village and Masonicare at Chester Village. Masonicare at Mystic is continuing once-per-month mandatory testing.

In response to the spike of positive cases in the state, Ashlar Village has taken the proactive step of pausing outside visitation and dining room service.

UPDATED 9/29/2020:

A STATEMENT FROM MASONICARE ON DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH ONCE AGAIN ALLOWING IN-PERSON INDOOR VISITS TO SENIOR CARE COMMUNITIES

WALLINGFORD—Tuesday, September 29, 2020 — The decision by the state Department of Public Health to again allow indoor visits with loved ones living in senior care communities will come as welcome news to Masonicare’s residents and their families. We are working diligently to ensure in-person/indoor visitations will be safe and with the well-being of residents, their families, and our staff foremost in mind.

Since this pandemic began in March, we have taken great care to work in close partnership with DPH to protect the health of all patients and residents in our care and as a result, we have had very few reported COVID-19 cases over the past six months. We will be communicating with family members on new safety procedures as soon as they are in place so we can welcome them back to visit their loved ones safely. We ask that families wait for communication from Masonicare Health Center regarding the scheduling of visitation, so we can open our doors in a safe and orderly fashion. We will be updating our website regarding changes to our visitation policy. Please check back frequently for changes.

Thank you for your patience while work to implement our safe visitation plan.

UPDATED 9/28/2020:

Travel Advisory
Rhode Island was among the states added this week to Connecticut’s Travel Advisory list.

We continue to follow the strictest COVID-19 infection control protocols recommended by both the Connecticut Department of Health (DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The safety of our residents, patients, and employee team members always has been and continues to be our priority. We continue to work tirelessly in our efforts to contain and control this virus, and we greatly appreciate your support during this time.

UPDATED 9/25/2020

Home and Community-Based Services
Masonicare Home Health & Hospice reports no COVID-19 positive patients on service or staff out. A Masonicare at Home employee based at Chester Village who had been out on quarantine returned to work this week, but we learned late yesterday that a different MAH employee has tested positive. That person is asymptomatic and now out on quarantine. Testing continues at our external ALSAs with no reported cases among Masonicare employees.

Residential Services
Mandatory weekly testing continues at all communities. Employees out on quarantine last week at Pond Ridge and Masonicare at Mystic have since returned to work. Two additional Pond Ridge staff tested positive for the virus late yesterday. Both are asymptomatic and now out on quarantine.
Masonicare at Chester Village had three Dining Services staff members test positive last week. All were asymptomatic and all took additional tests which came back negative. Unfortunately, CDC guidelines required that much of the kitchen staff – not just those who initially tested positive – go out on quarantine. As you can imagine, that was a big disruption, but Executive Director Annie Hoefferle and her team have all pitched in to make sure the residents don’t miss a meal. Thank you to all - Annie, Matt, Boo, Jillian, Mark, Terri, Deb, Katie, Joe Mike, and Jon for all going above and beyond!

UPDATED 9/9/2020:

Masonicare Health Center Outdoor/Window Visit Criteria

Most MHC residents on negative cohort units are welcome to schedule an outdoor/window visit.

All visitors MUST be screened in the lobby. If visitors have traveled to/from a “hot zone” state, they are not permitted to visit until the 14-day quarantine is completed
The maximum number of visitors: Two – no rotating, no exceptions. Children under 2 may be permitted if on the lap of an adult (2 maximum)
In an effort to streamline the process and improve customer service, all outdoor/window visit requests must be directed to the Therapeutic Recreation Department at (203) 679-6333
A mask must be worn at all times, over the mouth and nose, while on MHC property
No eating or drinking permitted during the visit
Visitors must remain 6 feet away from residents and staff at all times
No pets
Visits must be supervised by staff to ensure infection control policies are followed by visitors and residents
Inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated
If the criteria are not followed, the visit will end and future visits may be affected

This policy is subject to change as the situation evolves. Please follow staff instructions on the day of your visit for the most up-to-date information.

If you don’t feel well on the day of your scheduled visit, please cancel your appointment. Thank you for helping us keep everyone safe!

We continue to follow the strictest COVID-19 infection control protocols recommended by both the Connecticut Department of Health (DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The safety of our residents, patients and employee team members always has been and continues to be our priority. We continue to work tirelessly in our efforts to contain and control this virus, and we greatly appreciate your support during this time.

We also monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare daily for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

WEEKLY UPDATE 9/4/2020:

Healthcare Services

There are no new positive test results at Masonicare Health Center to report. Testing at MHC will continue for at least the next two weeks.

Home and Community-Based Services

Masonicare Home Health & Hospice reports no staff out with COVID-19 and three COVID-19 positive patients on service, one of whom has been hospitalized. There are no COVID-19 positive staff or clients on service with Masonicare at Home. Testing is on hold at all of our external ALSA sites except The Towers in New Haven.

Residential Services

We are not currently testing at any of our residential communities. No positive cases have been reported.

Flu Vaccine Reminder

We've heard the reports about states being told to prepare to distribute COVID-19 vaccines as early as November. While we can’t speak to the probability of that happening, we CAN urge you to get your flu vaccine as early as possible. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expects that COVID-19 infections will keep spreading when the flu season arrives this fall and winter. Catching both infections is possible, so it’s critical to get vaccinated against preventable illnesses, such as the flu.

UPDATED 9/3/2020:

Masonicare Health Center Outdoor/Window Visit Criteria

Most MHC residents on negative cohort units are welcome to schedule an outdoor/window visit.

All visitors MUST be screened in the lobby. If visitors have traveled to/from a “hot zone” state, they are not permitted to visit until the 14-day quarantine is completed
The maximum number of visitors: Two – no rotating, no exceptions. Children under 2 may be permitted if on the lap of an adult (2 maximum)
In an effort to streamline the process and improve customer service, all outdoor/window visit requests must be directed to the Therapeutic Recreation Department at (203) 679-6333
A mask must be worn at all times, over the mouth and nose, while on MHC property
No eating or drinking permitted during the visit
Visitors must remain 6 feet away from residents and staff at all times
No pets
Visits must be supervised by staff to ensure infection control policies are followed by visitors and residents
Inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated
If the criteria are not followed, the visit will end and future visits may be affected

This policy is subject to change as the situation evolves. Please follow staff instructions on the day of your visit for the most up-to-date information.

If you don’t feel well on the day of your scheduled visit, please cancel your appointment. Thank you for helping us keep everyone safe!

Masonicare Reopening Plan

Masonicare's Reopening Plan for our residential communities is now available. Please keep in mind that for each phase of our reopening plan, we will follow both CDC and state guidelines for all residents, staff, and guests for use of masks, and temperature and health screenings. View the plan here. (Please note that a reopening date has not yet been set for Masonicare Health Center.)

UPDATED 8/28/2020:

Healthcare Services
Today, we received word from our testing provider, Griffin Health, that a Masonicare Health Center employee has tested positive for COVID-19. The employee, who works on 3 Ramage, will be out for at least the next 10 days to quarantine at home.

