A Letter from the CEO and COO Regarding COVID-19

Dear Sholom residents and family members,

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to change everyone’s lives in Minnesota, all of us at Sholom want to thank you for your support and adherence to the restrictions and guidelines we have put in place for the protection of the seniors in our care and our staff. At this time, we do not have any confirmed cases of COVID-19 in residents or tenants at any of Sholom’s locations.  Should this status change, we will notify you as promptly as possible.

Our leadership team at Sholom has taken an aggressive, proactive approach with our response to this pandemic. We continue to do our best to stay a step ahead of the spread with the implementation of rigorous restrictions and safety precautions, in advance, if possible, and in accordance with recommendations from Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Therefore, ALL Direct Care staff at the Ackerberg St. Louis Park Campus, Shaller St. Paul Campus and Menorah Plaza location are required to wear a cloth mask at all times while they are working. Direct care staff team members are defined as Registered Nursing Assistants (NARs), Home Health Aides (HHAs), Nurses, Therapy staff, Social Workers, Therapeutic Recreation staff and Housekeeping personnel. Ancillary staff members (those staff members working in non-resident areas) will be issued cloth masks as additional supplies are procured.

Additionally, effective April 4, 2020, all personal service providers (PSPs) will be required to provide their own masks. PSPs are non-Sholom employees who are contracted by a Sholom resident or tenant to provide authorized care services.

While homemade cloth facemasks are not considered personal protective equipment (PPE), the CDC provided these recommendations to senior care providers to protect residents and tenants from staff and to help preserve PPE supply for when there is a greater need given the dire shortage.

Our priority to protect the health and safety of our residents and staff remains unchanged. All the recent changes at Sholom continue to be in place to further this goal.

Thank you for your support of these efforts during this extraordinary time.

Sincerely,

Barbara Klick, RN, MBA, CEO

Ann Thole, SW, LNHA, COO