Important updates regarding COVID-19 and Hillside Manor Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center
Hillside Manor Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center Pandemic Emergency Plan:
May 20, 2022
Dear Resident, Family Member, Resident Representative:
I hope this finds you and your family doing well. The purpose of this letter is to provide you with some important updates regarding the COVID 19 pandemic and the facility’s effort in providing a safe living environment.
As I am sure you are aware, New York State, including our surrounding communities are in the midst of another COVID 19 wave of infections. The Queens community is now designated at a high level of COVID transmissions, as determined through the New York State Department of Health statistical data. At this level, we are required to test all of our staff who have not yet received the booster dose of the COVID 19 vaccine, two times per week. Any staff member that tests positive is furloughed from work from work for ten days. As required, we also conduct testing of all residents and staff from the specific unit where that staff member worked, for a 2-week period, to ensure that there is no further spread of the virus. If a resident tests positive for COVID 19, the resident is immediately moved to our 6th floor unit, which is the designated COVID 19 cohort unit. The residents reside on this unit for 10 days, according to Th New York State Department of health guidelines. If after 10 days the resident is showing no symptoms of COVID 19, they return to their original room.
At this time, we have 14 residents who are COVID 19 positive. Fortunately, all of the residents are doing well and recovering without the need for hospitalization. Most present with cold symptoms and / or slight increase in temperature. There are new IV treatments and oral medications available to administer to our residents, if medically eligible to receive, which lessen the severity of the symptoms and the potential need for hospitalization.
For those who have not yet been vaccinated or have not received any dose of the booster vaccine, we strongly encourage you to do so by contacting the facility to provide your consent. Being vaccinated and receiving a booster vaccine improves the residents’ ability to fight the COVID 19 and remain safe. If you would like more information on the COVID 19 vaccine and booter doses, please contact Administration at 718-291-8200, ext. 2219.
To keep our residents, staff and visitors safe, you are required as a visitor, to wear a facemask upon entry of the facility, covering your nose and mouth and throughout your visit, please maintain a 6-foot distance between others and sanitize your hands frequently.
If you have specific questions, concerns, or suggestions, please contact Administration at 718-291-8200. For up-to-date information regarding current COVID 19 activities in our facility call our COVID 19 hotline, 718-557-1220. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
January 20, 2022
Dear Resident, Family Member, Resident Representative:
I hope all is well with you and your family. I would like to share some important information regarding newly revised New York State Department of Health visitation guidelines for Nursing Homes and facility status updates.
As per the revised NYSDOH visitation regulations, effective January 12, 2022, all visitors are required to show proof of valid negative SARS-COV-2 test result from a community testing center within 24 hours of their visit for an antigen test or two days prior to their visit for a PCR test. Compassionate care visits (those being made for residents who are in an end of life situation) are exempt from the above testing requirements and are able to visit their loved one, while complying with all necessary infection control protocols, including proper wearing of PPE.
If a visitor is unable to obtain a community-based test, the facility will provide an antigen test kit for self-testing. We have set up a self-testing area in the lobby with simple step by step instructions on how to complete the test. The facility is NOT required nor responsible to conduct the test. We will certainly assist in explaining the self-test instructions. If the self-test result reveals a positive result, the visitor will be asked to leave the facility immediately and should proceed home for quarantine precautions. We are supportive of this regulation in that it will assist the facility in maintaining the safest environment possible for our residents, staff and visitors. Please refer to the attached link to our complete visitation policy and procedure.
Regarding the current facility status, since the end of December, 2021, we experienced a significant increase in both staff and resident COVID positive cases. We designated the 6th floor as our COVIID positive unit. Any resident that is confirmed COVID positive is temporarily transferred to this unit for a 10-day quarantine/monitoring period, as per CDC and NYSDOH treatment guidelines. To date, 22 residents have completed their quarantine period and have safely returned to their original unit. Roommates of COVID positive residents are considered exposed and are temporarily transferred to the designated COVID exposed unit, 11th floor, for the same 10-day monitoring period.
To enhance communication with family members, the facility has a dedicated COVID 19 daily recorded message hotline, 718-557-1220, with daily up-to-date information regarding the facility’s current COVID status. Please utilize this.
The facility has continuously held weekly COVID 19 and booster vaccine clinics. We strongly encourage that you provide consent for your loved one to receive the vaccine and/or booster. Please contact the unit nurse to provide consent or to get specific information on the COVID vaccines.
We are proud of the daily efforts of our staff to provide a safe, comfortable environment for the residents. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at 718-291-8200. Thank you for your ongoing support, cooperation, and assistance throughout these challenging times. We hope for better and safer days ahead in 2022.
Sincerely,
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
November 19, 2021
Dear Resident, Family Member, Resident Representative:
I hope all is well and safe for you and your family. I would like to share some important information regarding newly revised New York State Department of Health Visitation guidelines for Nursing Homes, effective immediately. The following guidelines will be part of our revised visitation policy and must be adhered to by all visitors:
- Visitation is now permitted 24 hours per day, 7 days per week and no scheduled appointments are required. Our posted and suggested times of visitation are 10:00 AM through 8:00 PM. Visitation outside of these suggested hours must be arranged and approved by Administration in advance of your visit.
- Core Infection Control protocols, as mandated by the New York State Department of Health, must be followed and maintained for the duration of the visit.
- Visitation is allowed in the resident’s room, the main floor lounge, and on the outdoor patio, weather permitting. Resident room visitation should be avoided if the resident’s roommate is not vaccinated or is immunocompromised. The unit nurse will instruct you accordingly.
- To ensure social distancing safety, we are limiting the number of visitors who visit in the resident’s room to two at any given time. For visits of more than two visitors, family members can take turns visiting in the room or can visit in the main lounge or on the outdoor patio.
- While visiting in a resident room, visitors are permitted only in that room for the duration of the visit. Visitors are not permitted to visit in any other resident room except for their loved one’s
- Regardless of vaccination status of both residents and family members, all residents and family members are required to wear a mask, covering the nose and mouth, for the entire visit, except when eating or drinking, when the community level of transmission is designated by The Department of Health as being substantial to high levels. The facility will notify you of this daily as you enter the facility.
- When the community level of transmission is low to moderate, residents and family members who are fully vaccinated are not required to wear a mask, unless the resident is immunocompromised.
- All newly admitted, unvaccinated residents are placed on Transmission Based Precautions (TBP) for the first 14 days of their stay at the facility and their symptoms are monitored each shift. Residents on TBP are able to have room-based visitors. Both the resident and visitors should wear a well-fitting mask and will be offered PPE. Visitors will be provided with educational information regarding their potential risks of visitation in this circumstance.
- Hillside Manor does not provide COVID 19 testing of visitors. If the community transmission level is substantial to high, we recommend that you get tested 2-3 days before you visit our facility for the safety of the residents.
- As a facility, we are not permitted to require proof of vaccination in order to visit, but we would appreciate honesty and forthrightness of all visitors regarding their vaccination status to ensure the safety of the residents.
- Any visitor that fails to comply with any of the above protocols will be asked to leave the premises and will not be permitted to visit in the future.
We know how difficult the visitation restrictions have been on both the residents and family members. We truly appreciate your patience and cooperation during these times.
