Today makes a year that we had to make the toughest decision ever and close our doors to visitors because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The following day, we had our 1st case of COVID-19 in Maine. Throughout this journey we have been able to keep our residents and staff safe through the use of strict infection control measures. The journey over the last year hasn’t been an easy one for our residents, their families and our team of wonderful caregivers. While the journey isn’t over yet, we are so thankful for our resident’s and their families understanding and our team of exceptional caregivers that have dedicated their lives and committed to keeping COVID-19 out of the facility. In collaboration with our vendors, we have been able to maintain the same level of care to our residents. Because of this teamwork and collaboration, we have been able to achieve the best outcomes for our residents given the often unsurmountable task of keeping everyone safe when there have been so many unknowns along the way.
Here we are a year later and we are so pleased to announce that we will begin taking appointments for family visits on Monday, March 15th. Due to the decreasing positivity rates and the increase in vaccinations we are able to take another step in the direction of what we call normal. The residents have missed you and we have missed seeing your smiling faces in the hallways when you visit!
Included here are guidelines that we will still need to follow when conducting visits within the facility.
- Please call our Activities Department, Shelly Katula-Blais at 777-4461 during the hours of Monday-Friday 8am-3pm to schedule a visit with your loved one.
- Please call 72 hours in advance to allow for planning and the best possible way to visit.
- Visits need to be scheduled and will last 30 minutes.
- No walk-ins at this time.
- Our designated visitation space on each unit allows for 2 visitors per resident at one time. We are only allowed so many individuals on campus.
- All visitors will be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 to include fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, body aches, loss of taste or smell, head ache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
- If you are not feeling well or have had contact with someone positive for or under investigation for COVID-19 we ask that you stay home and reschedule your visit.
- Upon arrival visitors will be escorted to the designated visitation space.
- At the end of the visit, you will be escorted to exit the facility.
- At this time, pets are not allowed to visit. Hopefully this will change in the coming weeks.
- If you are bringing food or dropping off items, please continue to coordinate with the Nurse Unit Manger.
- Unfortunately, food/drinks cannot be enjoyed during visitation time.
- We are able to begin visits for all patients/residents after their 14 days of quarantine upon admission/readmission has been completed.
- Any resident that is under investigation for COVID-19 due to development of symptoms will need to have visits postponed.
- The visitor and the patient/resident must be able to wear a procedure mask, which we will provide, for the duration of the visit.
- During visitation we ask that all visitors adhere to COVID-19 practices to include social distancing, hand hygiene before and after visits, properly fitted masks to include coverage of mouth and nose. Visitors unable to adhere to these practices will be asked to leave.
- If there is a positive case on campus, all visitation is put on hold to assess transmission status within the facility.
- As the weather gets nicer, we are encouraging outdoor visits as they pose a lower risk of transmission due to increased airflow and space.
- If you are visiting from outside of ME, NH, VT, CT, RI or MA, please be prepared to provide proof of vaccination or that you have had COVID-19 in the previous 90 days in accordance with Governor Mill’s executive order.
