TRAVEL BULLETIN

With the increase of COVID-19 cases in Illinois and Wisconsin, we have moved to Protective Posture Level 3 (PPL3)(see chart on Covid update page).  This decision was not made lightly, keeping in mind our population and their increased vulnerabilities. The health and safety of your loved one, their housemates, and their staff are our top priority during this pandemic. It is estimated that a vaccine will not reach wide-scale implementation until the 2nd quarter 2021. If we are able to get the vaccine earlier, we may be able to relax many of the provisions in this travel guideline. With that said, we ask for your help during this time in keeping everyone’s health and safety risks low.

We strongly advise against any holiday travel and client home-visits away from St. Coletta, including short visits.  If your loved one is taken out of our care, we now require a minimum of 14-days before your loved one can return.  For our Wisconsin clients, we will waive the bedhold requirement for care and supervision, which expires December 27, 2020. However, we would require payment for room and board. If you are public pay we will work directly with the MCO (funder) to obtain payment. For our Illinois clients, they can continue to access their bedhold days. Please also note the following requirements and measures:

Prior to Your Loved one Returning to STC:

  1. Your loved one requires a negative test 4 days prior to returning to St. Coletta. We strongly encourage the client to limit exposure to only immediate family household members during those 4 days.
  2. Prior to return, test results need to be submitted via e-mail to St. Coletta nursing.
 
 

Wisconsin:

Dan Golson, gro.iwattelocts@nosloGJD

Shelly Devant, gro.iwattelocts@tnaveDLS

Illinois:

Terri Santiago, gro.iwattelocts@ogaitnaSLT

Diane Proano, gro.iwattelocts@onaorPMD

 

3. Your loved one must be symptom-free before returning to St. Coletta. Please reference CDC description of symptoms. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms- testing/symptoms.html

4. If your loved one’s St. Coletta home is in quarantine status, your loved one will not be able to return until the county health department has lifted quarantine restriction.

After Your loved one Returns to STC:

  1. If possible, we will retest client (Rapid or PCR) and monitor for symptoms.
  2. Your loved one will be separated from other clients as much as possible. Bedroom/apartment isolation for safety may be at the discretion of St. Coletta (based on the safety needs of the clients and staff and based on the requirements of the CDC and local health departments).
  3. Your loved one will be encouraged to wear a mask, as tolerated, in common areas until a negative test result has been received.

 

While we sincerely sympathize regarding the hardship COVID-19 has presented, we appreciate your partnership and understanding of the measures taken to keep all involved safe, including yourself. Should you like to discuss options, please reach out to your Case Coordinator/QIDP. For the time being, to stay in touch with your loved one, we continue to encourage Zoom/FaceTime/video-calls, phone calls, care packages, and letters.