Welome to the Covid-19 Update Page
Festus Manor is 100 percent committed to keeping all of our residents, families and team members safe and maintaining a high standard of care for our residents. We are continuing to closely monitor the COVID-19 (Novel Coronavirus) situation, and we are following all policies and practices as set by state and federal officials.
Our world continues to be inundated with news from various sources, causing a lot of uncertainty. It is our desire to communicate with the Festus Manor community regularly and in real-time as we continue to live out our mission of care, compassion and quality of life for all residents.
We are sharing below updates on our facility, along with all of the precautions that Festus Manor has taken since this virus first came to light. We hope this transparency provides comfort as we move through this pandemic together.
It is our highest priority to do everything we can to prevent exposure to COVID-19. We remain committed to the recommended preventative actions we already have in place and, under the guidance of our medical director Dr. Crawford, we will continue to refine them as more is learned about how to best defend against exposure.
While general facility updates will be posted here, please feel free to contact our community directly by calling our main phone number at (636) 931-8364 during normal business hours.
7.14.20
Last week, one resident tested positive for COVID-19. We are taking a proactive approach to this news by testing all residents and staff members again. We expect many test results to return this week and will provide an update as soon as possible.
Our team is working very closely with the Jefferson County Health Department to ensure we are following all policies and protocols as set by state and federal officials. Additionally, we were inspected by the Department of Health and Senior Services on infection control last week, and we passed the inspection without any deficiencies.
Thank you to our amazing staff for all your hard work and dedication to our residents. We know this has been a difficult year thus far, but we truly appreciate everything you do!
Finally, we are keeping the JPAD team in our prayers as they deal with the aftermath of Sunday’s accident. The JPAD team has been excellent partners of ours, and we are praying for a speedy recovery for those involved in the accident.
6.24.20
We are pleased to report that all residents and staff at our facility remain healthy. There are currently zero positive cases of COVID-19 at Festus Manor, and we continue to implement preventative policies and procedures to maintain this status.
We cannot wait to have you back in our facility to visit your loved ones in person. We know this is tough, and we appreciate your understanding
as we continue to comply with CMS guidelines to remain closed to nonessential visitors. We will let you know as soon as the guidelines change.
In the meantime, our team is developing a Conversation Station, which will allow families and friends to visit with their loved ones at a safe distance with precautionary measures in place. Our residents will be able to sit in the station and visit with their loved ones who will be outside the station. In between visits, the Conversation Station will be cleaned thoroughly.
Our team is also still facilitating calls and virtual visits. We encourage you to schedule a time to connect with your loved one if you haven’t in a while. If you’d like to do so, please call (636) 931-9066 during regular business hours Monday-Friday or message us at the link below.
www.festusmanor.com/covid-19-update/
We can’t thank you enough for your support of our residents and staff.
6.12.20
Jefferson County Health Department (JCHD) released Festus Manor Care Center from a COVID-19 facility order. JCHD issued an ‘Individual Facility Voluntary Isolation and Quarantine Order’ on April 19, 2020 after a COVID-19 outbreak at Festus Manor.
“We are so encouraged by the Jefferson County Health Department’s decision to lift our facility order,” states Festus Manor Interim Administrator, Becky Peterson. “Our staff has been working diligently to reach this milestone. This achievement, paired with the fact that all our residents and staff are considered ‘well,’ brings us great joy and excitement.”
JCHD has confirmed with the facility that all guidelines of the voluntary order have been met as of today. To meet guidelines, the facility had to have no new cases of COVID-19 positive residents or employees for two full quarantine cycles, or 28 days. The last positive case in the facility was identified on May 5, 2020, and that individual has made a full recovery.
“Throughout this process, Festus Manor staff and administration have worked directly with our long-term care facility team in the best interests of their residents and staff,” states Jefferson County Health Department Clinical Services Manager, Melissa Parmeley.
Jefferson County Health Department has begun ‘releasing’ residents of the facility. This means resident cases have met the criteria to be released as individuals as well.
“We are grateful for the cooperation and dedication of Festus Manor administration, staff, and families,” states Jefferson County Health Department Director Kelley Vollmar. “COVID-19 has presented challenges to our community, but established relationships with organizations like Festus Manor allow us to move forward successfully.”
“We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Jefferson County Health Department, Mercy Jefferson Hospital, ServPro and our medical director, Dr. Crawford, as we could not have made it through this challenging time without them,” states Interim Administrator Peterson. “We truly believe we are a stronger facility now than we’ve ever been before.”
6.9.20
Festus Manor remains 100 percent committed to the health of our residents. We are very encouraged by the progress we’ve seen in our community since last month. At this stage, all residents are considered “well.”