Outdoor visits will still be available for residents, excluding those on our exposure/observation units, which now include 2 Ramage, 3 Ramage, and 3 Central. We will need to continue testing for at least the next two weeks -- with no new positive results -- in accordance with the state's mandatory testing program.

Home and Community-Based Services
Masonicare Home Health & Hospice reports no staff out with COVID-19 and two COVID-19 positive patients on service. There are no COVID-19 positive staff or clients on service with Masonicare at Home. Testing is on hold at all of our external ALSA sites except The Towers in New Haven.

Residential Services
Testing at Masonicare at Chester Village is now paused, following Masonicare at Ashlar Village and Masonicare at Mystic. Reopening plans at all of these communities are underway and include different variations of indoor dining for our residents designed to maintain social distancing.

UPDATED 8/27/2020:

Updates have been made to Masonicare at Mystic's Reopening Plan regarding visitation and indoor dining. You can view the specific updates to the plan here.

Outdoor visits at Masonicare Health Center are available by appointment and weather permitting. All parties must maintain social distancing and wear masks for the duration of the visit. To schedule a visit, family members can contact the Recreation Department at 203-679-6333. Note: the front desk does not have the schedule nor the ability to schedule visits - you must speak to someone in recreation.

We continue to follow the strictest COVID-19 infection control protocols recommended by both the Connecticut Department of Health (DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The safety of our residents, patients and employee team members always has been and continues to be our priority. We continue to work tirelessly in our efforts to contain and control this virus, and we greatly appreciate your support during this time.

We also monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare daily for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

WEEKLY UPDATE 8/14/2020:

This week, Rhode Island was REMOVED from the list of places that require a 14-day quarantine for people traveling to Connecticut. But, as we’ve seen since the travel advisory was put into place, things can change quickly. We strongly recommend checking the list before making any travel arrangements.

We also received some clarification about the “testing alternative” – the part of the Governor’s Executive Order that states self-quarantine won’t be necessary for someone who can provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 72 hours of arriving in Connecticut. The testing alternative does not apply to health care workers and is only intended for individuals who truly cannot quarantine due to a funeral, end-of-life events, etc.

Here’s what’s happening around the continuum:

Healthcare Services
Masonicare Health Center had one employee test positive for COVID-19 this week. The employee, who is now out on quarantine, last worked Tuesday night. As a result, staff testing must continue for at least the next two weeks. Resident testing will also resume and is scheduled for today, August 17, and August 24.

Home and Community-Based Services
Masonicare Home Health & Hospice reports no staff out with COVID-19 and one COVID-19 positive patient on service. No positive staff or clients on service with Masonicare at Home. At our external ALSA sites, testing is on hold at Welles Country Village, Immanuel House, Virginia Connolly, Fort Hill, St. Jude, and Smithfield Gardens, but continues at Kingsway and The Towers, which recently had one positive test result.

Residential Services
A Masonicare at Chester Village employee is back from 10-day quarantine after a positive test result and two subsequent negative tests. However, another MCV employee tested positive on Monday. As a result, that community will need to continue testing at least through August 24. No positive results have been reported at Ashlar Village or Masonicare at Mystic.

UPDATED 8/13/2020:

We continue to follow the strictest COVID-19 infection control protocols recommended by both the Connecticut Department of Health (DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The safety of our residents, patients and employee team members always has been and continues to be our priority. We continue to work tirelessly in our efforts to contain and control this virus, and we greatly appreciate your support during this time.

We also monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare daily for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

WEEKLY UPDATE 8/7/2020:

Masonicare is required to be in full compliance with Governor Lamont’s Executive Order requiring COVID-19 testing for all nursing home employees and those in our residential/assisted living communities. Testing continues according to the guidelines set forth in the order.

Healthcare Services
Masonicare Health Center has one employee still out on quarantine as a precaution. As of this morning, 418 staff test results are in for this week – all negative.

UPDATED 8/6/2020:

We continue to follow the strictest COVID-19 infection control protocols recommended by both the Connecticut Department of Health (DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The safety of our residents, patients and employee team members always has been and continues to be our priority. We continue to work tirelessly in our efforts to contain and control this virus, and we greatly appreciate your support during this time.

We also monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare daily for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

UPDATED 8/4/2020:

Rhode Island was added to Connecticut's COVID-19 travel advisory list today. As Connecticut's coronavirus numbers have remained low, Rhode Island has experienced a significant surge over the past month, jumping from about 40 new cases a day in early July to more than 100 a day last week. The governor's office said this order does not apply to people who travel to Rhode Island for less than 24 hours or who live in Rhode Island and work in Connecticut.

UPDATED 8/3/2020:

We continue to follow the strictest COVID-19 infection control protocols recommended by both the Connecticut Department of Health (DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The safety of our residents, patients and employee team members always has been and continues to be our priority. We continue to work tirelessly in our efforts to contain and control this virus, and we greatly appreciate your support during this time.

We also monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare daily for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

WEEKLY UPDATE 7/31/2020:

This week, Connecticut’s travel advisory was expanded again and now includes 34 states plus Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico. We know this is vacation season when so many of us look forward to getting away, but we encourage our employee team members to make every effort to avoid visiting areas hard-hit by COVID-19.

With the virus continuing to spread throughout the country, we need to be prepared for a second wave here in Connecticut – a second wave that might coincide with the change of seasons. As we look ahead to the end of summer and the beginning of fall, we’ll need to be extra diligent.

So, along with avoiding unnecessary travel, everyone is asked to continue to WEAR THEIR MASK, WASH THEIR HANDS, and MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING.

Healthcare Services
Testing of employees and residents at Masonicare Health Center continues with two staff members out (one confirmed positive and one with results pending) and no positive results among the resident population.

Residential Services
The testing of employees at our residential communities continues. We learned on Wednesday night that a private duty aide at Chester Village not employed by Masonicare, but working in the service of a resident, tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, July 27. MCV has removed the aide from the community and tested the resident (results are still pending). We have no reason to suspect that anyone else at Chester Village was in contact with the aide (who was asymptomatic) or the resident as both were staying in the resident’s apartment at all times. No positive cases have been reported at Ashlar Village or Masonicare at Mystic.

UPDATED 7/30/2020:

We continue to follow the strictest COVID-19 infection control protocols recommended by both the Connecticut Department of Health (DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The safety of our residents, patients and employee team members always has been and continues to be our priority. We continue to work tirelessly in our efforts to contain and control this virus, and we greatly appreciate your support during this time.

We also monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare daily for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

WEEKLY UPDATE 7/24/2020:

This week, Governor Lamont updated his travel advisory to include 31 states where COVID-19 is surging. This includes mandatory, 14-day self-quarantine for travelers from states with high infection or test positivity rates and fines for noncompliance. To avoid mandatory self-quarantine, please continue to avoid any unnecessary travel to any of these locations. Connecticut has made progress in controlling the virus but much of the rest of our country is struggling, so we must stay vigilant.

