Doing our part! Yesterday, CVS Health administered the first Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 93 team members. Approximately 50 Health Center residents participated as well. The vaccine was available to all staff and skilled nursing residents on a completely voluntary basis.
Said CEO David Swartley, “The CVS team arrived on Monday morning and were quickly in action. Our employees and residents seemed very eager to participate. All of us are eager to return to ‘normal’ as soon as we are able!”
Part 2 of the vaccine will be administered on January 25. As well, staff and Health Center residents who did not receive part 1, may still receive it that day too.
From: David Swartley, President/CEO Date: December 24, 2020 RE: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update #35
I am writing to give an update on the latest information regarding COVID-19 cases at Moravian Manor Communities.
This past week has been much quieter in our skilled area. An additional resident tested positive on our memory care neighborhood who was asymptomatic and has been discharged home. We have had no additional COVID-19 related deaths. We all realize that when COVID-19 arrives in a memory care neighborhood, one is in for a difficult journey. While any unexpected loss of life is too much, many facilities have had it run wild and have had a much higher death rate than we have experienced thus far. I want to extend my gratitude to our team for making the best of a very challenging situation. It takes every department following our protocols to have such an outcome.
It is also noteworthy that the other residents who tested positive for COVID-19 have moved through their precaution period. Moving through precautions means the residents can be out of their rooms and experience a bit of normalcy in their days. It is truly great news for both the residents and the team members in the Herrnhut neighborhood.
We also have had our tenth Residential Living positive case. This resident is in asymptomatic quarantine in a Carriage home on the Warwick Woodlands Campus.
Our team continues to test two times per week. Since our last update, three additional employees have tested positive for COVID-19. All are at home in self-quarantine.
Please continue to remember our resident family members and team members as they grieve the recent loss of life. There is seldom a good time to say goodbye. During the holidays, the goodbyes can be even more poignant.
As you enter another important holiday and time for celebration, please make sure to continue social distancing, wearing masks, and washing your hands. If you can introduce some fresh air into your home, please do that as well. We are still anticipating our first vaccines being administered next week. I am eager to receive my gift of a vaccine!
I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
Our Medical Director keeps us apprised of the CDC’s latest recommendations regarding the vaccine and other developments. Moravian Manor Communities continues to follow all infection control protocols stipulated by the PA Dept. of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for dealing with the new Coronavirus. I believe that our recent infection control survey confirms that our team is following the best guidelines available.
For those of you seeking additional information, continuous updates are available at the following websites: Pennsylvania Department of Health: www.health.pa.gov Center for Disease Control: www.cdc.gov
December 22, 2020 — Senior officials for Moravian Manor Communities, Luthercare, and Pleasant View Communities are pleased to announce a new partnership with Pleasant View Communities in their jointly-owned and operated home care agency, Your Neighborhood Connection.
J. David Swartley, CEO of Moravian Manor Communities; Carl R. McAloose, CEO of Luthercare; and Jonathan E. Hollinger, CEO of Pleasant View Communities each share in the mission, benefits and importance of home care and in-home supportive services to each of their communities as well as the surrounding area.
According to Mr. McAloose, “Having another excellent partner join Your Neighborhood Connection enables us to more fully care for not only our individual resident communities, but also brings additional high-quality resources and care givers to the greater Lititz area and surrounding communities. I am personally thrilled to have Pleasant View share in our collective vision!”
Said Mr. Swartley, “I am very excited to have Pleasant View Communities join Your Neighborhood Connection. The combination of three, solid, faith-based organizations will continue to build on our goal of servicing the broader community in addition to our residents. Collaboration enables us to continue to offer excellent services at the best price possible. It is likely that this model will lead to greater areas of collaboration in the future. I commend the visionary leadership of all three ministries as we strive to grow into the future.”
Mr. Hollinger stated, “The landscape of senior living is changing rapidly. There is an increasing desire to age in place as well as a growing need for care in the home. Partnering with Luthercare and Moravian Manor Communities helps each organization be better stewards of existing resources and provide a larger breadth of services to the greater community.”
All three confirmed that regarding their vision for the collaboration, there will be a continuing commitment to serving the unmet and underserved needs of the area’s senior population.
Your Neighborhood Connection, with offices located at 706 Rothsville Road, Lititz, offers a comprehensive range of companion care services, personal care services, and memory care and end-of-life supportive services. Additionally, Your Neighborhood Connection is one of very few agencies to offer Licensed Practical Nurse Services to allow for administration of some medications and treatments.
From: David Swartley, President/CEO Date: December 18, 2020 RE: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update #34
I am writing to give an update on the latest information regarding COVID-19 cases at Moravian Manor Communities.
Despite all our training and preparation, with the high levels of community transmission, COVID-19 inevitably entered our community, as it has so many retirement communities. Our Herrnhut Neighborhood (skilled nursing memory care) has been directly affected. This week we had our seventh resident die from COVID-related issues. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and our caregivers who are profoundly affected by the virus. Our cumulative positive tests on Herrnhut are now twenty-six positive. It is important to note that we have eleven residents who tested positive and moved through the critical time and are now out of precautions. Moving through this twenty-one day period means they can leave their room and have more flexibility.
We also have had our ninth Residential Living positive case. This resident lives on our Founders Campus.
Early in the summer, we had several employees test positive for COVID-19. This trend has continued; this week, we have had two additional employees test positive for COVID-19. While all our employees have either recovered or been asymptomatic, their absence places stress on their fellow employees. Because Lancaster County’s positivity rate remains above ten percent, we’re doing twice-weekly testing for our staff and residents. For our second round, we began using Point of Care (POC) testing. POC testing gives us results almost immediately, which is a significant improvement. Better turnaround is critical for us to manage the virus to the best of our ability.
We’ve been very conservative with our protocols and practices in our skilled nursing and memory care units. We continue to appreciate families cooperating with us during this challenging time. This week, the Pennsylvania Department of Health arrived and completed an infection control survey. While we struggle with the loss of life, we were pleased that there were no survey findings. Our team is doing everything we can to keep our residents safe.
The good news is that the vaccine will arrive very soon. Our first doses will be administered on December 29! The second dose will be administered on January 19. I look forward to receiving my vaccination as soon as I am in the queue. The vaccine gives hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel!
I also would like to thank the many residents who participated in the PA Department of Health antibody serology study this week. I am pleased that Moravian Manor Communities was selected to participate in this study!
Our Medical Director keeps us apprised of the CDC’s latest recommendations regarding the vaccine and other developments. Moravian Manor Communities continues to follow all infection control protocols stipulated by the PA Dept. of Health and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for dealing with the new Coronavirus. I believe that our recent infection control survey confirms that our team is following the best guidelines available.
For those of you seeking additional information, continuous updates are available at the following websites:
The sounds of contemporary caroling and holiday cheer filled the air on the Warwick Woodlands campus this Wednesday. Prima Theatre’s trolley-traveling LanCarolers were on-site to share their heartwarming live music for residents who gathered “together,” masked and socially distanced for safety.
The caroling troupe performed a cappella style from a decorated trolley, courtesy of Expressions Limousine of Lancaster, and decked out in modern attire thanks to an exciting partnership with American Music Theatre.
Community life director Jennifer Shutt coordinated the special event. “Despite the difficult year we’ve all faced, sharing the many joys that Christmastime brings is important for all us. It was a pure delight to hear everyone joining in with the carols, feeling comradery and light of heart, at least for a little while,” Jennifer recounted.