Regarding the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, on Thursday, November 25th, we will be having a special luncheon for our residents between 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM. We ask that you refrain from visiting during that time so the residents can enjoy their festive meal. Families are permitted to take the residents out on pass into the community, if desired. Please notify the unit nurse if you intend to do so, in advance, so that an Out on Pass order can be obtained. Overnight stays are strongly discouraged.
On behalf of the Administration and staff of Hillside Manor, I would like to wish you all a very happy, safe, and enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday.
Warm Regards,
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
COVID-19 Visitor Guidance: Visitors Safety Fact Sheet 11/19/21
October 1, 2021
Dear Resident, Resident Representative, Family Member:
I hope this correspondence finds you and your family doing well. I would like to take this opportunity to share with you some important updates at Hillside Manor Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center.
As I am sure you are aware, Governor Kathy Hochul and The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) has mandated that all healthcare workers in nursing homes and other healthcare settings throughout New York State be vaccinated with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by September 27, 2021 to continue to be employed by those entities. Only specific medical exemptions to taking the vaccine were to be considered. I am pleased to report that as of today, 345 of our Hillside Manor employees and contractors that provide on site services are fully vaccinated. An additional 31 employees have received one dose of the vaccine and will receive their second dose at their scheduled time. 91% are fully vaccinated at this time. After the staff receive their second dose, we will be at close to 100%. Regarding our residents, 91% are fully vaccinated. We have continued to hold weekly vaccine administration clinics every Friday. If your loved one has not yet been vaccinated and you want to provide consent for vaccination, please contact the unit charge nurse at your earliest opportunity. We strongly encourage all of our residents to take the vaccine for their continued well-being and safety.
This week the NYSDOH, as per the recent guidance provided by the CDC and FDA, are recommending and approved that all nursing home residents and staff receive a booster dose of the Covid 19 vaccine as soon as possible. As we are still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the highly contagious Delta variant circulating, we strongly encourage you to provide consent for the booster shot. The NYSDOH is also strongly encouraging all nursing home residents and employees to take the seasonal influenza vaccine at this time. You will be contacted by a Hillside Manor employee within the next two weeks to seek your consent for both vaccines. If you have specific questions or concerns, please contact your loved one’s attending physician to discuss.
I would also like to remind you that the facility utilizes a COVID-19 Telephone Hotline daily recorded message and facility website to provide you with important information regarding the current status of the facility’s handling of COVID-19. The hotline number is 718-557-1220. Our facility website address is www.hillsidemanorrehab.com. These formats are the most efficient way for you to have access to up-to-date important information. Please access them daily. As a reminder, you have a choice as to how you want the facility to have on-going communication with you regarding your loved one, according to your preference. We can contact you at your home telephone number, mobile telephone number, or via email. If you have not already notified us of your preference, please contact the Social Work department to update this information.
Regarding the recreational activities provided for the residents, we are pleased to report that our weekly summertime BBQ’s on the outdoor patio were a huge success. The residents enjoyed the fresh air, sunshine, and social opportunities. We also had some evening movie programs on the patio, reminiscent of the drive in movie days, popcorn and all! As the fall weather cools things off, we will be providing weekly, themed luncheons in the LL1 Lounge.
Some exciting news! Our facility was recently bestowed the distinction of being named in the Newsweek America’s Best Nursing Homes in 2022 based upon a stringent comparison of multiple quality of care data metrics, including overall performance data, peer recommendations and handling of COVID-19. We are 1 of 55 nursing homes in New York given this honor. There are over 600 nursing in the state of New York. We are very proud of this honor and are deeply humbled by it. It has been a longstanding tradition and organizational philosophy of Hillside Manor to be a provider of excellence. Our staff work tirelessly each day to provide a safe, comfortable, respectful and dignified living environment for our residents. Thank you for entrusting your loved one to us.
If you have any questions or concerns about any of the above information, please contact me at 718-291-8200.
Thank you and stay safe.
Warm Regards,
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
August 16, 2021
Download COVID 19 Pandemic Recovery & Facility Status
July 22, 2021
Updated Visitation Policy Effective 7/9/2021
June 14, 2021
Dear Resident, Resident Representative, Family Member:
I hope all is well with you and your family. The purpose of this letter is to inform you of a newly enacted New York State law entitled Caregiving and Compassionate Caregiving Visitors in Nursing Homes which goes into effect on June 14, 2021. This law was enacted to ensure that all long term care residents’ mental, physical and social well-being is maintained, especially during a public health emergency.
Personal Caregiving Visitor (PCV) is defined as a family member, close friend, or legal guardian of a resident designated by such resident’s lawful representative, to assist with personal caregiving or compassionate caregiving for the resident despite a public health emergency. Residents can appoint up to two essential caregiving visitors.
Enclosed you will find a Personal Compassionate Caregiving Visitation Fact Sheet and a Designated Individual (s) form. The form needs to be completed and returned to the following as soon as possible:
Ms. Diane Bianculli, Administrative Assistant
Hillside Manor Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center
182-15 Hillside Avenue
Jamaica Estates, NY 11432
If you have any questions, please contact the Social Work Department, 718-291-8200, extension 2291.
Thank you
May 19, 2021
Dear Resident, Family Member, and Resident Representative:
I hope this letter finds you and your family safe and well. I would like to share some important updates with you.
As vaccination rates continue to increase, we have seen a dramatic improvement in our surrounding communities and in New York State. This has brought optimism that the worst of the pandemic is behind us with the hope that we can return to a more normal way of life leading into the summer.
Through extensive outreach and education provided to our residents, family members, and staff regarding the COVID-19 vaccines, we are currently at a high level of vaccination in comparison to our peer skilled nursing homes. At present, we have 83% of our residents and 73% of our staff fully vaccinated against COVID-19. We have additional onsite vaccination clinics scheduled this week and beyond that will bring the percentages higher. These vaccination rates have helped keep our facility safe and secure. If your loved one has not yet been vaccinated and you want them to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, please speak with the unit RN Supervisor or Charge Nurse to request further information and provide consent.
We have been open for visitation since early April. It has been great seeing our residents reunited with their family members. Many tears of joy have been shared, it has been a beautiful thing to witness after such a long, stressful time.
We also recently restarted our weekly on-site beautician/barber services. We just opened our outdoor patio area for all to enjoy. Small group activities on the patio will be held daily, weather permitting. We encourage you to visit with your loved one on the patio to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. I would like to thank Gayle Kirschenbaum, Director of Recreation and the Recreation Staff for all of their efforts to facilitate your visits, either in person or through Face Time phone calls. They did an outstanding job on Mother’s Day, ensuring that our residents and family members were able to share a special day together.
At this time, we are not conducting visitation on the resident floors, but hope to sometime in the very near future. Much depends on the guidance we receive from the New York State Department of Health. Our staff continues to work diligently each day to ensure that our facility remains COVID-free. We have not had an active case of COVID in our facility for several months. The living environment is very safe and we are slowly returning to our normal daily routines.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Administration, the Unit Charge Nurse, or your Social Worker at 718-291-8200.
Take Care and stay safe,
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
March 30, 2021
Dear Resident, Family Member, Resident Representative:
I hope this finds you and your family doing well. I would like to share some important updates with you.