Healthcare Services

Testing of employees and residents at Masonicare Health Center continues with two staff members still out and no positive results among the resident population.

Residential Services

The testing of employees at our residential communities continues with no positive results reported thus far.

Home and Community-Based Services

As of today, Masonicare Home Health & Hospice has two COVID-19 positive patients on service and one employee out. There have been no positive test results at our external ALSA sites during this wave of testing.

UPDATED 7/23/2020:

We continue to follow the strictest COVID-19 infection control protocols recommended by both the Connecticut Department of Health (DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The safety of our residents, patients and employee team members always has been and continues to be our priority. We continue to work tirelessly in our efforts to contain and control this virus, and we greatly appreciate your support during this time.

We also monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare daily for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

WEEKLY UPDATE 7/17/2020:

The state’s travel advisory has been updated. Not only must travelers self-quarantine for a 14-day period when entering or returning to Connecticut from one of 22 states where COVID-19 is surging, but the quarantine exemption for health care workers has been removed by Governor Lamont. This includes all Masonicare employees.

States currently on the restricted list include Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, *Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, *New Mexico, Nevada, *Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and *Wisconsin (* new additions).

Again, to avoid mandatory self-quarantine, please avoid any unnecessary travel to any of these locations. Also, please reconsider any plans to host visitors from states currently on this list. Connecticut has done a great job of reducing virus-related hospitalizations in recent weeks and we all need to do our part to keep that positive momentum going.

Healthcare Services
At Masonicare Health Center, we had a staff member test positive off-site for the virus and an employee on Day 2 of new-hire orientation who tested positive. Although neither of those employees was in patient-care areas, we will need to extend testing by another two weeks to comply with the Governor’s Executive Order.

Residential Services
We had hoped last week that testing of employees in our residential communities would already be underway. It now appears that testing will begin next week (staff in independent living are included in this wave of testing because they regularly interact with employees in assisted living). As of today, there are no reported cases at any of our residential communities or external ALSA sites.

Home and Community-Based Services
Masonicare Home Health & Hospice has two COVID-19 positive patients on service and two employees out, one of whom is expected to return today.

UPDATED 7/16/2020:

We continue to follow the strictest COVID-19 infection control protocols recommended by both the Connecticut Department of Health (DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The safety of our residents, patients and employee team members always has been and continues to be our priority. We continue to work tirelessly in our efforts to contain and control this virus, and we greatly appreciate your support during this time.

We also monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare daily for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

WEEKLY UPDATE 7/10/2020:

Testing Update
In the second week of mandatory COVID-19 testing at Masonicare Health Center, there have been no positive test results among staff or residents. However, because some test samples from the first week were improperly stored and not usable, a third week of testing will be necessary. After that, if there have been no new positive test results for 14 days among either residents or staff, testing of asymptomatic individuals will be suspended.

Next week, to comply with the Governor’s executive order, we will begin testing of employees in our assisted living communities. The process will mirror that at Masonicare Health Center: a minimum of two weeks of testing, after which testing of asymptomatic individuals can end if no one in that community – employee or resident – tests positive for the virus.

Residential and Home and Community-Based Services
There are no COVID-19 cases at any of our residential communities or external ALSA sites, nor any on service with Masonicare at Home. Masonicare Home Health & Hospice currently has six patients on service who are positive or presumed positive and two staff members out.

DPH: “Wear your mask!”
We know that wearing masks in the summer heat can be uncomfortable. But the word from the Department of Public Health – and Masonicare – is that UNIVERSAL MASKING IS SAVING LIVES. Please continue to wear your mask/face shield, practice social distancing, and wash your hands regularly.

UPDATED 7/9/2020:

We continue to follow the strictest COVID-19 infection control protocols recommended by both the Connecticut Department of Health (DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The safety of our residents, patients and employee team members always has been and continues to be our priority. We continue to work tirelessly in our efforts to contain and control this virus, and we greatly appreciate your support during this time.

We also monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare daily for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

WEEKLY UPDATE 7/6/2020:

As you have no doubt heard, coronavirus cases are increasing in other parts of the country. Those spikes might influence Connecticut’s reopening process, which had been planned for mid to late July. Here at Masonicare, we will continue to take a very slow and cautious approach to reopen to ensure the safety of our residents, patients, and employee team members.

Gov. Ned Lamont instituted a travel advisory stating that anyone traveling to Connecticut from “hot spot” states where the virus is surging will need to self-quarantine for 14 days. Last week, that list of nine states was expanded to 16:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, N. Carolina, S. Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah

Here’s how we’re doing throughout the continuum:

Masonicare Health Center

We are sad to report that an assisted living resident from Pond Ridge who had been on the Sturges 3 isolation unit passed away last Wednesday night. At the current time, there are no patients on the Sturges 3 isolation unit. Building-wide testing continues, and as of today, all results have come back negative.

Residential Services
There are no COVID-19 cases at Masonicare at Ashlar Village, Masonicare at Chester Village, or Masonicare at Mystic.

Home and Community-Based Services
Masonicare Home Health & Hospice currently has eight patients on service who are COVID-19 positive or presumed positive and two staff members out. There have been no new cases at Masonicare at Home. One ALSA client from The Towers in New Haven who had been testing positive for the virus, though not symptomatic, has returned home from rehab after testing negative.

Healthcare Heroes
Sierra Drevline, Director of Quality and Specialty Programs at MHC, Infection Preventionist Stacey Finch, and Infection Control Nurse Crystal Butler have been doing a tremendous job over the last several months protecting our residents, patients and staff throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We recognize them for working so diligently on a daily basis to monitor and enforce the latest safety guidelines.

UPDATED 7/2/2020:

We continue to follow the strictest COVID-19 infection control protocols recommended by both the Connecticut Department of Health (DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The safety of our residents, patients and employee team members always has been and continues to be our priority. We continue to work tirelessly in our efforts to contain and control this virus, and we greatly appreciate your support during this time.

We also monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare daily for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

UPDATED 6/29/2020:

We continue to follow the strictest COVID-19 infection control protocols recommended by both the Connecticut Department of Health (DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The safety of our residents, patients and employee team members always has been and continues to be our priority. We continue to work tirelessly in our efforts to contain and control this virus, and we greatly appreciate your support during this time.

We also monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare daily for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

WEEKLY UPDATE 6/26/20:

This week, we were focused on preparations for the start of mandatory COVID-19 testing at Masonicare Health Center. Testing will be conducted by Griffin Hospital beginning on Monday, June 29 and will include all Masonicare employees at MHC (including GMPP) and any Masonicare Home Health & Hospice employees or contracted staff who have a regular presence in the facility.

A reminder that this testing is to comply with Gov. Ned Lamont’s Executive Order issued on June 1 requiring all nursing home residents and staff in the state be tested for the duration of this public health crisis. Testing will occur weekly until there have been no new positive test results for 14 days among either residents or staff. Once these criteria are met, testing of asymptomatic residents and staff can be discontinued.

Under the Executive Order, testing for staff in our assisted living communities will occur at some future date. We will share that information with you as it becomes available.