We have four residents on a strict protocol, as they were previously hospitalized. This is a precautionary measure that we take with all residents who return from the hospital.
25 staff members previously tested positive for COVID-19, and all have made full recoveries. 109 staff members tested negative.
We’d like to thank our amazing team of nurses, administrators and everyone else who has played a part in getting us this far. We appreciate you more than you know!
If you would like to schedule a phone call or virtual call with your family member, we encourage you to reach out at the following link or call (636) 931-9066 during regular business hours Monday – Friday.
www.festusmanor.com/covid-19-update/
We very much appreciate the prayers and well-wishes we’ve received from our Festus Manor community. Thank you for your support and understanding.
6.5.20
The wellbeing of our residents and staff is our utmost priority, and we do not take our responsibility to protect against COVID-19 lightly. While the Governor’s most recent order does take steps to re-open business in Missouri, our mission to protect our residents remains our priority. Many of our residents are considered “high risk” for contracting the virus. Therefore, we will not be able to welcome visitors back into our facility at this time.
As a nursing and rehabilitation facility, we are still mandated by CMS to restrict visitation. The greatest COVID-19 risk comes from the movement of persons into and out of our facility, so until we receive further clarification from CMS, visitation restrictions will remain in place. In the meantime, we will continue to evaluate our residents’ health statuses and needs. We will warmly welcome visitors as soon as the Missouri Department of Health, Missouri Healthcare Association, Department of Inspection and Appeals, our Governor and our medical director all believe it is safe to do so.
We are very sorry for the prolonged disconnection with family members. We understand this is a difficult time for our residents and their families, and please know we are dedicated to keeping you connected with your loved ones during this time. We are still here to facilitate phone calls or video chats.
If you would like to schedule a phone call or virtual call with your family member, we encourage you to reach out at the following link or call (636) 931-9066 during regular business hours Monday – Friday.
www.festusmanor.com/covid-19-update/
Thank you for your support and understanding through this challenging time.
6.2.20
We are greatly encouraged by the progress we’ve seen in our community over the past week. As of June 2, we still have 28 residents in our COVID-19 unit and 23 residents in our COVID-19 stepdown recovery unit. It has been almost three weeks since any residents have exhibited symptoms of COVID-19.
25 staff members previously tested positive for COVID-19, and all but one have made full recoveries. 109 staff members tested negative.
Although we’ve seen progress within our facility, we are still 100 percent committed to the health and well-being of our residents and staff members, and we are maintaining a high standard of care for our residents. We are continuing to strictly follow all policies and practices as set by state and federal officials and are staying in regular communication with the health department and hospital system to ensure we’re providing the best possible care.
Thank you for your unwavering support of our facility. We will continue to publish regular updates on our Facebook page and website, and we look forward to providing you with another update soon.
5.28.20
As of May 22, we have 28 residents in our COVID-19 unit and 23 residents in our COVID-19 stepdown recovery unit. It has been 16 days since any residents have exhibited symptoms of COVID-19.
25 staff members previously tested positive for COVID-19, and 109 staff members tested negative.
We are greatly encouraged by the progress we’ve seen in our community over the past week. We’d like to thank everyone who has helped us get to this point: our Medical Director Dr. Crawford, ServPro, Mercy Jefferson Hospital, the Jefferson County Health Department and you, the Festus community. Thank you for your support, and we look forward to providing you with another update soon.
5.22.20
We are so appreciative of the kindness of our community. The uplifting messages, generous donations and calls keep our team and residents in high spirits.
We are excited to announce that it has been 10 days since any residents have exhibited symptoms of COVID-19. As of May 22, we have 26 residents in our COVID-19 unit and 24 residents in our COVID-19 stepdown recovery unit. All 109 of our residents are asymptomatic.
All 25 staff members who previously tested positive have made full recoveries, and 109 staff members tested negative.
If you have a question about an individual resident, please contact the community directly by calling (636) 931-9066 during regular business hours Monday – Friday or using the contact link below.
https://festusmanor.com/covid-19-contact-us/
We will continue to provide you with regular updates about our facility. Thank you for your support of Festus Manor.
5.19.20
As of May 19, there are 51 residents residing in our COVID-19 unit and 57 residents in our “well” unit. We are very excited that two residents who were previously in the hospital returned to our community today! We look forward to welcoming them back into our “well” unit soon.
Twenty-five staff members previously tested positive, and all have been cleared to return to work. 109 staff members tested negative.
If you have any questions about a specific resident, please contact the community directly by calling (636) 931-9066 during regular business hours Monday – Friday or using the contact link below.
https://festusmanor.com/covid-19-contact-us/
Thank you for your support and understanding during this difficult time.