On March 25, 2021, the New York State Department of Health revised its Nursing Home Visitation Guidance and Policy. Accordingly, Hillside Manor Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center has revised its visitation policy to align with The Department of Health. I have attached our revised policy and procedure for your review. This new policy is in effect immediately. Family/Resident visits will continue to need to be pre-scheduled, as we have done in the past. At the present time, all visits will be conducted in the main floor lounge with the exception of residents who are clinically not able to physically leave their room. Those residents will be permitted to have room-based visits, but must be arranged through the scheduling process. As the weather improves, we will re-open our patio area for visitation as well.
At the present time, based upon the Queens County COVID-19 positivity rate, and the over 70% of our residents having been vaccinated, we will not require visitors to present a negative
COVID-19 test result or proof of vaccination to visit the facility. We do however, strongly encourage you to do both, to protect yourself, your family, and our residents. We can only defeat this pandemic completely if we all work collectively to do so. If your loved one has not yet been vaccinated and you wish to do so, the process is very simple. We have access to the COVID-19 vaccine through our Pharmacy vendor. All vaccinations are done on our premises. Please consider providing consent to have your loved one vaccinated, if you haven’t already done so. According to the DOH guidelines, residents who are vaccinated are permitted to have physical contact with family members during visitation, whereas those who are not must maintain 6 foot social distancing guidelines at all times.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish happy holidays to all of our residents and families celebrating Passover, Holi, and the Easter, a very special time to be with each other, especially after the difficult year we have endured.
Click here to view Administrative Policies and Procedures
Warm Regards,
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
February 26, 2021
Dear Resident, Family Member, Resident Representative:
I hope all is well with you and your family. The following is being provided as an update on the facility’s status during the current COVID-19 pandemic and our revised visitation policy.
At present, we thankfully have no resident cases of COVID-19 within the facility. We do have 3 staff members who are currently furloughed due to a positive COVID-19 test or exposure to someone who is positive. On February 10, 2021, we conducted our third and final COVID-19 vaccination program, in partnership with CMS and CVS Health. In total, we vaccinated 215 residents and 223 staff members. We acknowledge and thank all of our residents and staff who consented to be vaccinated which has helped immensely in providing a safer living and working environment. We are currently working with The New York City and New York State Department of Health to register our facility to have the ability to continue vaccinating consenting residents and staff onsite. I will keep you informed of future developments.
Regarding onsite visitation, the New York State Department of Health has recently revised their guidelines, effective February 26, 2021. The facility’s revised visitation policy is available for your review by clicking on the link below. Hillside Manor is not eligible to begin onsite visitation until March 3, 2021 due to recent staff member positive Covid 19 tests. Please review the visitation policy carefully. There are new protocols that must be followed. We will continue to schedule visitation appointments through our Director of Therapeutic Recreation, Gayle Kirschenbaum. Gayle can be reached at 718-291-8200, extension 2279. All visits will take place in the main floor lounge area. Visits on the Nursing Units in the resident’s rooms will only be scheduled for those who are medically unable to visit in the main lounge.
All visitors at this time are required to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of your scheduled visit. This requirement is dependent upon the current COVID-19 positivity rate in Queens County, which is currently at 8.7%. As this requirement can and will change, we will keep you informed of the current positivity rate.
We are very excited and thankful that you will soon be reunited with your loved ones. It has been a long, difficult and emotional period for all. Let’s hope that we continue to see improvement in our fight to defeat this pandemic. On behalf of the Administration and staff, I want to thank you for your understanding, support, and good wishes, extended throughout this past year.
As a reminder, please call our COVID-19 hotline for the daily recorded message for the most recent facility updates at 718-557-1220.
Click here to view our updated visitation policies.
Stay safe and well,
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
February 12, 2021
Dear Resident, Family Member, Resident Representative:
I hope all is well with you and your family. Much has happened during this past month that I would like to share with you.
On February 10, 2021, we conducted and completed our 3rd and final COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic in partnership with CVS Health. I am pleased to inform you that 215 of our residents and 223 staff members were vaccinated with two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. This was a herculean effort to achieve this outcome. Our facility has been providing educational materials to residents, family members and staff to assist in making informed decisions. We hope this was helpful. We feel confident that the facility is better protected now that the vaccinations have been provided. Our efforts in promoting strong and effective infection control protocols throughout the facility continues 24 hours per day, 7 days per week to protect our residents. Although we do not have any future Vaccine Clinics scheduled, we are hopeful that the New York State Department of Health will develop a vaccination program whereby Nursing Homes will be permitted to vaccinate additional residents and staff. I will keep you informed of any developments.
In spite of the hope provided by the COVID-19 Vaccine, we are continuing to occasionally encounter staff and residents who contract the COVID-19 virus. Most have been asymptomatic and have not required hospitalization. Effective treatments, known as monoclonal medications, have been granted Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA, for individuals who have mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19. It has been shown to be very effective in diminishing the severity of COVID-19 symptoms and decreased the need for hospitalization. Please see the attached Fact Sheet which will provide you with information about Bamlanivimab, an approved monoclonal medication. This medication can be administered at Hillside Manor via IV, only after discussion with your loved one’s physician and consent provided.
At the present time, due to recent COVID-19 positive tests for some staff members, we are not permitted to have onsite visitation. We are hopeful that we will be able to by the end of February. In the interim, please contact Gayle Kirschenbaum, Director of Therapeutic Recreation, at 718-291-8200, ext. 2279 to schedule Face Time visits with your loved one. Gayle and her staff have been keeping the residents active and engaged with varied programs and holiday celebrations. You can also contact our COVID-19 Daily Recorded Message Hotline at 718-557-1220 for additional information.
Click here to view the Fact Sheet for Patients, Parents, and Caregivers
Warm Regards,
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
January 4, 2021
Dear Resident, Family Member, Resident Representative:
On behalf of the Administration and staff of Hillside Manor Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center, I would like to wish you and your family a very happy, healthy and peaceful new year.
I am pleased to inform you that we had our first COVID-19 vaccination clinic, in partnership with CVS Health, on Wednesday December 30, 2020. The first of two required doses of the vaccine were administered by the CVS Health Staff to 195 facility residents and 133 facility staff members. We acknowledge and extend thanks to those who consented to receive the vaccine. To date, we have had no reports or observations of any significant side effects from the vaccine, except for minor arm soreness at the injection site and several individuals reporting a slight headache for 1-2 days post vaccination.
The second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will be administered on January 20, 2021. In addition, any resident or staff member that did not receive the first dose of the vaccine on 12/30/20, may do so at this time. A third clinic date has been arranged for February 10, 2021 to accommodate those who will require the second dose of the vaccine. We are hopeful that those who were initially undecided or did not want the vaccine will reconsider their decision. According to the CDC and health officials/experts, 75 – 80% of the U.S. population needs to take the vaccine to develop herd immunity and eventual eradication of the COVID-19 virus. If you want your relative to receive the first dose of the vaccine on 1/20/21, please contact the facility and speak with the unit RN Supervisor to grant your consent.
As of today, we have no residents with a laboratory confirmed diagnosis of having COVID-19. We currently have 7 staff members who are temporarily furloughed from work due to being COVID-19 positive or have had exposure to someone who is positive. We are continuing to test our staff weekly for COVID-19 as part of our screening process. Visitation is currently not permitted due to the staff positives. The earliest date to resume is January 15, 2021, if no new positives are detected. Please call our daily COVID Update Hotline, 718-557-1220 for updates.