Governor’s Travel Advisory
To reduce the possibility of a second wave of COVID-19, Gov. Lamont announced that anyone traveling to Connecticut from one of the nine current “hot spot” states where the virus is surging will need to self-quarantine for 14 days. This advisory does not apply to healthcare workers, but at this time Masonicare strongly urges all employees to refrain from travel to the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, Utah, and Texas.

Masonicare Health Center
There are currently two individuals on the 3 Sturges isolation unit. Any staff previously out have since been cleared to return to work.

An Infection Control Nurse from the State Department of Public Health was on site for three days evaluating and observing all units to make sure PPE is being worn properly and that physical distancing is being maintained. We have been advised that surgical masks are now mandatory for all staff in the building, even those not in patient care areas. Please stay vigilant in wearing your masks on all our campuses.

MHC also had its seventh DPH survey this week and no problems were reported. Great job!

Residential Services
There are no COVID-19 cases at Masonicare at Ashlar Village, Masonicare at Chester Village, or Masonicare at Mystic. All three communities continue to gradually reopen.

Home and Community-Based Services
Masonicare Home Health & Hospice currently has 11 patients on service who are COVID-19 positive or presumed positive and two staff members out. There have been no new cases at Masonicare at Home. One ALSA client from The Towers in New Haven, currently offsite undergoing rehab, continues to test positive for the virus.

UPDATED 6/25/2020:

We are currently caring for two COVID positive patients on the Sturges 3 isolation unit at MHC.

Please feel confident that we are continuing to following the strictest COVID-19 infection control protocols recommended by both the Connecticut Department of Health (DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The safety of our residents, patients and employee team members always has been and continues to be our priority. We continue to work tirelessly in our efforts to contain and control this virus, and we greatly appreciate your support during this time.

We also continue to monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

UPDATED 6/24/2020:

We also continue to monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

WEEKLY UPDATE 6/19/2020:

CNA Appreciation Week
Yesterday, June 18, kicked off CNA Appreciation Week. We know that our affiliates will be marking the occasion in different ways, but we wanted to express our gratitude for the hard work and dedication of these employee team members throughout the year. Our CNAs are critical to the functioning of this organization, providing quality-of-life care at Masonicare Health Center and in our residential communities and relaying vital information about patients' conditions so their patients can get the care they need when they need it. THANK YOU for all you do!

Masonicare Health Center
There is currently one individual on the 3 Sturges isolation unit, and that person is scheduled for discharge on June 20. Two staff with COVID-19 symptoms are out, pending test results. An Infection Control Nurse from the State Department of Public Health is onsite, evaluating and observing all units to make sure PPE is being worn properly and that physical distancing is being maintained. So far, the visit is going well.

Residential Services
One resident of Masonicare at Ashlar Village is currently on the isolation unit at Masonicare Health Center and is scheduled for discharge as indicated above. There have been no new cases reported at Masonicare at Chester Village or Masonicare at Mystic. All three communities are slowly reopening to accommodate safe social activities like outdoor dining.

Home and Community-Based Services
Masonicare Home Health & Hospice currently has 12 patients on service who are COVID-19 positive or presumed positive and two staff members out. There have been no new cases at Masonicare at Home. One ALSA client from The Towers in New Haven, currently offsite undergoing rehab, continues to test positive for the virus.

UPDATED 6/18/2020:

Please feel confident that we are following the strictest COVID-19 infection control protocols recommended by both the Connecticut Department of Health (DPH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The safety of our residents, patients and employee team members always has been and continues to be our priority. We continue to work tirelessly in our efforts to contain and control this virus, and we greatly appreciate your support during this time.

We continue to monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

WEEKLY UPDATE 6/12/2020:

Today marks the 100th day since the launch of our Coronavirus Task Force and 78 days since Masonicare had its first confirmed case of COVID-19.

At this time, we still don’t know exactly what the state’s mandatory weekly COVID-19 testing for all residents and staff of nursing homes, assisted living service agencies (ALSAs) and managed residential communities (MRCs) will look like. We do know it will begin this month and that it will be a massive undertaking.

Hospitalizations due to COVID-19 have dropped dramatically, but we still need to be diligent at work, at home, and out in the community to reduce the risk of infection. Almost 70% of all COVID-related deaths in Connecticut have been among residents of nursing homes and assisted living communities ‒ a sobering reminder that the threat to older adults is real and ongoing.

Seeing how hard other organizations have been hit impresses on us how the efforts of all our Masonicare staff to mitigate the impact of this public health crisis have been nothing short of amazing. We have witnessed so many acts of courage and compassion that we are convinced we will emerge from this crisis stronger than ever.

Masonicare Health Center
There are currently five individuals on the 3 Sturges isolation unit, two of whom are from “in-house” (i.e., long-term care). One MHC employee is still out recovering from COVID-19. Our thanks to the Nursing Administration team for launching a new weekly Q&A conference call to help keep all MHC staff in the loop about the latest coronavirus policies and procedures.

Residential Services
One resident of Masonicare at Ashlar Village and two residents from the Ashlar Village (Pond Ridge) Assisted Living community are currently on the isolation unit at Masonicare Health Center. Our independent living resident and one from Pond Ridge are on track to return to their homes in the near future. There have been no new cases reported at Masonicare at Chester Village or Masonicare at Mystic.

Home and Community-Based Services
Masonicare Home Health & Hospice currently has 21 patients on service who are COVID-19 positive or presumed positive and four staff members out. There have been no new cases at Masonicare at Home or reported at our ALSA sites.

Outdoor Visits Begin at MHC
It will likely be September at the earliest before the state allows visitors inside nursing homes. But we’re all aware of the strain that the visitation restrictions are having on our residents and their loved ones. We are pleased that MHC has started facilitating outdoor visits. It’s a labor-intensive process that involves scheduling visits in advance and making sure during visits that physical distancing is maintained and everyone is masked at all times. We know that providing this service to our residents is a lot of work, but we know how much it means to them and to their family members.

UPDATED 6/11/2020:

We continue to monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

WEEKLY UPDATE 6/5/2020:

Gov. Ned Lamont’s executive order requiring mandatory weekly COVID-19 testing of all residents and staff of nursing homes, assisted living service agencies (ALSAs) and managed residential communities (MRCs) will impact all of Masonicare's services lines in ways that we cannot immediately predict. We do know that testing will begin the week of June 14 for skilled nursing facilities, and the week of June 28 for the ALSAs and MRCs. We are waiting for written guidance from the Department of Public Health (DPH) about how this testing will be implemented and will share that information with you as soon as it’s available.

Across the state, hospitalizations due to COVID-19 continue to drop steadily. That is an encouraging sign. But as Connecticut surpasses 43,000 confirmed cases and the 4,000 mark for virus-related deaths, we need to continue to be vigilant. The state’s most vulnerable residents are among those we serve, and they are relying on us to keep them safe and healthy.

