Phoebe Ministries Coronavirus Preparedness Plan
Published on March 12, 2020
*UPDATED ON 12.1.2021 at 11:45 a.m.
Quick Links
Visitation Information
COVID-19 Precautions at Phoebe Ministries
Campus Letter Updates
Vaccination Information for Residents and Staff
Visitor Policy & Details
Compassionate Care Visits
Connecting Hearts Zoom Visits
Independent Living Communities
Senior Affordable Housing Communities
Testing Protocols
For More Information
COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Precautions at Phoebe Ministries Communities
The following precautions apply to all Phoebe Ministries’ Independent Living, Personal Care, and Health Care Center communities.
The well-being and comfort of our residents and staff is Phoebe’s top priority, and we maintain strict policies and procedures to help prevent the spread of illness throughout our communities. Our employees are trained in best practices to help prevent the spread of communicable illnesses, including COVID-19. We are following our infection-control policies and will monitor this evolving situation. In response to the recent spread of COVID-19, Phoebe is taking proactive precautions to mitigate exposure among our communities.
Phoebe’s COVID-19 Update phone line is 610-794-6049
Phoebe Ministries Announces COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement for Staff
Phoebe Ministries announced on August 16, 2021 that it will require employees across the organization to receive COVID-19 vaccination by October 15, 2021 as a condition of employment. With communities in Berks, Bucks, Lancaster, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, and Union counties, this requirement applies to all of Phoebe Ministries’ employees. The policy will recognize authorized medical and religious exemptions. Please see the following links for additional information:
News Release: Phoebe Ministries COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement for Staff
Letter for Residents and Families Regarding COVID-19 Vaccine Requirement for Staff
Sept. 17, 2020- Click here for a message from Phoebe’s President & CEO on COVID-19
April 20, 2020– Click here for a message from Phoebe’s President & CEO on COVID-19.
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Campus Letter Updates
Weekly Update for Phoebe Allentown as of 12.1
Weekly Update for Phoebe Berks as of 12.1
Weekly Update for Phoebe Richland as of 12.1
Weekly Update for Phoebe Wyncote as of 12.1
The Campus update letters are posted at least weekly, and more often if cases are reported.
Vaccination Information for Residents and Staff
Initially, we worked with both CVS and Rite Aid to administer the COVID vaccine to our Health Care Center, Personal Care, and Independent Living residents and frontline staff. These vaccine clinics were completed on March 8, 2021.
Our own Phoebe Pharmacy now obtains and administers the vaccine. This allows us to vaccinate new admissions, new hires, and those who did not get the vaccine during the earlier clinics. We will also be vaccinating our Retirement Housing residents.
We will be reaching out to you in order to get consent for the vaccination of your loved one if they are not able to give consent themselves. Vaccination is strongly encouraged in order to protect all of the residents we care for. Please note that even if your loved one has already had COVID-19, vaccination is still recommended.
For more information about the benefits of receiving this vaccine, please follow this link to the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/vaccine-benefits.html
Please view this helpful information from the CDC:
Long-Term Care Residents and Loved Ones: Answering Common Questions About COVID-19 Vaccines
Visitor Policy and Details
The health and well-being of our residents and staff is Phoebe’s top priority, and we maintain strict policies and procedures to help prevent the spread of illness throughout our communities. Phoebe campuses are open for in-person visitation, following all processes put in place by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the PA Department of Health, and the PA Department of Human Services.
Please note that visitation depends on multiple factors at each campus: If county positivity rates for new COVID cases are over 10% AND less than 70% of the current residents are vaccinated, visitation may be restricted for unvaccinated residents. if there are active cases within the Phoebe community, testing of residents and employees will be completed to determine which, if any, areas may be open to visitors.
Visitation status, visitation hours, and duration of visits vary per neighborhood, so please visit the page of the community you would like to visit to check the status.
For the safety of our residents and staff members, visitors are required to follow the below COVID-19 infection control protocols:
- Screening of all visitors who enter the facility for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. The screening will include a temperature check and questions about potential exposure and observations of symptoms.