We hope that 2021 will bring an end to the global pandemic and we can begin to get back to our normal life routines, including being with our families.
Stay safe and well!
Warm Regards,
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
December 21, 2020
Dear Resident, Family Member, Resident Representative:
I am pleased to inform you that we have confirmed dates from CVS Pharmacy, our COVID-19 vaccination partner who will be distributing and administering the vaccine to our residents and staff who have consented to the vaccination. The confirmed dates are December 30, 2020 and January 20, 2021 from 11:00 AM through 5:00 PM.
As mentioned in my prior posting, all consenting residents and staff will be receiving the Pfizer/Biontech vaccine, which is a two-dose vaccination process. The first dose will be administered on December 30, 2020 and the second dose will be administered, 21 days later, on January 20, 2021.
We understand that some of you may be concerned abut the safety of these new vaccines, as they have been developed and tested far more quickly than those in the past. We want to assure you that the speed with which these vaccines were developed is not due to skipping important safety steps, but rather the result of focused, collaborative work performed by experts across the globe. Vaccines approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have undergone the same level of rigorous testing for safety and efficacy as other vaccines, and have been tested in tens of thousands of people including older adults. Two independent advisory committees of experts from academic institutions also monitor vaccines to ensure their safety.
We, along with thousands of other long term care facilities, are participating in a program with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to help us most efficiently distribute these vaccines to our residents, free of charge. The CDC recommends all residents even those who have already been COVID-19 positive, receive the vaccine. We do not know how long natural immunity will last for those who were previously positive for the COVID-19 virus. No resident will receive the COVID-19 vaccination without the prior consent of the resident/family member/ or resident representative. A staff member of Hillside Manor will be contacting you regarding consent of your loved one.
I encourage you to reach out to us if you have any questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, its possible side effects, and what to expect after you or a loved one receives it. Please see the attached vaccine information to assist you in your decision process. As we have been saying over the course of this difficult year, we are all in this together. Please know that the safety and wellbeing of our staff and residents have been and remain our top priority. We are confident that the worldwide, unprecedented scientific achievement of these COVID-19 vaccines will eventually enable us to enjoy life with our loved ones again. We look forward to doing our part in this effort by getting the COVID-19 vaccine, and hope you will join us.
Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine EUA Fact Sheet for Recipients
Questions & Answers about the COVID-19 Vaccine
Sincerely,
____________________
Himanshu Pandya, MD
Medical Director
__________________
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
December 14, 2020
Dear Resident, Resident Representative, Family Member:
I hope all is well with you and your family. The following information is being provided as an update regarding the facility status during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since our most recent visitation suspension on November 17, 2020, we unfortunately have had to continue the suspension due to several staff members and two residents testing positive for COVID-19. As you are aware, any time that a resident or staff member tests positive we must suspend visitation for 14 days. Our most recent staff positive was reported on December 11, 2020. When this occurs, we immediately implement our COVID-19 protocols, which include testing all residents every 5-7 days for 14 consecutive days, to ensure that no other COVID positives are present. If there are no new COVID-19 positive test results, visitation can be resumed. Our staff continue to be tested onsite one time per week as per New York State Department of Health regulations.
Unfortunately, as predicted by government and health officials, we are seeing an uptick in cases in our local communities after the Thanksgiving holiday. On December 8, 2020, the facility had an unannounced Infection Control Survey conducted by the New York State Department of Health. The purpose of the survey is to review and observe our infection control policies, procedures and facility practices regarding COVID-19. I am pleased to inform you that we were found to be in full compliance and had no deficiencies sited.
I would like to share some very important and encouraging news regarding COVID-19 vaccination of our residents and staff. Our facility is enrolled in the CDC COVID-19 vaccination partnership with CVS Pharmacy to deliver and administer the COVID-19 vaccine. As I am sure you are aware, the FDA gave approval for emergency use authorization on December 11, 2020 for Pfizer to distribute their vaccine. We do not have specific dates yet as to when CVS staff will be onsite to administer the vaccines. No residents or facility staff will be vaccinated without providing consent to receive it. Consent forms will be provided by CVS. You will be contacted by a Hillside Manor staff member to discuss the process. We are projecting that vaccinations will begin on or after December 21, 2020. The Pfizer vaccine consists of two doses; the second dose is administered 21 days after the first dose.
We are strongly encouraging all residents and staff to take the COVID-19 vaccine, unless medically contraindicated. The COVID-19 virus has proven itself to be very aggressive and potentially lethal, especially for those with underlying medical conditions
and advanced age. If needed, please discuss this with your loved one’s physician to address any concerns so that you may make the best decision
This has been a long, emotionally challenging, stressful year for our country and the world. I hope and pray that we will soon see the COVID-19 virus brought under control and eliminated.
I wish for you and your family a very healthy and peaceful holiday season and new year. Thank you for your support, encouragement, and understanding extended to us throughout this pandemic.
Warm Regards,
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
November 20, 2020
Dear Resident, Family Member, Designated Representative:
I hope all is well with you and your family. The following information is being provided as an update regarding the facility status during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Tuesday, November 17th, 2020, we had to suspend family visitation due to a staff member who tested positive for COVID-19. It had been exactly one month prior that we had been able to reopen for visitation. It had been a pleasure to see so many of our residents reunited with their family members. As required, we must now suspend visitation for at least 14 days, until November 29, 2020. Hopefully, we will not have any other new cases during this time period, otherwise we will have to extend the visitation suspension. Please continue to check this website and our daily COVID-19 Update Hotline, 718-557-1220, for the most current information.
We currently do not have any residents in our facility with active COVID-19 virus. We are working diligently each day ensuring that our infection control protocols are adhered to and continue with staff education regarding prevention of infections. I commend our staff for their daily efforts in keeping our residents and the facility safe.
I’m happy to announce that due to revised DOH guidelines earlier this month, we have resumed beautician and barber services for our residents on Tuesday, November 17th. The beautician is scheduled here every Tuesday. If you would like your loved one to receive these services, please contact the unit Charge Nurse to ensure they are placed on the list.
We know how difficult this year has been with all of the COVID 19 related restrictions to visitation, especially as we head into the holiday season. Holidays are the times we want and need to be with our family members. Unfortunately, we are all going to have to sacrifice our normal family routines in order to keep ourselves safe, until a vaccine is widely distributed. CMS, CDC and the New York State Department of Health are strongly discouraging family and friend gatherings during this holiday season. Please do your part in practicing safe behavior in the community to ensure our collective well-being.
On behalf of the facility, Administration, and staff, I would like to wish you all a safe, enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday. Stay strong and vigilant.
Sincerely,
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
October 14, 2020
Dear Resident, Family Member, Resident Representative:
I hope you and your family are safe and well. Regarding the current facility status with COVID-19, I am pleased to notify you that we have met the established New York State Department of Health criteria of being COVID-19 free for 14 consecutive days. As of October 15, 2020, we are able to commence onsite visitation. Please refer to the August 20, 2020 website posting which provides a link to our current visitation policy and procedure and visitation fact sheet. It is very important to review these documents in advance.
At this time, we will be having the onsite visits held in the Main Floor Lounge area. All visits must be pre-scheduled as per the policy and all visitors must present a COVID-19 negative test result within the last seven days of your scheduled visit. Please take extra precautions for yourself and your loved one by not visiting the facility if you are not feeling well. We know how anxious you are to see your loved ones, but we must be cautious and conservative in our approach to keep everyone safe.