COVID-19 Update by Service Line
Masonicare Health Center, which currently has eight individuals on its Sturges 3 isolation unit and one employee out on quarantine, was notified by the State of Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) this week that it has retained infection control support nurses to assist in monitoring and supporting all COVID-19 affected nursing homes. These Registered Nurses will arrive unannounced to help reinforce infection prevention and control during the pandemic and to make sure we’re providing the highest quality of care.

Two residents of Pond Ridge Assisted Living continue to recover from COVID-19 in the isolation unit at MHC. There are no cases at Masonicare at Chester Village or Masonicare at Mystic.

Masonicare Home Health & Hospice has 29 patients on service who are COVID-19 positive or presumed positive, the majority of whom are in the Greater Hartford area. Three MHHH employees remain out on quarantine. At our congregate ALSA sites, one employee is out recovering from the virus and one client at The Towers in New Haven is being treated for COVID-19 at a local hospital. There are no Masonicare at Home staff currently out, and one client – a Pond Ridge resident – continues to recuperate at MHC.

UPDATED 6/3/2020:

On Monday, June 1, Gov. Ned Lamont signed an executive order requiring mandatory weekly testing of all staff of nursing homes, assisted living service agencies (ALSAs) and managed residential communities (MRCs) for the duration of this public health and civil preparedness emergency. Testing will begin the week of June 14 for skilled nursing facilities, and the week of June 28 for the ALSAs and MRCs.

The state is driving this testing program, which promises to be a massive logistical undertaking that will impact all of our service lines. We are waiting for written guidance from the Department of Public Health (DPH) about how this testing will be implemented.

Additionally, although we are seeing a gradual reopening of some businesses in Connecticut and social gatherings outdoors, Masonicare stresses the importance of continuing to take all the precautions -- at work, at home, and out in the community -- that has been proven to reduce the risk of infection. We are caring for individuals who are the most vulnerable during this pandemic, and we don't want to put them at risk by bringing COVID-19 into their homes.

All employee staff members are reminded that continued diligence in the practice of proper hand hygiene, wearing masks in public, and maintaining social distancing (even outdoors) is important as our residents and patients are counting on us!

our reopening plan, we will follow both CDC and state guidelines for all residents, staff and guests for use of masks, and temperature and health screenings.

UPDATED 6/2/2020:

We continue to monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

WEEKLY UPDATE 5/29/2020:

Masonicare Health Center COVID Isolation Unit: There are currently seven individuals on the Sturges 3 isolation unit, of whom six are from long-term care. There are also four employees out recovering from or awaiting test results for COVID-19.

Residential Services: Pond Ridge welcomed another resident back from MHC yesterday. One resident from our memory care community is on the isolation unit at MHC to continue recuperating from COVID-19. A Masonicare at Mystic employee who had tested positive is now healthy and back at work. There have been no reported cases at Masonicare at Chester Village.

Home and Community-Based Services: Masonicare Home Health & Hospice (MHHH) has cared for 108 individuals who are or were COVID-19 positive/presumed positive, including 36 currently on service. Four MHHH employees are out recovering from the virus. Two employees of Masonicare at Home and three at our ALSA sites who tested positive or pending for COVID-19 are out and recovering at home (a fourth ALSA team member tested negative and is due to return soon). One client at our ALSA site in New Haven has tested positive and is receiving care off-site.

COVID-19 Testing: What’s Next?
Based on our conversations with the Department of Public Health and LeadingAge, it is expected that the next phase of mandatory testing will focus on assisted living residents. No timetable has been set yet for testing of nursing home staff. Reflecting the national shortage of supplies, there simply aren’t enough test kits available yet to test employees. Of course, we will notify you of any changes.

UPDATED 5/28/2020:

All of our 312 residents at Masonicare Health Center were tested for COVID-19 on Tuesday. We are pleased to report that ALL nursing home residents and behavioral health patients (GMPP) tested NEGATIVE with the exception of two tests that had to be retaken (results expected later today). We are still waiting for the retest results of those residents on our 3 Sturges isolation unit, but those were for discharge purposes.

Thank you to the entire MHC team for doing an exceptional job in containing the coronavirus. The efforts of all our Masonicare staff have been nothing short of amazing.

Additionally, this morning DPH and the National Guard were on-site for their fifth survey of the Health Center. Again, they came away impressed and had no recommendations

UPDATED 5/27/2020:

We continue to monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

BLANKET COVID-19 TESTING: Following guidance from the White House, the State of Connecticut has launched an initiative to test all nursing home residents across the state. Resident testing took place yesterday. As of today, with 99% of the test results back, we have no COVID-19 positive residents or patients outside of the ones already under our care in the isolation unit.

We are currently reassigning rooms to residents of Ramage 2, who have tested negative but currently reside on this unit which is being utilized as our observation unit. New or readmitted residents are admitted to this unit for fourteen days of observation and presumed positive until the observation period has expired.

UPDATED 5/26/2020:

We continue to monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

BLANKET COVID-19 TESTING: Following guidance from the White House, the State of Connecticut has launched an initiative to test all nursing home residents across the state. Resident testing took place today at Masonicare Health Center and we expect that employee testing will occur in the near future.

UPDATE 5/22/2020:

The State of Connecticut is mandating that all nursing home residents across the state be tested for COVID-19. Resident testing at Masonicare Health Center will occur on Tuesday, May 26th. The Department of Public Health is working on a plan for staff testing at a future date.

PLEASE REMEMBER that although we are seeing a gradual reopening of some businesses in Connecticut, it’s important that we continue to practice good hand hygiene, wear masks in public, maintain social distancing, and do all the things that have been proven to reduce the risk of infection. Our residents and patients are counting on us to keep them healthy and safe!

Here’s where we stand as of now:

Masonicare Health Center: There are currently 9 individuals on the Sturges 3 isolation unit, of whom six are from long-term care. There are also five employees recovering from or awaiting test results for COVID-19 at home.

Residential Services: Three residents from our memory care community at Ashlar Village are on the isolation unit at Masonicare Health Center to continue recuperating from COVID-19. One Masonicare at Mystic employee, who had tested positive for the virus, has been medically cleared and returned to work. There have been no confirmed cases at Masonicare at Chester Village.

Home and Community Based Services: Masonicare Home Health & Hospice currently has 47 patients on service who are either COVID-19 positive or presumed positive. Of those, the majority are receiving hospice care. Six Masonicare Home Health & Hospice employees are out recovering from the virus, of which two are expected to be cleared to return to work next week.

One employee of Masonicare at Home and five at our ALSA sites who tested positive for COVID-19 are recovering at home. One client receiving assisted living services at our ALSA site in New Haven, The Towers, has tested positive and is receiving care off-site.

Welcome Home!
Some good news to report: our first COVID-19 case from Ashlar Village, and a memory care resident, who had been on the isolation unit at MHC, both returned home this week. It was a long road from diagnosis to recovery for these residents, and we thank everyone at Ashlar Village, Masonicare Health Center, and Masonicare Home Health who accompanied them on that journey.

