Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
There is so much to celebrate at the Lutheran Home of the Good Shepherd (LHGS), and there is no time like the present. Governor Burgum and the North Dakota Long Term Care Association have named Tuesday, June 23 as “Silver Linings Day” to recognize the dedication of long-term staff who have delivered amid the challenges of the last three months.
The parade will begin on Tuesday, June 23 at 2 p.m. Parade participation is open to anyone, however everyone will be asked to stay in their vehicles. The parade route begins on Third Ave North and proceeds west to 13th Street, then to First Avenue N, 11th Street and back to Third Ave. Residents will be outside and near the windows to better enjoy the event.
LHGS has been closed to visitors since March 12, when COVID-19 took hold in North Dakota. This has left many residents and their families feeling disconnected— especially over special spring holidays like Easter and Mother’s Day.
The staff at LHGS worked tirelessly to implement preventative practices and ensure each residents’ wellbeing. Residents were able to participate in #aworldofhearts as well as small scale worship services. The Easter Bunny was able to pay residents a visit, and as the weather warmed, residents enjoyed a little spring planting.
LHGS has held three facility wide testing events, the first on May 9. The testing yielded four positive cases, one Heritage House tenant, two residents, and one staff member. All have since recovered. The most recent testing event was held Wednesday, June 3, in which all results came back negative, giving LHGS the option to implement Phase 1 of the reopening plan for long term care facilities as outlined by Governor Burgum on Monday, June 1. Per the guidelines laid out in the North Dakota Smart Restart, LHGS is allowing outdoor visitation, as long as social distancing and hygienic protocols are followed.
LHGS administrator Kim Jensrud explained that visiting parties “must wear masks and keep a distance of six feet.” Those making plans to visit their loved ones should contact the nurse in the resident’s unit prior to their visit, to ensure that the resident is able to go outside and that adequate spacing is available.
Jensrud noted that residents “will also start communal dining and small group activities” during this phase, which is expected to last at least 14 days. Explaining future plans, Jensrud continued by stating that “when entering Phase 2, residents will be allowed one visitor at a time” inside the facility. This phase will also require appointments and restricted visitation times. In Phase 3, the facility could possibly fully reopen, with guidelines for visitors and vendors, Jensrud said.
The factors used to determine what phase the long-term care facilities can enter depend on county-wide case status, facility-wide case status, adequate staffing, access to adequate testing, adequate ability to screen, universal source control, access to adequate personal protective equipment and local hospital capacity. The plan, developed by the North Dakota Department of Human Services, is being studied by a task force led by Christopher Larson, a resident at Luther Memorial Home in Mayville.