I would also like to inform you that we have begun our annual Influenza Vaccination program for the residents and staff members. The CDC and the New York State Department of Health have strongly encouraged all residents and healthcare workers to be vaccinated, especially this season. We are striving for 100% vaccination rates for both residents and staff. We have been preparing very diligently for a possible resurgence of the COVID-19 virus. We have learned a great deal about the virus since March/April and have utilized these experiences to bolster our Infection Control Protocols and staff education. We have a minimum of a 60 day supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as part of our Infection Control strategy. We are well prepared.
Please take all of the necessary precautions to protect yourself, your family, and community members. We all have to do our share of being responsible. We are looking forward to seeing you soon.
Sincerely,
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
October 1, 2020
Dear Resident / Family Members / Resident Representative,
I hope this finds you and your family safe and well. This update is being provided to inform you of recent happenings at Hillside Manor Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center.
I know one of the most important things on everyone’s mind is visitation. As mentioned previously, as per current regulations the facility must be COVID-19 free for 14 consecutive days before visitation is allowed. We had a staff member test positive for COVID-19 on September 29, 2020 and therefore must wait until at least October 14, 2020. We must receive verbal permission from the New York State Department of Health before visitation is permitted. You will be notified via the daily recorded COVID-19 hotline message, 718-557-1220 and this website: www.hillsidemanorrehab.com Please continue to check both daily for the most recent updates.
On September 29, 2020, we had an unannounced inspection by the New York State Department of Health for a focused infection control survey. The purpose is to determine a facility’s compliance with all current infection control regulations to ensure resident and staff safety. I am pleased to notify you that we passed the inspection with no violations or recommendations. We are diligently focused on this each day to ensure a safe living and working environment.
I will continue to keep you updated. Stay safe and well.
Regards,
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
September 18, 2020
Dear Resident, Resident Representatives, Family Members:
I hope all is well with you and your family. I would like to take this opportunity to provide you with an important update regarding skilled nursing facility visitation.
On September 15th and 17th, 2020, the New York State Department of Health revised their originally issued visitation guidance, dated July 10, 2020, which I communicated to you in previous website postings, mailed notifications, and telephone calls. The two major changes to the visitation guidance are as follows:
- The consecutive time period that a facility needs to be COVID-19 free from any new onset of the virus for residents or staff, in order to be eligible for onsite visitation, is reduced from 28 days to 14 days.
- All visitors as part of the screening process, must also present to the facility representatives, a verified negative test result within the last 7 days of their actual onsite visit.
Due to a recent staff member testing positive for COVID-19, the earliest we can be approved to allow visitation is on October 1, 2020. All visits must be pre-scheduled by contacting Ms. Gayle Kirschenbaum, Director of Recreation, 718-291-8200.
I will continue to routinely update our website with future updates from the New York State Department of Health and happenings at Hillside Manor.
I would like to extend to all of our Jewish residents and family members, a very happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous new year as we celebrate the Rosh Hashanah holiday.
Be well and stay safe.
Sincerely,
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
Hillside Manor Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center Visitation Policy:
August 20, 2020
Dear Resident, Family Member, Resident Representative,
I hope you and your family are safe and well. The purpose of this letter is to update you on the status of the re-opening of Hillside Manor Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center to visitors, as per the July 10, 2020 guidance from the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH).
According to the guidance, our facility was required to submit a Re-opening Safety Plan and a detailed policy and procedure as to how we will implement this in a safe manner. Our plan was submitted and approved by the NYSDOH. However, we have not received a date that we can re-open visitation, but anticipate that date to be August 25, 2020. As per the guidance from NYSDOH, our facility must be Covid-19 free for 28 consecutive days before we can re-open for visitation. I am posting our visitation policy and procedure here on our website. Included with this posting is a required questionnaire that each visitor will have to complete upon arrival at our facility along with a visitor fact and responsibility sheet which will also need to be signed. Each visitor will have their temperature taken and recorded, based upon our mandated screening protocols, permission to visit will be granted accordingly. I strongly suggest that you review the posted questionnaire and the visitation materials before you schedule your visit to avoid being denied entry upon arrival.
Click here to view/download the visitation policy and procedure.
Click here to view/download the visitation fact sheet with visitation signature
After we receive an approval date from the NYSDOH all families will be notified by telephone, USPS mail, the facility Covid-19 telephone hotline, and website posting. Visitation will be permitted on our outdoor patio area only, after you register with the facility for a specific date and time. We will be scheduling visitation Monday through Thursdays with Friday as a make-up day for any cancellations due to inclement weather. Each scheduled visit will be 20 minutes in duration to accommodate as many requests as possible.
The scheduled time slots will be as follows:
10:00 A.M. – 10:20 A.M.
10:30 A.M. – 10:50 A.M
11:00 A.M. – 11:20 A.M.
1:00 P.M – 1:20 P.M.
1:30 P.M – 1:50 P.M.
2:00 P.M. – 2:20 P.M.
2:30 P.M. – 2:50 P.M.
If you arrive late for your time slot the duration of your visit will be reduced accordingly. It is strongly suggested for visitors to arrive 15 minutes prior to their scheduled visitation slot for registration purposes. Only two visitors per resident will be allowed at any time. Children / minors under 18 years old must be accompanied by an individual 18 years old or greater. Visitors must be pre-registered and scheduled for a date/time slot. No exceptions. Visitors will enter the patio area through a marked gated entrance off the parking lot. There is no entry permitted through the main lobby entrance at this time.
After you are notified by us that we have permission to reopen visitation you must contact Ms. Gayle Kirschenbaum, Director of Therapeutic Recreation, 718-291-8200 X-2279 to schedule your visitation slot.
Your cooperation, assistance, and patience with this process is greatly appreciated. We know you are anxious to see your loved ones. We look forward to seeing you soon.
Best regards,
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
Letters from Hillside Manor Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center:
September 4, 2020
Dear Resident / Family Member / Resident Representative:
I hope this finds you and your family safe and well. The purpose of this letter is to provide you with some updates on our facility’s status regarding Covid-19 and our preparations for the upcoming fall season.
It’s disappointing to report that our visitation re-opening, which began on Thursday, August 27th 2020 was abruptly ended on Friday, August 28th 2020 due to a staff member testing positive for Covid-19. The staff member had been and continues to be asymptomatic during their 14-day furlough from work. As per the New York State Department of Health, we are required to halt on-site visitation for 28 days and can reopen again only after we receive permission from the Department of Health to do so. We anticipate approval tore-open after September 25th 2020. We will notify you as soon as we are notified.
During this interim period, we have been scheduling our “Drive-By” visits as detailed in my prior communication. If you wish to schedule a drive-by visit please contact Gayle Kirschenbaum, Director of Therapeutic Recreation, at 718-291-8200 Ext. 2279.
Our facility is currently Covid-19 free. Our staff continues their diligent efforts each day to maintain strict infection control standards and protocols to keep our facility and the residents safe. The New York State Legislature has signed into law and mandated that all nursing homes develop and implement a comprehensive supplement to our existing Pandemic Emergency Plan (PEP). We are required to submit this PEP to the Department of Health by September 15th 2020. It will be posted on our website, www.hillsidemanorrehab.com for your review.