Another Successful Survey
Masonicare Health Center received another visit from a state surveyor and a National Guardsman today, the third visit in 13 days. They toured some of the nursing units and checked our PPE inventory. The surveyor and Guardsman shared many positive comments on how well we are doing. Thank you to our Interim Administrator and Assistant Director of Nursing and the entire team for a job well done. We are better together and we’re extremely proud of everyone’s efforts during this challenging time.

Face Shield Donation
We were surprised and grateful when the BIC Corporation of Milford reached out to us with an offer to donate 2,500 face shields to Masonicare. BIC has joined the list of companies whose generosity has helped get us through a challenging shortage of PPE.

UPDATED 5/21/2020:

We continue to monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

BLANKET COVID-19 TESTING: Following guidance from the White House, the State of Connecticut is launching an initiative to test all nursing home residents across the state. We have been informed that resident testing will occur on Tuesday, May 26. We are still working out the details, but we are contracting with an outside company to assist our own fit-tested staff. Although there are currently only enough supplies to test residents, we do expect that the state will provide for employee testing in the near future.

UPDATED 5/20/2020:

An update from our President & CEO:

We continue to monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

UPDATED 5/19/2020:

RESIDENTS: Our isolation unit on 3 Sturges is providing care to 11 individuals, including seven from long-term care and four from Masonicare at Ashlar Village/Pond Ridge Assisted Living.

SURVEY RESULTS: On Saturday, Masonicare Health Center had a second visit from the Department of Public Health and officers from the National Guard. They conducted a walkthrough of the entire building and had no recommendations.

UPDATED 5/18/2020:

We continue to monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

WEEKLY UPDATE 5/15/2020:

Over the past week, several Masonicare locations and ALSA sites received surprise visits from state Department of Public Health surveyors accompanied by officers from the Connecticut National Guard. In every instance, the surveyors were complimentary of the efforts we are undertaking to limit the risk of exposure to our residents and staff.

You may have heard about the recommendation that all nursing home residents and staff members be tested for the coronavirus. There are many details to sort out, like the number of test kits we should expect to receive, the logistics of blanket testing, staffing needs, etc. We will be sure to communicate this information as soon as it’s available. Please keep in mind; however, that this initiative is being driven by the State of Connecticut, not Masonicare.

The gradual “reopening” of the state may begin soon, but we are committed to keeping precautionary measures in place at all locations.

Here’s where we stand as of today:

Masonicare Health Center
There are currently 11 individuals on the Sturges 3 isolation unit. There are also five employees out recovering from or awaiting test results for COVID-19.

Residential Services
One resident from Masonicare at Ashlar Village Assisted Living and three from the memory care community are on the isolation unit at MHC to continue recuperating from COVID-19. There is one Masonicare at Mystic employee out on leave who tested positive for the virus. There have been no confirmed cases at Masonicare at Chester Village.

Home and Community-Based Services
To date, Masonicare Home Health & Hospice has cared for over 100 patients who were COVID-19 positive or presumed positive. As of today, the agency’s COVID-related caseload is 66. There are currently seven MHHH employees who tested positive for the virus remaining home. One employee of Masonicare at Home and three at our ALSA sites who tested positive for COVID-19 are recovering at home.

“Thank You” Flags Are Up
The heart logo that has become a symbol of hope and gratitude here at Masonicare is now waving on flags outside MHC and at each of our residential communities. Along with Masonicare Board of Trustees Chairman Bob Polito, we want everyone to know how much we appreciate our healthcare heroes. Thank you for being Masonicare Strong!

UPDATED 5/14/2020:

We continue to monitor all residents and patients within Masonicare for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

UPDATED 5/13/2020:

An update from our President & CEO:

UPDATED 5/12/2020:

As of today, there are 11 patients on the Sturges 3 isolation unit at Masonicare Health Center receiving care and being monitored for symptoms of COVID-19.

We continue to monitor all residents within Masonicare for signs and symptoms and test for COVID-19 when medically indicated.

UPDATED 5/7/2020:

An update from our President & CEO:

UPDATED 5/6/2020:

As of today, there are 11 patients on the Sturges 3 isolation unit at Masonicare Health Center receiving care and being monitored for symptoms of COVID-19.

We will continue to be vigilant in our safety protocols and guidelines to preserve the health of our fellow staff and residents, and we continue to remain on the cutting-edge of federal and local safety recommendations.

UPDATED 5/4/2020:

As of today, May 4th, a total of 20 residents of Ramage 3 at Masonicare Health Center have tested COVID-19 negative and a total of 5 have tested positive. All residents who have tested positive were immediately transferred to the Sturges 3 isolation unit where they are receiving care and being monitored for symptoms of the virus.

One resident of Masonicare at Ashlar Village's Pond Ridge Memory Care Unit is being discharged from the hospital this afternoon to the Sturges 3 isolation unit for continued monitoring. Out of an abundance of caution, all residents on the Pond Ridge Memory Care Unit are being tested for COVID-19. Families will be notified of the test results and any resident that tests positive will be transferred to the Sturges 3 isolation Unit at MHC for care and monitoring.

We want to reiterate that the health & safety of our residents and employee team members is our main priority and we are continuing to do everything within our power to mitigate the risk of exposure to the rest of the community and staff.

UPDATED 5/1/2020:

On May 1, 2020, we learned that a resident of Masonicare Health Center’s Ramage 3 Unit, who had been experiencing fever and chills, tested positive for COVID-19. The resident was immediately transferred to the Sturges 3 isolation unit where they are receiving care. This unit allows residents to receive care in a safe and supportive environment while mitigating the risk of exposure to other residents of our community.

This is our first positive case of a resident in our long-term care facility and while unsettling, we want to assure our residents, families, and friends that as an organization we continue to work daily to ensure the health & safety of our residents and employee team members. Out of an abundance of caution, all residents on the Ramage 3 Unit will be swabbed and tested for COVID-19. Any positive cases will be immediately transferred to Sturges 3 where they will be closely monitored and cared for.

UPDATED 4/30/2020:

An update from our President & CEO:

The following policies and procedures have been in place since mid-March and will remain in effect until further notice:

Visitation – No visitation is allowed except in the case of end-of-life care, and in these special cases, visitors must undergo screening as outlined below. All employee team members, third-party vendors and providers must enter through a single main entrance at our communities, health center and other offices.

Screening - All employee team members, third-party vendors and providers undergo mandatory screening, which includes a thorough exposure questionnaire and daily temperature scan, prior to the start of every shift. All personnel who enter our buildings are also required to wear, at a minimum, a cloth mask. All direct caregivers are required to wear surgical masks.

