COVID-19 Updates

For the latest guidance on COVID-19 and visiting protocols please follow the links below.

Residential Care Facilities Order Guidance (updated November 13, 2021)

MDHHS Highlighting Visitation Guidance for Long Term Care Facilities ahead of the Holiday (Updated November 17, 2021)  

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update 3/11/2020:

 

“Countryside Retirement Community works with the Jackson County Health Department, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to access timely information and resources in the interest of protecting our residents and employees.

With today’s news of the first two confirmed COVID-19 cases in Michigan, we have increased precautions to restrict visitations and to screen all people who want to enter our buildings for any reason. This applies to all employees, visitors and individuals. The screening will include questions about the persons’ health and travel status and also include taking their temperature.

Our public health partners recommend that long-term care facilities enact those screenings and restrictions because there is a risk that infected people who appear healthy will enter nursing homes and infect residents. Our residents are more vulnerable to disease and death from COVID-19 than the general population.

As a long-term care healthcare facility, good infection control practices such as sanitation of surfaces and equipment, proper handwashing, and safe food preparation are always important. The declaration that COVID-19 or the Coronavirus outbreak has reached pandemic status puts a renewed importance on these practices. Limiting the exposure of potentially life-threatening diseases to our residents is a top priority. We have increased housekeeping and sanitizing of handrails, wheelchairs, walkers, door handles, and common areas and have stressed the importance of universal precautions to our staff.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding, and please continue to check our Facebook page for regular updates and more information on the precautions we are taking to protect our residents and staff.”

For questions, please contact us at 517-787-4150

John Ganton, President
Countryside Care Center

 

COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Update 5/01/2020:

 

Greetings.

We hope this letter finds your family safe and healthy in this tumultuous time.  Here at Countryside, your loved one’s safety and well-being, as well as our staff’s, is at the forefront of our decision-making.  Beginning as early as March 1 the following measures have been put in place and our efforts have been rewarded with continuing to keep us “Covid” free:

  • Ceasing all regular visitations (except in very specific instances)
  • Contact daily with the health department and CDC for updated and ever changing guidelines and recommendations
  • Implementing new infection control policies and procedures
  • Screening all staff and residents on a routine basis for signs and symptoms of illness
  • Admitting new residents in a private setting with private services to ensure no possible transmission of unknown possible infection
  • Robust housekeeping efforts to keep our buildings and common areas germ free
  • Ongoing in-servicing and education with staff on infection control including; proper hand washing, proper use of facial protection equipment, etc.
  • Telehealth implementation for many services for residents
  • Social distancing and facial mask education for residents as indicated

 

We are working closely with Henry Ford Allegiance and Garcia Labs on possible wider spread testing as well as anti-body testing that is hopefully going to be available very soon.  We had volunteered ourselves to testing our entire campus but at this point, it has been recommended that we hold off on this.

As you know, the recommendations and new guidelines change daily so we will continue to update you on any advancements.  Although we are Covid-Free today, please know that if that ever changes we will notify families right away.  We are working very closely with the health department and other agencies to stay on top of the latest guidelines and tips for keeping your loved ones safe.  The governing agencies are all recommending that we plan for “when” not “if”, so please be assured that we are prepared.  This is a very tough time for everyone and we know you miss your loved ones but we truly appreciate your outpouring of support.  It is an honor for us to care for your loved ones.

-John Ganton’s Countryside Management

What We Are Doing For Our Residents

  • Multiple daily observations for symptoms
  • Communicating with residents and families
  • Established protocols for emergency visits from immediate family and primary caregivers
  • Canceling community events until further notice. We will continue to monitor and update our schedules accordingly

What We Are Doing For Our Residents' Families

  • Staff is communicating with families of residents
  • Establish protocols for emergency visits from immediate family and primary caregivers
  • Regular updates posted to Facebook

What We Are Doing For Our Employees

  • Enacting Emergency Operations Procedures in the event of a possible emergency.
  • Re-educating employees on infection prevention measures, appropriate hygiene practices as recommended by the CDC
  • Established response protocols
  • Screening employees

What We Are Doing For Our Community

  • Restricting visits to immediate family members and primary caregivers whose loved ones are receiving end of life care
  • Notices posted at each facility entrance
  • Canceling community events until further notice. We will continue to monitor and update our schedules accordingly

Additional Resources

 

 

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