I am pleased to report that our residents are safe and doing well under these difficult circumstances. Our Recreation team is doing everything possible to keep our residents socially engaged and stimulated. Our summer BBQ season recently concluded. It was a huge success and all of the residents enjoyed being outdoors enjoying good food and fellowship.
Please remember to help us recognize our staff who have gone above and beyond to meet the needs of our residents through our Hillside Heroes program. Recognition forms and instructions are on our website. Thank you!
On behalf of our staff, I want to thank you for your cooperation and understanding. Have a safe and enjoyable Labor Day holiday.
Best Regards,
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
July 29, 2020
Dear Resident / Family Member / Resident Representative,
I hope this communication finds you and your family safe and well. I’d like to share some updated information regarding the current status at Hillside Manor Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center.
As of today, we have several staff members who recently tested positive for COVID-19. All of these individuals did not present any COVID like symptoms prior to their positive test results and continue to remain asymptomatic. The staff members who tested positive were immediately furloughed from work for 14 days. They must be retested after the 14 day period and will be permitted to return to work when a COVID-19 negative test result is secured. As per New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) guidelines, we continue to test all of our staff weekly to ensure the health and safety of our residents and other staff.
Regarding the revised visitation guidance that was put forth on July 10, 2020, nursing homes are permitted to allow family visitation at the facility under very strict guidelines. All nursing homes are required to submit a Visitation Safety Plan to the NYSDOH for review prior to beginning visitation and meeting specific requirements. One of the requirements is that the facility must be COVID-19 free in the 28 days prior to visitation beginning. Unfortunately, because of the staff who tested positive, the earliest date that we can resume on premises visitation is August 20, 2020. We realize that that this is very difficult and stressful on our residents and family members. I have discussed this with my Administrative and Clinical team to see how we can provide for some level of opportunity to see your loved one, while still complying with the NYSDOH mandate.
Our team has come up with the following temporary plan. We will create a “drive-by” visitation, weather permitting, whereby family members can make a pre-arranged appointment to “visit” their loved one for approximately 15 minutes by driving their vehicle onto our premises in a designated area of the driveway / parking lot. Family members will have to remain in their vehicle at all times and wear a facemask (will be provided by the facility, if needed), while the resident will be in an area at a minimum of six feet from the vehicle. Residents will be supervised by facility staff at all times during the visit. The 15-minute time limit will be strictly adhered to in order to accommodate as many requests as possible. As a facility, we empathize with you and hope that this will help ease your burden. We will conduct these visits Monday through Friday only during the following times: 10:00 AM – 11:15 A.M. and 1:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M. This will begin on August 7, 2020.
To make an appointment please contact Gayle Kirschenbaum, Director of Recreation,
718-291-8200 Ext. 2279, or via email, gayle.kirschenbaum@hillsidem.com.
Thank you for your patience and understanding during these stressful times.
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
July 14th 2020
Dear Resident / Family Member / Resident Representative,
As you may be aware, Governor Cuomo and the New York State Department of Health issued a revised visitation protocol for all nursing homes in New York State on July 10, 2020. The revised protocol allows for visitation for all nursing homes that are in Phase 3 regions and have met specific criteria prior to allowing visitors, including but not limited to the following:
- The nursing home is in full compliance with all the Federal requirements, State Executive Orders and guidance, State reporting requirements, and federally required submission of Covid-19 data to the national Healthcare Safety Network.
- The nursing home has protocols to separate resident into cohorts of positive, negative and unknown, as well as separate staffing teams to deal with Covid-19 positive residents and non-positive residents.
- The nursing home has completed and submitted the New York Forward Safety Plan to the New York State Department of Health detailing the facility’s plan on areas/spaces to be used for visitation (outdoors and indoors), including the number of visitors and residents which could safely socially distanced within the space(s).
- The absence of any new onset of Covid-19 among staff or residents, as reported to the New York State Department of Health for a period of no less than 28 days, consistent with CMS established thresholds.
Unfortunately, based upon the above criteria, specifically in #4 above, Hillside Manor does not currently meet the requirement to resume visitation to our facility. On July 8, 2020 a staff member tested positive for Covid-19. The earliest date that we would be permitted to resume limited visitation, assuming that we remain Covid-19 free, would be August 5, 2020.
The staff member that tested positive was immediately furloughed from work for the required 14-day period. They are permitted to be re-tested after the 14 day-period and will be able to return to work only after a Covid-19 negative test result is received by the facility.
I know that this is very disappointing news. The residents and family members have been anxiously awaiting the lifting of the visitation restrictions. We have no choice but to continue our vigilance in ensuring that we continue to be Covid-19 free at Hillside Manor, as we have been since early June. We will develop our required safety plan in preparation for hopefully lifting the visitation restriction on August 5, 2020. We will continue to arrange FaceTime telephone call visits through computer tablet for all residents and family members who are interested in doing so. Please contact Gayle Kirschenbaum, Director of Therapeutic Recreation at 718-291-8200 – Ext. 2279 to schedule your call.
If you have any other questions, please contact Administration at 718-291-8200. Thank you for your understanding and patience during these challenging times. Please be assured that we are doing everything possible to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of your loved ones. Take care, be safe.
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
July 6, 2020
Dear Residents / Family Members / Resident Representatives,
I hope you and your families had an enjoyable, safe July 4th holiday. Although our holiday celebrations were somewhat tempered and cautious during this pandemic, it is good to see that life is slowly coming back to normal activity.
I am pleased to inform you that our facility is still Covid-19 free. The staff of Hillside Manor continues its diligence and hard work each day to ensure that we remain virus free. Our resident’s health conditions are improving and all are looking forward to enjoying the summer weather. We recently opened our outdoor patio area and have been taking small groups of residents outside to enjoy the fresh air and sun. Our Therapeutic Recreation staff have been providing outdoor activities, music, and snacks for the residents. Our weekly BBQ lunches on the patio will begin this week as well. There is nothing like being outdoors and enjoying good food on a warm summer day!
Family visitation is still restricted unfortunately. New York City just entered Phase 3 of reopening today. Governor Cuomo and the New York State Department of Health will continue to analyze the Covid-19 virus data and determine when it is safe to lift the visitation restrictions. We will keep you informed as we receive information regarding this. We continue to make FaceTime calls for all requested by residents and family members. Thanks go out to Gayle Kirschenbaum and the Therapeutic Recreation staff for coordinating and ensuring these calls are made each day.
Our clinical team has continued our resident care plan telephone conferences with family members to keep you updated on your loved one’s health status. If you have specific concerns or questions please call the facility at 718-291-8200 anytime and speak with the Unit Charge Nurse or Social Worker.
Our Covid-19 Update Hotline is updated daily regarding any residents or staff members who have developed Covid-19 symptoms in the past 24 hours. The Hotline telephone number is 718-557-1220. This website is also routinely updated to provide current information, www.hillsidemanorrehab.com.
We hope to continue this trend of improvement and look forward to reuniting in the near future.
Take care and be safe.
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
June 17, 2020
Dear Resident / Family Member / Resident Representative,
I hope this finds you and your family safe and well. I am very pleased to report that our facility is free of the Covid-19 virus as of June 16, 2020. Our dedicated staff has worked tirelessly and diligently each day to get us to this point. I want to acknowledge their efforts in ensuring the safety and well-being of our residents.