Deliveries – All deliveries must be left at the main entrances of each of our facilities. In cases where an order has been placed by or on behalf of a resident who needs assistance with transporting their delivery to their apartment, we ask that the resident or party placing the order contact the main number of their facility and inform the staff member on duty the details of the delivery, including:

The name and a contact number of the person who placed the order
The name and location of the resident the delivery is addressed to
The date and time the delivery is expected
If the intended recipient requires assistance in accepting and getting the items to their living accommodations

UPDATED 4/16/2020:

In addition to actively performing daily screening of residents, patients, employees and healthcare providers, Masonicare Health Center is actively testing symptomatic residents and patients as indicated. Our 30-bed unit located in the Sturges building which formerly served as an acute care unit has been designated as an isolation unit for the purposes of segregating individuals who have been diagnosed and are recovering from COVID-19. Residents who are waiting for test results are placed in a private isolation room and transferred to the isolation unit should they test positive. To date, Masonicare Health Center, the continuum’s 357-bed skilled nursing center has not had a resident test positive for COVID-19.

This is a serious, rapidly evolving situation affecting every community, hospital and nursing home across the nation. We are adapting to new developments every day, and we will continue to find ways to address these unprecedented challenges. Our COVID-19 Task Force remains in communication with state and local agencies regarding all efforts to maintain a safe and healthy environment for our residents, patients and employees. We continue to collaborate with provider associations and agencies to advocate for increased funding and recognition as a priority provider in need of personal protective equipment and test supplies.

As the state’s largest not-for-profit senior healthcare continuum, our first and most important priority is the on-going safety and well-being of our residents and employee team members. We will continue to do everything in our power to ensure a safe and COVID-free environment while continuing to advocate for support for our industry that cares for the most vulnerable population in the state.

UPDATED 4/15/2020:

Precautions and screening processes across the Masonicare organization are in effect and will remain in place until there is no longer an imminent threat of exposure to the virus. All employee team members, third-party vendors and providers must enter through a single main entrance at our communities, health center and other offices. In addition, they undergo a daily screening, which includes a thorough exposure questionnaire and daily temperature scan, prior to the start of every shift. All personnel who enter our buildings are required to wear, at a minimum, a cloth mask. All direct caregivers are required to wear surgical masks.

UPDATED 4/14/2020:

As the COVID-19 virus continues to spread across the state, the potential risk of exposure to healthcare workers also increases. Understanding from the onset of this pandemic, the very real possibility that our employee team members may be exposed to and test positive for the COVID-19 virus, we have put in place stringent precautionary procedures to reduce the risk of exposure. To date, despite our company-wide efforts, we have confirmation of several employees throughout our various service lines that have in fact tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

We want to assure everyone that our employee team members who have tested positive, as well as those awaiting test results, are at home abiding by the CDC quarantine guidelines. Additionally, we are carefully tracing all potential exposure risks associated with these cases and communicating any risks to our residents, patients, families, and other staff members.

All of our restrictions, screening precautions and safety measures remain in place, including mandatory personal protective equipment such as cloth masks for all employees and surgical masks for direct caregivers. We are confident that we can continue to minimize exposure to all those in our care and to all of our employee team members who so tirelessly provide the services and care you’ve come to expect.

Questions may be directed to our HelpLine via email at info@masonicare.org or by calling 888-679-9997.

UPDATED 4/13/2020:

UPDATED 4/10/2020:

At Masonicare Health Center, we have introduced electronic screening which makes the process more efficient and streamlined. Thank you to all our staff who have been diligent and patient throughout the process.

Masonicare has been fortunate to receive donations of PPE from various sources, including Quinnipiac University, the Wallingford Fire Department and Mobile Electronics - as well as the many homemade masks sewn by our own residents and staff. Thank you!

UPDATED 4/9/2020:

UPDATED 4/8/2020:

In accordance with the State of Connecticut Governor’s executive order, with the start of Passover today and Easter on Sunday, we are strongly advising family and residents to shelter in place and to avoid leave of absence holiday visits for your loved ones. This is a critical time in the social distancing effort and with the number of positive COVID-19 cases growing, we are urging families to restrain from home visits and outings during this time and until further notice. We wish you all a safe and healthy holiday.

At Masonicare Health Center our precautions and screening processes remain in effect and will remain in place until there is no longer an imminent threat of exposure to the virus. In addition to the screening of all employees and third-party vendors and providers we are now requiring all personnel who enter the building to wear at minimum a cloth mask. All direct caregivers are required to wear surgical masks.

Thank you for your continued understanding and support while we work to keep our residents and employees safe. We will continue to keep you updated and as always encourage you to call us directly if you have any questions or concerns.

UPDATED 4/6/2020:

A note from Peter Morris, VP of Residential Services and Hospitality:

I am deeply saddened to confirm the passing of a member of our Pond Ridge community as a result of complications from the COVID-19 virus. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family during this most difficult time. As we watch the COVID-19 pandemic unfold, the passing of one of our own is a devastating blow as we are working diligently to protect our employee team members and the residents in our care.

Our resident, who was a member of our Assisted Living community, was admitted to the hospital on April 1st, where she was treated for symptoms of the virus and passed on April 2nd. Our heart goes out to the family and employee team members who loved and cared for her.

While we work to understand the impact of this virus, please know that we continue to take the highest level of precautions possible. In fact, Masonicare at Ashlar Village has and will continue to enforce the strictest precautions and restrictions in the industry, with our residents and employees’ health and well-being remaining as our primary focus. We assure you that we are working to keep our community safe, but it will take all of us, working together to make that happen.

As changes to our protocol occur, I will keep you informed.

UPDATED 4/3/2020:

Yesterday we learned that a resident of Assisted Living (Pond Ridge) at Masonicare at Ashlar Village tested positive for COVID-19. The resident was admitted to a local hospital and remains in the hospital where they are being treated for the symptoms associated with the virus.

While this is our second positive case on our Wallingford campus, it is important to note that they are separate and isolated occurrences, as the two residents who tested positive have no connection to one another, and live in separate areas of our residential community. As a result, there was no cross over of staff or complimentary services. With that said, our restrictions and precautionary measures remain in effect as we work to maintain the health and safety or our residents and staff.

Our thoughts are with both of our residents and their families – as well as all those we care for. We understand this is a difficult time for all and we want you to know that we are doing everything in our power to provide a safe environment.

We want to express our gratitude to our frontline staff for their unwavering commitment to the health of all our residents.

As always, we will continue to update you as information becomes available.

UPDATED 3/28/2020:

As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise across the state, our precautions and screening processes remain in full force across all of our communities.

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we activated a series of protections aimed at mitigating the threat at all of our communities. These included restricting visitors, daily screenings of all employees and vendors who entered the facility, and daily monitoring of all patients and residents in our care. These measures remain in place and will continue until there is no longer an imminent threat of exposure to the virus.

This morning we were notified that an independent living resident from Masonicare at Ashlar Village tested positive for COVID-19 and is being treated at a local hospital for symptoms of the virus.

In response to this development, Masonicare at Ashlar Village has increased precautions that include an immediate request for all residents to shelter in place until further notice. All meals and other necessities will be provided in a modified manner.

As always, the continued safety of our residents and employee team members remains our highest priority. We will continue to provide updates as they become available.

