COVID-19 Update 5-5

By 5th May, 2020 OLA Announcements Comments Off

During the last week of April, a member of Our Lady of Angels Retirement Home staff notified the administration prior to the start of the next shift that they had tested positive for COVID-19.  The employee is currently sheltering-in-place at home and will be required to have two PCR tests done at a minimum of 24 hours apart.  Both tests must be negative.  The employee’s case will then be reviewed by the Administrator and Director of Nursing before they can return to work.

Although there are no other known COVID-19 cases at this time, as a result of this positive case, all residents will have their temperatures and oxygen saturation taken every four hours; employees will be tested at the beginning of their shift, and at the half-way point of their shift each day.

Prior to the employee’s positive test, arrangements were made between the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and OLA’s Administration to provide COVID-19 tests for all residents and staff.  If any resident tests positive for COVID-19, a wing separate from all other resident wings has been prepared to provide care.

OLA has been taking extreme precautions and exceeded what has been required by the IDPH and CDC from the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak to protect the residents and staff.  The OLA Administration is also following guidelines on the COVID-19 checklist put forward by the IDPH. OLA is also keeping residents and their family members aware of ongoing precautions being taken.

As the weather warms, residents will be allowed to go outside wearing a mask and exercising proper social distancing one-to-one with a member of the OLA clinical staff to enjoy some sun and fresh air.  Although no visitors are allowed, except in the case of a resident in hospice care who is actively transitioning, residents can receive phone calls and enjoy face-to-face visits using Facetime.

All questions should be directed to OLA’s Administrator at 815-725-6631.