Although we can celebrate this major milestone, we cannot forget that there is always the chance of a resurgence of the Covid-10 virus in our surrounding communities which could have an impact on the facility. As per Governor Cuomo’s Executive Order, we are continuing to test all facility staff who work four or more days per week, twice weekly, and those working three days or less, once weekly, for the Covid-19 virus. Any staff member testing positive is immediately furloughed for 14 days and can only return for work after they test negative.
Unfortunately, there continues to be a visitation restriction for family members and other non-essential visitors. We must await instructions from the New York State Department of Health regarding these restrictions. We know this is difficult, but as the numbers continue to decline, we hope that this restriction will be modified to allow some sort of visitation.
Again, please refer to our website, www.hillsidemanorrehab.com and our Covid-19 Daily Update Hotline, 718-557-1220 for updates. If you have any questions please contact Administration at 718-291-8200.
Thank you and be safe.
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
June 10, 2020
Dear Resident / Family Member / Resident Representative
I hope this finds you and your family safe and well. I am pleased to notify you that as of today, we have only 1 resident who is Covid-19 positive currently residing in the facility under isolation precautions. We are hopeful that this individual will resolve within the next week to 10 days. At that point we hope to be completely Covid-19 free.
Overall, 101 of our residents who had tested positive for Covid-19, have resolved. Our clinical staff continue to monitor and treat our residents accordingly, striving to restore all to good health. Regarding the testing of our staff, Governor Cuomo just extended his Executive Order mandating the testing of Nursing Home Staff on June 10, 2020. Being within New York City, our facility is mandated to continue testing all full-time staff two times per week, and part-time staff one time per week. We will continue to be vigilant against the Covid-19 virus to ensure the safety of our residents and staff.
Unfortunately, we do not have guidance, nor permission from the New York State Department of Health to lift the visitor restrictions that have been in place since March 12, 2020. We recognize and acknowledge how difficult this has been for you. I will keep you informed as soon as I hear any new directives regarding visitation. Our Therapeutic Recreation Department will continue to coordinate Face Time calls with you and your loved ones upon request. Please contact Gayle Kirschenbaum, Director of Therapeutiic Recreation, at (718) 291-8200 Ext. 2279 to schedule your call.
As reported in my prior communications with you. I will continue to update our facility Covid-19 Update Hotline on a daily basis. The daily message includes the total number of Covid-19 positive and Suspected Covid-19 positive cases in the facility, the number of newly diagnosed cases, the number of deaths associated with Covid-19, and the number of staff who were Covid-19 positive. Updates are also posted on our website, www.hillsidemanorrehab.com.
We are doing everything possible to bring our living environment back to normal daily activity. This has been challenging, but our dedicated staff have risen to the occasion and are doing their absolute best to ensure this.
If you have specific questions regarding your loved one please contact Administration at (718) 291-8200. Thank you.
Stay safe and well.
Mitchell Teller
Administrator
May 31, 2020
Dear Resident / Family Member / Resident Representative,
I hope this finds you and your family well and safe. I am pleased to notify you that we have seen a dramatic decrease of our active COVID-19 cases since the first week of May 2020. At present, we have 35 residents who are COVID-19 positive and are currently residing in a dedicated COVID-19 unit in our facility. All residents residing on that unit, 5th floor, are COVID-19 positive. Having those residents on a dedicated unit allows us to effectively manage their symptoms and keep those residents separated from the rest of the resident population that is not COVID positive, lessening the chance of spread of the virus.
To date, we have 64 of our residents who have recovered from the COVID-19 virus, thanks to the combined efforts of our clinical staff and the strength of the residents to fight this devastating virus. Each day we are making more progress towards restoring our residents to good health and eventually getting back to a normal living environment. I know that these past several months have been extremely stressful for our residents, families and staff. We recognize how difficult this has been without the ability to visit your loved one.
In addition to cohorting our COVID-19 positive residents on one unit, we have also recently begun COVID-19 swab testing our staff, as per Executive Order by Governor Cuomo on May 20, 2020. All full-time staff, working 4 days or more, per week, are tested twice weekly and part-time staff working 3 days or less are tested once weekly. Any staff member that tests positive for COVID-19 is immediately furloughed from work for 14 days, minimum, and must be retested with a COVID-19 negative result before returning to work. The Executive Order extends to June 9, 2020. We will await further instructions as we approach that date.
The New York State Department of Health has also recently mandated that we test all residents, except those that have previously tested COVID-19 positive, by June 7, 2020. We have begun this testing on May 27, 2020. If a resident tests positive, we will temporarily move that resident to the 5th floor for continued monitoring. Our protocol is to retest the resident after 21 days of the initial positive test, as long as they are not exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19. Our protocol requires 2 consecutive negative test results for us to deem them recovered and remove isolation precautions.
To accomplish the above required many resident room changes, I truly apologize to our residents and family members for any hardship and stress that this has caused, but it was done with the resident’s best interests and safety as our paramount priority. As per my prior letter, I have been posting these updates to our website, www.hillsidemanorrehab.com, and have been recording daily updates to our Hillside Manor COVID-19 Update Hotline at 718-557-1220. I hope that this has been useful and reassuring to you during these trying times. I want to take this opportunity to recognize all of the staff at Hillside Manor Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center for their unfaltering dedication, heroism, and love extended to our residents during this pandemic. Through all of it, they have reported to work every day to meet the daily needs of our frail elderly residents. For that we are very proud and grateful.
Our Director of Therapeutic Recreation, Gayle Kirschenbaum, has spearheaded a staff recognition program. Thanks to the support of our residents, family, and friends, our first ‘Hillside Heroes” ceremony, held during National Nursing Home Week, was a tremendous success. Your nominations enabled us to recognize 19 dedicated and caring employees. Our goal is to continue this program and acknowledge the many exceptional “Hillside Heroes” that we have on staff on a regular basis. Anyone affiliated with Hillside Manor can nominate a staff member — residents, family, friends and staff are all invited to participate.
It is our hope that conditions here will continue to improve and you will all be reunited with your family members once again, as soon as the mandated visitor restrictions are lifted. I wish to take this moment to evoke the memories of our beloved residents who have recently passed away during the pandemic. They will always be remembered and cherished with love.
If you have specific questions regarding your loved one, please contact the facility at 718-291-8200. Take care and be safe.
Sincerely,
Mitchell Teller, Administrator
May 1, 2020
Dear Residents/Family Members/Resident Representatives,
I hope this finds you and your families safe and well. In order to provide you with up to date information regarding any newly confirmed COVID 19 positive cases and any COVID 19 positive related resident deaths at our facility within the last 24 hours, Hillside Manor Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center has established a telephone Hotline that will provide these updates daily. The telephone Hotline number is 718-557-1220. After dialing this number you will hear a recorded message with the above mentioned information. It is informational only, no messages can be left on this line. If you have specific questions regarding your loved one or COVID 19 related matters, please call our main telephone number, 718-291-8200 and ask for Administration.