UPDATED 3/26/2020:

While there continue to be no known cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) at Masonicare, we are remaining diligent in our efforts to maintain the safety and health of our residents, patients, families and employee team members. We continue to follow all necessary precautions and protocols in compliance with the CDC, the Connecticut Department of Public Health, and other state and federal agencies. We will continue to keep you updated on any new developments.

UPDATED 3/23/2020:

Masonicare is continuing to monitor COVID-19 and its impact on our communities. Please note that Governor Lamont’s new 'Stay Safe, Stay Home' executive order does not apply to our essential healthcare operations including “hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, elder care and home healthcare workers,” assuring that your loved ones will continue to receive the highest standard of care and service that we provide each and every day.

Our first priority continues to be the safety and well-being of our residents, patients and employee team members. Also in keeping with "Stay Safe, Stay Home' instructions, we have suspended our window visits at Masonicare Health Center until further notice. We will continue to keep you updated on any new developments.

UPDATED 3/19/2020:

An update from our President & CEO

Our senior leadership remains committed to our mission to do everything we can to maintain the health and safety of our residents, patients and employee team members. Additionally, efforts continue to keep residents, patients and families engaged and informed. To that end, here are some of the ways in which we have adapted:

Staff are making calls and enabling video chat via FaceTime, Skype or other technologies
The dining experience has shifted to in-room vs. the dining room(s)
Limiting group gatherings, the recreation teams have developed modified social activities that can be experienced room to room

Many of our families, friends and employees have asked how they can help and we will continue to provide ideas and tips over the coming days.

Again, we thank you for your understanding and patience during this very difficult time.

UPDATED 3/18/2020:

We are continually screening our employee team members in accordance with CDC guidelines to protect our patients and residents, and we will continue to update you daily as the situation develops.

As we are constantly sharing important information about COVID-19 and reminders on the best ways to reduce the risk of infections, below is a link to guidelines released by The White House.

15 Days to Slow the Spread

UPDATED 3/17/2020:

COVID-19 Precautions at Masonicare at Ashlar Village, Masonicare at Chester Village, Masonicare at Mystic, Wright, Well, Johnson and Hawkins Apartments

During this unprecedented public health crisis, we at Masonicare want you to know we are dedicated to the health and safety of our residents and employees.

After thoughtful consideration and discussion, we have decided to suspend all community activities and congregation in common areas, including dining venues. Delivery dining options will be made available at each community in accordance with the direction of the respective executive director or administrator. Additionally, we have decided that, in the best interest of our residents, we will restrict any and all visitors, except in special cases for residents under Hospice care or receiving care for end of life. We understand the hardship this may pose to residents and families and, for that reason, the decision to move in this direction wasn't made lightly.

We appreciate your patience and understanding during this challenging time for our communities. Should you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact your community’s executive director or Administrator.

UPDATED 3/12/2020:

An important message from our President & CEO

While there continue to be no active cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) at Masonicare, we are remaining diligent in our efforts to maintain the safety and health of our residents, patients, families and employee team members. Our main focus at this time is prevention. Watch this message from Masonicare President and CEO, JP Venoit, for more information about how we are responding to COVID-19.

UPDATED 3/11/2020:

Earlier this week, we complied with the State of Connecticut DPH's mandate to restrict visitors to our skilled nursing facility. Today, with everyone's best interest in mind and per new guidelines from LeadingAge, we are erring on the side of caution and have instituted precautionary screening measures at our senior living communities.

We are regularly updating Masonicare residents and family members; however, should you have any questions please reach out to your respective administrative team.

Thank you for your understanding and patience while we navigate this situation together.

UPDATED 03/10/2020:

In conjunction with the Department of Public Health’s directive to restrict all visitors except those with family members with extreme health conditions such as end-of-life care, we are restricting all visitors to Masonicare Health Center in Wallingford, CT, until further notice. While there are no cases of Coronavirus (COVID-19) at Masonicare, we are acting proactively and in the best interest of our residents, patients, families and employee team members. Visitors who meet the criteria for visitation and are seeking entry into the facility will be required to undergo a pre-entry screening.

While we understand these restrictions can be difficult, we are working to provide a variety of options that will allow our residents to visit with loved ones via video technologies such as FaceTime, Skype, Zoom and others.

Thank you in advance for your understanding and support while we work to keep our residents and employees safe. We will continue to keep you updated and as always encourage you to call us directly if you have any questions or concerns.

State of Connecticut Department of Public Health Visitor Restrictions - Directive to Nursing Homes

UPDATED 03/09/2020:

While there are no cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) at Masonicare, following Department of Public Health (DPH) guidelines and out of an abundance of caution, we have made the decision to restrict visits to Masonicare Health Center in Wallingford until further notice. The only exception to this is in the event of extreme health conditions, such as hospice or end of life care. We will begin pre-entry screening of all visitors who meet these criteria, prior to allowing access to the facility.

Again, no diagnosis of coronavirus has been made at any of our facilities. We are acting proactively and in the best interest of our residents, patients and families as per state recommended guidelines.

Thank you in advance for your understanding and support while we work to keep our residents and employees safe.

While the news about the coronavirus in the United States is still developing, Masonicare wants to assure everyone that in the unlikely event of an outbreak within our communities, we are fully prepared.

The health, safety and peace of mind of our communities are our number one priority. Our frontline teams are fully educated and trained and we are well stocked with all of the appropriate preventative and protective items needed to conduct business as usual. We are taking standard precautions such as:

Monitoring and taking direction from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO) and other local officials
Educating staff and visitors on our policies regarding coming to work or visiting our communities in the event they are experiencing symptoms
Ensuring our emergency procedures and protocols are documented and adhered to

Please take a moment to watch the short video below for helpful advice on the do’s and don’ts to help prevent the spread of this and other flu-like respiratory illnesses.

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Facts vs. Myths COVID-19

Fact: Coronavirus is a respiratory illness, similar to influenza	Myth: Heat can kill the virus - Hand dryers & UV lamps can't kill the virus
Fact: Frequent handwashing is still the number one way to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as coronavirus	Myth: Never open a package from China - The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that packages from China are safe
Fact: The CDC recommends avoiding or canceling all nonessential travel to China and extra caution for travel to South Korea, Hong Kong, and Japan	Myth: You need to wear a mask - According to the CDC, people who are well do not need to wear face masks. Face masks should be worn only by those who are showing symptoms or who have the illness in order to protect others from being infected
Fact: At present, there is no evidence to suggest that domestic/pet dogs and cats can spread the virus	Myth: Eating a lot of garlic will help prevent coronavirus – while garlic is considered a healthy food with some antimicrobial properties, there are no indications it helps in the prevention of COVID-19

As we continue to gather more information, we will share it here. Please check back often for updates and need-to-know information. In the meantime, we’ve provided the links below with additional resources:

CDC Fact Sheet: What you need to know (English)
CDC Fact Sheet: What you need to know (Spanish)

CDC Fact Sheet: What to do if you are sick with COVID-19 (English)
CDC Fact Sheet: What to do if you are sick with COVID-19 (Spanish)

CDC General Information
World Health Organization Information
CDC Information for Healthcare Professionals