The Brookside Story
A Publication of Brookside Inn Skilled Nursing & Rehab Facility
July 2020
Outdoor Visitation Begins At Brookside Inn
Dear Brookside Inn Residents, Family, Friends and Partners,
While COVID-19 risks are still present for all of us, especially for our elders and those with underlying medical conditions, the isolation felt by those individuals in nursing homes impose substantial physical and mental health consequences. Though social distancing, electronic & window visits are still strongly recommended, the State of Colorado will allow for outdoor visitation in facilities under the specific policy guidelines instituted by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE.)
Brookside Inn will be starting our Outdoor Visitation on Wednesday, July 15, 2020. If you are interested in an outdoor visit, we ask that you call ahead to set up an appointment.
To start, we will be having the outdoor visitation on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during business hours. We hope to increase the days and times as we ensure we are able to cover all the guidelines set forth by the CDPHE. Each scheduled visitation will be an allotted time of 20-30 minutes:
How to schedule an outdoor visit?
All visits must be scheduled in advance by contacting your designated social worker. Due to the summer heat, visits are limited to 30 minutes. Visitors will be limited to 2 persons due to space constraints. Children may visit, but must be able to maintain social distancing and wear face coverings. Please do not bring any food for your visit and please leave pets at home. Smoking and vaping are not permitted.
How to Prepare for Your Visit?
On the day of your visit, you must self-screen for signs or symptoms of COVID-19, including taking your temperature. Low-grade temperatures are often seen with COVID-19. A fever is recognized as anything 99 degrees or above. If you have or have had any of the symptoms listed below in the past 14 days, you should call and cancel your visit.
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
We ask that you arrive for your visit freshly bathed and in clean clothes. Please avoid going into crowded areas, such as grocery stores, before your visitation time.
What to expect when you arrive for your visit?
A Brookside Inn staff member will greet you under the front covered carport. The staff member will then:
- Collect and verify all visitors’ names, addresses, and telephone numbers for contact tracing.
- Perform a temperature check and symptom screening in accordance with current CDC guidelines. Per our Medical Director, a fever is defined as a temperature of 99 degrees or above. Any visitors with symptoms in the previous 14 days will not be allowed to visit and a new visit will need to be scheduled.
- Ensure all visitors are wearing a facemask or cloth face covering and that it is covering the nose and mouth. The face-covering must be worn at all times during the visit. Failure to wear your face covering appropriately during the entire visit may result in the visitation time being terminated.
- The staff member will escort the visitors to the designated outdoor visitation area and will direct each visitor to his or her designated seats. We request that visitors remain in their designated seat throughout the visit to ensure that the social distancing requirements are maintained. We know it can be difficult to refrain from hugging and being close to your loved one, but it is very important to protect all of our precious residents at this time. Visitors are not allowed to leave the designated visiting area to interact with any other resident or staff.
- Staff will be nearby the visitation area to support health and safety during your visit.
- At the conclusion of the visit, a staff member will escort the visitors out of the designated visiting area.
- The designated visitor area will be thoroughly disinfected after each visitation.
Will all residents be able to participate in outdoor visits?
The guidelines for outdoor visitation require that the resident wear a facemask or cloth face covering during the entire visit and maintain social distancing. If a resident is unable to adhere to this requirement, they will be unable to participate in outdoor visits. Brookside will continue to provide alternative means for visitation such as virtual visits and telephone calls.
Residents that reside on our observation unit (B Hall) will not be able to participate in outdoor visitation. The goal for all long-stay residents is to move them to a long-term care unit as soon as they complete their mandatory 14 day isolation period.
Brookside Inn Is Hiring!
Brookside Inn is currently enrolling students for upcoming CNA Classes, taking place July 13-24, & Aug. 17-28, & Sept. 14-25, 2020. Each session runs approximately three weeks and takes place at BSI’s training facility in downtown Castle Rock. The coursework trains students on the art and science of being a CNA, and prepares them to take the state license exam. Our CNA course costs about a third of what other regional CNA training courses cost and scholarships are available! Following completion of the CNA course, graduates are welcome to apply to join the Brookside team. Please reach out to Greg Palmer at hr@bsisnf.com to learn more and to apply for the class today.
Did you also know that Brookside Inn is hiring? Visit bsisnf.com/careers to learn more about available positions:
- Certified Nurse Assistants (CNAs)
- Dietary Aide
- Night Nurses (RNs & LPNs)
- Housekeeping & Laundry team members
QAPI Update
Brookside Inn’s QAPI 2020 fall prevention project strives to decrease the number of falls throughout the facility. Fall prevention remains a primary focus in the facility throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
The therapy and restorative teams are working hard to ensure our residents stay strong to decrease risk of falls.
June Employee of the Month
Congratulations to Tracy Reader, Brookside Inn’s Employee of the Month for June! Tracy is a Restorative Aide who helps our residents with exercise programs, restorative nursing, and assists our residents in maintaining their overall health.
Tracy has been with Brookside Inn for over 12 years and has been dedicated to our residents and always gives amazing care. We are very lucky to have her on the Brookside Team!!
July Staff Anniversaries
Congrats and THANK YOU to the following Brookside Inn employees who celebrate their work anniversaries this month:
Moreblessing Sipiriano, RN, 2 years
Karen Zeiter, Dietary Aide, 1 year
Beverly Phelan, LPN, 7 years
Kegan Parker, CNA, 1 year
Jill Burcham, RN, 6 years
Joseph MacEgan, CNA, 1 year
Jennel Waggle, CNA, 5 years
Kristi Kline, CNA, 1 year
Maurie Charlton, CNA, 4 years
Bryan Ponting, Jr., Dietary Aide, 2 years
Nurse Aide Training Program
Upcoming sessions are July 13 – 24, August 17 – 28, September 14 – 25th.
July 2020 Activity Calendar