As of this date, I am deeply saddened to notify you that we have lost 28 of our beloved residents to the COVID 19 virus, based upon confirmed testing. 16 of those residents passed here in the facility and 12 others passed in the hospital. In addition, we have lost 15 other residents who were suspected to have had COVID 19 based upon their symptoms, but were not able to be tested prior to their passing. 6 of the residents passed here in the facility and 9 others passed in the hospital. We have lost 43 of our residents in total since the end of March, 2020. Our staff valiantly did their best to treat and care for our residents against this devastating virus. Words can’t express our grief and we share this loss with their family members. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this very solemn time.
Sincerely,
Mitchell Teller, Administrator
April 28, 2020
In an effort to promote and recognize our exceptional, dedicated and caring employees we have on staff at Hillside Manor Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center, we would like to introduce you to our newest recognition program called “Hillside Heroes”.
The purpose of the “Hillside Heroes” program is to acknowledge staff members from all departments and all shifts for performances that go above and beyond their daily expectations – employees that go the “extra mile.”
Anyone affiliated with Hillside Manor can nominate a staff member—residents, family, friends and staff are all invited to participate.
Please click here to submit the nomination form and tell us why you think a particular employee went above and beyond your expectations.
In honor of their achievement, all Hillside Heroes will be invited to a small reception during National Nursing Home week. All recipients will receive a certificate of appreciation and will have their photo prominently displayed in the facility.
We look forward to having you identify the Heroes that are among us.
Thank you for your participation.
Sincerely,
Mitchell Teller, Administrator
April 23, 2020
I hope this update finds you and your family safe and well. I am pleased to inform you that the number of newly suspected and confirmed COVID 19 positive cases is decreasing. Our dedicated Hillside Manor Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center staff are diligently and tirelessly working around the clock to ensure the well-being and safety of your loved ones. The work that they have done and continue to do each day has been nothing less than heroic and selfless.
Many of our residents who have contracted the COVID 19 virus are improving and returning to better health. We have begun testing those residents who are at 21 days or greater since their first symptoms began to determine if they have antibodies against COVID 19. If so, we will discontinue their isolation precautions and slowly begin to bring life back to normal. This will be a slow and cautious process to ensure that our residents remain healthy and safe.
Our Medical Director has been on site daily to meet with our Administrative and Clinical team to evaluate and discuss current infection control protocols and implement new strategies to keep our facility safe, as per Center for Disease Control (CDC) and New York State Department of Health guidelines.
Our Recreation staff continue to arrange face to face phone calls between our family members and the residents. They have been doing a great job keeping us all connected during the challenging times. Please refer to prior updates for instructions on how to arrange a call with your loved one.
Thank you for your patience and understanding during this pandemic. I wish you all good health. Stay safe.
Sincerely,
Mitchell Teller, Administrator
April 13, 2020
Dear Family Member/Resident Representative,
I hope this letter finds you and your family safe and well. I am writing to give you an update on the current situation at Hillside Manor Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center during the COVID19 pandemic.
The Administration team and Infection Control Committee, including our Medical Director, Dr. Pandya, began meeting and discussing the COVID 19 outbreak in late February, 2020, based upon information we had been receiving from the New York State Department of Health. Our meetings consisted of reviewing the potential risks associated with the COVID 19 virus and on strategies to keep the virus from entering our facility. In spite of our efforts, including all the recommended guidelines and protocols provided by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), CMS, and the New York State Department of Health, we currently have multiple cases of confirmed positive COVID 19 and suspected cases in our facility. Unfortunately, and sadly, we have lost some of our residents, both in house and in the hospital, due to complications from the COVID 19 virus. We are sorry for the loss of our beloved residents and express sincere condolences to their families.
According to our infection control guidelines and direction from our Medical Director, we have followed a strict protocol for any resident that had/has exhibited symptoms that are associated with COVID 19 virus, fever, cough and shortness of breath. The nursing staff has immediately contacted the attending physician for evaluation and subsequent treatment orders. These residents are initially identified as Persons Under Investigation (PUIs) and were/are placed into a single bed room for isolation purposes. After ruling out seasonal influenza or cold related symptoms, an order is given for a COVID19 test swab. Initially, it was very difficult to secure these test swabs due to unavailability across the healthcare system. Currently, our laboratory vendor is able to get test results to us within 36 hours.
We are doing everything possible to contain the virus and control its spread. We have ample supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the staff, including, surgical masks, N95 masks, protective gowns, gloves, faceshields, and headcoverings due to the tireless efforts of our Purchasing Department. The facility is sanitized daily by our Environmental Services Department and we have increased these efforts during the current situation.
Staffing the facility has been a challenge, but our employees have risen to the occasion to ensure that your loved ones are properly cared for. We have purchased computer tablets to facilitate communication between you and your family member, due to our no visitation restriction. With the tablets we can connect with you on your mobile device or your computer so that you can see and talk to your family member. If you would like to do this, please contact our Director of Recreation, Gayle Kirschenbaum at 718-291-8200, et. 2279.
To maintain communication with you, please visit our website at www.hillsidemanorrehab.com. We are posting updates on the website. You can also contact Administration or the Nursing Department at 718-291-8200 with any questions. You can also direct questions to the New York State Department of Health at icp@health.ny.gov, covidadultcareinfo@health.ny.gov, or covidnursinghomeinfo@health.ny.gov.
I know these are stressful times. I hope that we will get through this crisis soon. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Stay safe and well.
Sincerely,
Mitchell Teller, Administrator
3/27/20
To Our Residents and Family Members:
We at Hillside Manor Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center truly understand the emotionally difficult situation you and your loved one are experiencing due to our current New York State mandated no visitation policy. Please be assured that our facility is working diligently each day to ensure the safety and comfort of your loved one during this Pandemic event.
To assist you in communicating with and remaining connected to your loved one, the facility has iPads /Tablets that we can provide to your loved one for a “virtual “visit that you can connect with using your own electronic device. Our iPads /Tablets are downloaded with Facetime and Zoom software.
To request a virtual visit with your loved one, please contact Gayle Kirschenbaum, Director of Therapeutic Recreation, at 718-291-8200, extension 2279.
Thank you for your understanding. Be safe and well.
Sincerely,
Mitchell Teller, Administrator
3/13/2020
To Our Residents and Family Members:
We acknowledge that you may be concerned about the spread of COVID-19 (the new coronavirus) being reported in the media and how it may impact us here at Hillside Manor Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center. Ensuring residents are cared for in a safe and healthy environment is our greatest concern and priority. At this time, we don’t have any confirmed cases of COVID-19 at our facility. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recommended a variety of steps that we are implementing to help reduce the potential for the virus to enter our building. However, we need your help in battling COVID-19. Below are some examples of how you can help protect our residents, as well as prevent the spread throughout the community.
At this time, we are restricting ALL visitations with the exception of limited visitation for our residents who are on Hospice/ end of life care. We understand that connecting with family members is incredibly important, and there are a variety of other ways you might consider connecting with them. These may include telephone, email, text or through Skype or social media.
Our center is following the recommendations of the CDC on prevention steps, including following strict handwashing procedures, and in many circumstances, wearing gowns and gloves when interacting with residents who are sick. We also are staying up-to-date with the CDC recommendations as they are updated daily. In addition, Hillside Manor Rehabilitation and Extended Care Center is in close contact with the New York City and New York State Department of Health and are following their guidance.
We will continue to update our website with any news regarding the COVID-19. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact our center at 718-291-8200 and ask to speak with administration.
Sincerely,
Mitchell Teller, Administrator
