cORONAVIRUS

tIMELY UPDATES ON covid-19

April 25, 2020 - An Update from Parker President & CEO Roberto Muñiz about COVID-19

A RESPONSE TO RECENT NEWS ITEMS

Like many of you, I have been spending much of my days with an ear towards the news. We may have a long way to go, but I am optimistic that we will prevail and soon see the signs of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This week, I was deeply saddened by news coverage which has been focused on the few nursing homes that are mishandling their response to the pandemic. These incidents have been a wake-up call in the industry of long-term care. All aging services communities have a moral obligation not only to provide the best care possible to residents, but to communicate with family members of residents, and reach out to state and local authorities when the need arises.

Since the beginning of this outbreak, I have carefully monitored operations throughout our homes across five municipalities, proactively speaking with mayors, county and state officials about any cases of COVID-19. More importantly, we have communicated the number of positive coronavirus cases to our residents, their families, and our staff on at least a weekly basis. We established isolation units within our homes, ensured that our staff had access to all the proper PPE they needed, enacted rapid emergency protocols, and launched a process of deep sanitizing all of our homes. We are fortunate that the people we serve reside in separate "neighborhoods," allowing us to tightly control all access points.

Over the past month, we have experienced disheartening positive coronavirus cases and losses. But, Parker has been able to swiftly respond to this crisis with a singular focus to reduce the infection rate and begin the necessary steps towards recovery. I am happy to report that several residents and staff members fully recovered from the virus, a milestone that required cooperation, coordination and leadership. I am proud of all the health care professionals in each of our homes, who truly embrace the trust that the public has placed in Parker. They navigated the many daily challenges of the pandemic to ensure the safety of all residents, while providing them with interaction and engagement.

We've been receiving photos and descriptions from the staff in all of our homes about milestone celebrations, holiday dinners, video calls, and fun activities that our residents have enjoyed, even during this challenging time. I find these photos and descriptions encouraging - I believe that people can overcome any challenge with hope and prayer. This past week, one of our Recreation Coordinators, Lyndsey Lotrario, compiled this heartwarming video with River Road staff and residents. I hope you enjoy it.

During this crisis, I witnessed the enormous dedication of our staff, who truly are heroes. They selflessly give their all to our residents; I am humbled by their loyalty and dedication to the people we serve. I am also grateful for the support, good wishes and cooperation of our residents and their family members.

I want to reassure you that we are committed to doing everything we can to ensure the safety and health of the people we serve. We review our protocols daily and make immediate changes based on the latest information from the Centers for Disease Control and the New Jersey Department of Health.

If you have any questions you'd like answered, please send an email to Questions4Parker@parkerlife.org. We will do our best to respond as promptly as possible.

Stay healthy and safe!

Roberto Muñiz
President and CEO


April 13, 2020 - An Update from Parker President & CEO Roberto Muñiz about COVID-19

PARKER UNDERTAKES THE STRICTEST PROTOCOLS TO PROTECT RESIDENTS AND STAFF FROM COVID-19

This has been an unprecedented time for all of us and we want to assure you that we have taken extreme precautionary measures in all of our five separate homes in Central New Jersey.  We are strictly following all up-to-date guidelines and protocols established by the Centers for Disease Control and the New Jersey Department of Health to protect residents and staff, with any recommended changes enacted instantly.

We are committed to complete transparency and we have been reporting any cases of COVID-19 at our separate homes in five different municipalities.  We are consistently updating residents, families, employees, local, county and state authorities as required.
 
Parker is structured with various homes that have separate neighborhoods with many private rooms that naturally eliminate co-mingling among residents.  In those homes without private suites, we have also created COVID-19 isolation units for those residents who have been diagnosed with the virus. They remain completely isolated from the rest of the neighborhoods.  We have taken the most severe steps to ensure the safety and wellness of its residents and staff as it navigates through the COVID-19 outbreak.

These isolation units are also used for any other residents who are showing symptoms of the coronavirus, in the process of being tested or pending testing results. Those who have symptoms of the COVID-19 are receiving specific, heightened care during their recuperation process. 

We also are closely monitoring staff with daily screenings and taking of temperatures, both at the start and end of their shifts. All staff is using appropriate personal protective equipment, including N95 masks to ensure safety throughout the Parker homes.

All non-essential employees are working at home and we have closed all Home-and Community-Based Services until the health crisis is over.

The safety of our residents and staff is our top priority.  I want to reassure you we are fully staffed and have all the resources to meet our residents’ needs. 

We want to say a special thank you to our residents and family members for all their outpouring of support and good wishes during this challenging time, it is so appreciated by all of us. 
  
Please continue to use the email address: Questions4Parker@parkerlife.org. We will do our best to respond as promptly as possible.
 
Stay healthy and safe!
 
Roberto Muñiz
President and CEO


More Information:
COVID-19 Resources