Covid-19 Updates

Visit this webpage daily for the latest information Massapequa Center Rehabilitation & Nursing has to share with our families and friends about COVID-19

Coronavirus (COVID-19) poses a serious threat to older adults and those with underlying health conditions.  This is why the federal and state governments are restricting visitors to nursing home communities.  Exceptions may be made for end-of-life visits on a case-by-case basis.  We understand this is difficult, but the safety and wellbeing of your loved one is our top priority. 

The Recreation Department has established an email account for your loved ones to receive messages and photos. The email address is [email protected]. The Recreation Department has been working diligently to maintain lines of communication with your loved ones through phone and video chat. To schedule a FaceTime chat with your loved ones email Lisa Larocco-Rubino, Director of Recreation, at [email protected]. 

We have mobilized our Family Call Program where social work and activities staff regularly call our families with updates about their loved ones.  As always, if you have any questions, concerns or inquiries for the Social Work Department, please reach out to Director of Social Services, John MacKay at [email protected].

We are doing everything possible to ensure we stop the spread. Our staff and residents continue to follow the following recommended preventative actions within the building until the virus has been eradicated:

• Ongoing hand hygiene with alcohol-based hand sanitizers in locations such as in or near each resident’s room, common areas, etc. 
• Regular and frequent internal monitoring systems of hand hygiene with regular feedback to staff. 
• Visual reminders that hand hygiene helps residents stay healthy. 
• Early identification of viral infections that cause upper respiratory illness (e.g. “colds”, “flu”, or “winter crud”) that lead to steps that prevent viral spread. Preventative measures include: Early contact isolation and droplet protection for individuals with flu-like symptoms before a definitive diagnosis is made. This includes: Keeping ill individuals away from healthy individuals as much as possible. 
• Use of masks on residents with symptoms if they need to leave their rooms, which should be severely restricted. 
• Constant use of personal protective equipment for droplet protection. 
• Use of appropriate cleaning products on surfaces that are cytotoxic for common viral infections and changing these cleaning products when the harder to kill infectious agents are identified and requires special cleaning products. 

We are committed to communicating with family members the status of the virus in the facility. If any resident tests positive for COVID-19, any resident suffers a COVID-19 related death or if three or more residents or staff with new-onset of respiratory symptoms occur within 72 hours, we are committed to update the table below within 24 hours of such positive test result or death (as per Executive Order 202.18, 42 CFR 483.80 and CDC guidance).  Due to patient privacy laws, we are unable to share any further specific information about the confirmed cases or deaths in our facility, but we have notified their immediate family members/guardian. 

We will continue to keep family members up to date as this situation unfolds, so they have the latest information about their loved ones. We are all hopeful that this will be over shortly and we can go back to enjoying the beautiful weather on the patio and courtyard at Massapequa Center Rehabilitation & Nursing. Thank you, and please to not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or concerns. 1