- Visitors who have been exposed to COVID-19 or have COVID-19 symptoms cannot visit, regardless of vaccination status. Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever equal to or greater than 100.0 F, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, chills, myalgia, or new onset of loss of taste or smell.
- Practicing safe hand hygiene, including washing hands or use of alcohol-based hand rub.
- Wearing a surgical, N95, or KN95 face mask at all times while on-site at Phoebe.
- Maintaining a safe social distance from other residents and staff.
Phoebe does not require that visitors be tested or vaccinated to visit with loved ones. We encourage visitors to become vaccinated when they have the opportunity.
Visitations will take place inside residents’ rooms or in common areas, as directed by the individual facility. If weather permits, visitors can take walks or go outside on the grounds with their loved ones.
Family members can also transport their loved ones to and from medical appointments, regardless of vaccination status, while adhering to infection prevention principles. It is preferable that unvaccinated residents use transportation arranged by the facility.
Outings for non-medical reasons will be allowed for residents that have been fully vaccinated. To prevent the possible spread of COVID in our communities unvaccinated residents wanting outings must have approval from the administration.
If you would like to visit an independent living community, please reach out to the community manager or Executive Director for that campus to learn what processes for visitation are in place.
Compassionate Care Visits
If an area of a building is closed to visitation due to COVID cases, we continue to allow “Compassionate Care Visits.” Residents who qualify for compassionate care visits may include:
- A resident at an end-of-life situation
- A resident who was living with their family before recently being admitted to our community who is struggling with the change in environment and lack of physical family support
- A resident who is grieving after a friend or family member recently passed away
- A resident who needs cueing and encouragement with eating or drinking, previously provided by family and/or caregiver(s), is experiencing weight loss or dehydration
- A resident, who used to talk and interact with others, is experiencing emotional distress, seldom speaking, or crying more frequently (when the resident had rarely cried in the past).
If you feel your loved one meets the criteria for a compassionate care visit, please call the administrator or nurse manager at your loved one’s community. Through a person-centered approach, we will work with residents and their families/caregivers to identify the need for compassionate care visits.
Connecting Hearts Virtual Visits using Zoom
We encourage families to utilize Connecting Hearts Virtual Visits using Zoom.
Independent Living Communities
Residents who live at Phoebe independently have been provided with facts related to coronavirus, along with preventive resources and information on protecting themselves and others from respiratory illness. We have communicated visitation guidelines to these residents. If you would like to visit an independent living community, please reach out to the community manager or Executive Director for that campus to see what stipulations for visitation are in place.
Senior Affordable Housing Communities
Residents who reside in any of Phoebe’s senior affordable housing communities are required to wear masks and socially distance from others anytime they are in common areas of the building. Additionally, any senior affordable housing communities with active COVID-19 cases recommend residents halt incoming visitors unless caregiving is provided. If we are informed of a positive case in a community, residents will be notified with a letter, and the Department of Health will also notify anyone who was in direct contact with the affected individual to instruct them to quarantine for 14 days. Questions can be directed to the building manager or to the Phoebe COVID phone line.
Testing Protocols
Phoebe will test the following residents:
- Residents who are symptomatic
- Residents on a neighborhood where another resident tests positive, at physician direction
- Residents who regularly leave the facility (dialysis, chemo, radiation, etc.);
- All other Skilled Nursing and Personal Care residents regularly as required by the PA Dept. of Health (can be monthly, weekly, or more often if the resident meets any of the bullets above)
Phoebe will test the following staff:
- Symptomatic staff, if not tested in the community under physician direction
- Staff with known exposure without PPE (at work or in the community)
- Any other staff, as indicated by Occupational Health
- All other Skilled Nursing and Personal Care staff as regularly required by the PA Dept. of Health (can be monthly, weekly, or more often if the employee meets any of the bullets above)
We continue to complete universal testing for our employees and residents in our Health Care Centers and Personal Care Communities, in line with the PA Department of Health and PA Department of Human Services mandates.
For More Information
If you have any questions or concerns, please call our COVID-19 contact line at 610-794-6049.
