Dear Generations at Oakton families, 

We want to start by saying thank you for all of the kind and supportive messages we have received from many of you.  We are honored to care for your loved one.  These are challenging times, but the sense of community and shared concern we have experienced has been truly heart-warming.  Given the ever-changing circumstances around the COVID-19 pandemic, we are constantly evaluating our facility policies and procedures.  We are constantly receiving updates from the CDC, Illinois Department of Public Health and local officials to ensure we are up to date with best practices.  

Our team is going above and beyond on a daily basis to ensure the safety and comfort of our residents.  In this effort the following has been done to minimize the risk of exposure. 

• Residents are screened 2x shift
• Staff are screened every 4 hours
• Communal dining has been modified to meet guidelines
• Activities have been adjusted to reduce exposure
• Infection control policies have been implemented      

We understand your desire to communicate with your loved one and we are doing everything possible to keep our families and residents in touch.  In an effort to expand our communication we are now offering an email connection on our website.  Please visit our website at www.generationsoakton.com and click on the Send a Note icon.  You will be able to create a message to send to your loved one.  Our staff will happily deliver and read this message to your loved one.  

Our facilities have received an outpouring of love and support during these challenging times.  We have seen donations of meals for staff, supplies, flowers, letters to residents, thank you signs for staff and more.  Thank you to all of you for your continued support.  These kind gestures have a significant impact in these unusual circumstances.  

It is our goal to stay connected with families during this time.  In an effort to keep our phone lines free and reduce hold times, please feel free to email any questions or concerns you may have to administrator@generationsoakton.com.  

To stay up to date with the Covid-19 developments, please visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov.    

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Infection Control Policy

Objective: The facility’s written program is for the implementation of systems that provide a safe, sanitary and comfortable environment and helps prevent the development and transmission of communicable diseases and infections. The facility’s infection control program includes:

1. A system for preventing, identifying, reporting investigating, and controlling infections and communicable disease for residents, staff, visitors and other individuals providing services based upon the facilities assessment in conjunction with hazards and vulnerability analysis that is consistent with national standards.
2. A system for surveillance, reporting of communicable diseases or infections, standards and transmission based precautions and isolation procedures.
3. A system for recording incidents identified under the facility’s Infection Prevention and Control Practices.
4. The facility maintains protocols and precautions to prevent transmission of infectious agents using two tiers of precautions:
   1. Standard Precautions
   1. Transmission Based Precautions
      1. Contact Precautions
      1. Droplet Precautions
      1. Combination of Precautions
      1. Facility does not have the capacity to maintain Airborne Precautions
5. The facility provides personnel protective equipment (PPE) which refer to barriers used alone or in combination to protect mucous membranes, airways, skin, and clothing from contact with infectious agents. PPE used is based upon the nature of the interaction with the resident and/or the likely mode of transmission.  During times when PPE is not sufficient in supply the facility will utilize CDC guidance for Optimizing PPE. Types of PPE include:
   1. Gloves
   1. Gowns
   1. Masks
   1. Eye Protection Goggles and/or Face Shields.
6. Hand Hygiene is utilized to reduce the spread of germs to residents and the risk of the Health Care Provider’s colonization of infection by germs acquired from a resident. The facility utilizes hand hygiene via handwashing and alcohol based hand sanitizers. 
7. Standards of practice related to respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette.
8. Systems for determining room assignments for those with infectious disease/cohorting
9. Systems for monitoring resident care areas, such as urinary catheters, incontinence, wound care, skin care, infusion therapy, dialysis, mechanical ventilation and associated risks.
10. Medication administration and Point of Care Testing e.g. (Blood Glucose Monitoring)
11. Procedures are in place for environmental cleaning with appropriate disinfecting chemicals and for disinfecting resident care equipment.
12. Occupational health policies to include staff to remain home when ill.
13. Systems for continuity of care and communication during transfer of residents to other levels of care.
14. System of notification of families of changes in condition and any other notifications required by regulatory agency.
15. The facility maintains procedures for managing outbreaks of infection and pandemics. The facility will follow guidance as provided by the Local Health Department, State Regulatory and/or Communicable disease division, CMS and CDC.
16. Report communicable diseases and outbreaks as required to include Local Health Department, State agency in the manner prescribed and may include reporting through systems such as National Health Safety Network (HNSN). List of Reportable Infections will be accessed via the agencies posted information.
17. The facility maintains policies and procedures that address storage and handling of linen.
18. The facility identifies common infections in long term care and utilizes Mc Greer’s definitions for Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) for long term care facilities. The facility implements testing of such infections based on symptom reporting to the physician/physician extender and will implement testing as ordered.
19. The facility maintains a program of immunizations for residents to include: pneumonia and influenza immunization programs.  The facility has a mandatory flu policy for staff.
20. The facility maintains a program of screening for Tuberculosis (TB) for both residents and staff.
21. The facility will develop plans and/or required testing during any outbreak, epidemic or pandemic as required by a regulatory agency.
22. The facility will work with LHD and IDPH to obtain testing materials during outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics. The facility also engages the services of a laboratory for assistance with testing as needed.  If the facility obtains the tests themselves all specimens/requisitions will be labeled appropriately with resident identifying information.
23. The facility shall report to the LHD or the Department of Public Health the number of residents and staff tested, the number of positive, negative and indeterminate cases as directed by the LHD or IDPH
24. The facility appoints an Infection Preventionist (IP) who is responsible for coordinating the infection control program.
    1. The IP will be an advocate for each resident to monitor that standards of practice to prevent and control infections is carried out.
    1. The IP will review the infection control program on an annual basis and provide information regarding recommendations for policy changes as needed based on regulatory requirements, as well as recognized standards of practices or more frequently as needed.
25. The facility maintains an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program, the purpose of the program is to minimize and/or prevent risks associated with unnecessary or prolonged use of antibiotics through this program. 
    1. The facility’s IP assists the facility in maintaining the commitment to the

antimicrobial stewardship program.   

• The antibiotic stewardship committee reviews and analyzes ordering, dispensing and monitoring of facility practices and processes.  The committee may include:

Administrator, Medical Director, Director of Nursing, IP, Pharmacist, Laboratory and others as needed.

• The facility maintains an ongoing program of staff educations to include:
  • Hand Hygiene
  • Standard and Transmission Based Precautions
  • Proper use of PPE
  • Monitoring for Infections and Noting Signs and Symptoms
• The facility maintains a Surveillance program which is the systematic collection of health-related data.  The purpose of the program is:
  • To identify early warnings of potential patterns, trends, or facility outbreaks
  • Monitor the facility’s infection control program for strengths and or weaknesses in various departments through observations e.g.  hand hygiene, dietary processes, housekeeping cleaning procedures, laundry processes and handling linen, antibiotic usage, etc.

Routine analysis, identifying of issues (results of investigations) and activities to control infections will be presented to the facility’s Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement (QAPI)/Infection Control committee for action. This will occur as needed but no less than annually.  Upon request these will be available to the Department.