5.18.20
We are excited and encouraged to announce that all residents in our COVID-19 and COVID-19 stepdown recovery units are looking very healthy and are on the road to recovery. We could not have done this without the wonderful support of the Festus community, so thank you for all you’ve done!
As of May 18, there are 49 residents residing in our COVID-19 unit and 57 residents in our “well” unit. Two residents who previously tested positive are currently in the hospital. Twenty-five staff members previously tested positive, and all have been cleared to return to work. 109 staff members tested negative.
If you have not yet reached out to your family member or loved one to schedule a virtual call, it’s not too late! Please visit https://festusmanor.com/covid-19-contact-us/ and provide several date/time options. We will reply to all requests and schedule appointments on a first-come, first-served basis. Calls are available Monday – Sunday between 10 a.m. and noon.
If your loved one has a personal device, please feel free to reach out directly as often as you’d like.
Finally, if you have any questions, please contact the community directly by calling (636) 931-9066 during regular business hours Monday – Friday or using the contact link above. Thank you for your support of Festus Manor!
5.15.20
We are so grateful for the generous donation of snacks and treats from the Crystal City Rotary Club. It’s kind acts like this that keep our residents and team happy and smiling. We are truly blessed to live and work in the Festus community!
As of May 15, there are 48 residents residing in our COVID-19 unit and 60 residents in our “well” unit. Twenty-five staff members previously tested positive, and all have been cleared to return to work. 109 staff members tested negative.
Over the past six days, we’ve facilitated 88 virtual calls between residents and family members. We appreciate those of you that have reached out to schedule calls, and we look forward to facilitating more next week!
5.14.20
As of May 14, there are 48 residents residing in our COVID-19 unit and 61 residents in our “well” unit. Twenty-five staff members previously tested positive, and all have been cleared to return to work. 109 staff members tested negative.
Thank you to our entire staff for their tireless efforts to make Festus Manor the safest it can possibly be. We appreciate you more than you know!
5.13.20
As of May 13, we have had no changes to our numbers. There are 48 residents currently residing in our COVID-19 unit and 60 residents in our “well” unit. Twenty-five staff members previously tested positive, but all have been cleared to return to work.
As a reminder, our team is still available to help connect you with your loved one via virtual calls or telephone calls. To schedule, please visit https://festusmanor.com/covid-19-contact-us/ and provide several date/time options. We will reply to all requests and schedule appointments on a first-come, first-served basis. Calls are available Monday – Sunday between 10 a.m. and noon. If your loved one has a personal device, please feel free to reach out directly at any time.
As always, we are so grateful for the love and support this community has shown us. Thank you again.
5.12.20
As of May 12, we have 48 residents in our COVID-19 unit and 60 residents in our “well” unit.
We’re so encouraged that all 25 staff members who previously tested positive for COVID-19 have made full recoveries and look forward to welcoming them back as quarantine guidelines are met. 135 staff members have tested negative.
The team is also planning some fun activities for our residents to celebrate Nursing Home Week. We continue to encourage family members to connect with their loved ones. Residents get so much joy from connecting with their friends and family!
If your loved one has a personal device, please feel free to reach out directly as often as you’d like. If they do not and you need help scheduling a virtual visit, please visit https://festusmanor.com/covid-19-contact-us/ and provide several date/time options. We will reply to all requests and schedule appointments on a first-come, first-served basis. Please fill in all the information requested on the form. Calls are available Monday – Sunday between 10 a.m. and noon.
If you have any questions, please contact the community directly by calling (636) 931-9066 during regular business hours Monday – Friday or using the contact link above.
We continue to be amazed by and grateful for the support of the Festus community.
5.11.20
As of May 11, we have 49 residents in our COVID-19 unit and 60 residents in our “well” unit. 134 staff members have tested negative.
All 25 staff members who previously tested positive for COVID-19 have made full recoveries! We look forward to their return to work once all quarantine guidelines have been met.
We would like to continue to encourage family members to schedule virtual calls with their loved ones. Our residents get so much joy from connecting with friends and family in this way. Calls are available Monday – Sunday between 10 a.m. and noon.
To schedule, please visit https://festusmanor.com/covid-19-contact-us/ and provide several date/time options. We will reply to all requests and schedule appointments on a first-come, first-served basis. Please fill in all the information requested on the form.
If your loved one has a personal device, please feel free to reach out directly as often as you’d like.
If you have any questions, please contact the community directly by calling (636) 931-9066 during regular business hours Monday – Friday or using the contact link above.
We greatly appreciate the support of the Festus community and look forward to providing you with additional updates throughout the week.
5.8.20
As of May 8, we have 51 residents in our COVID-19 unit and 59 residents in our “well” unit. Forty residents have moved into our COVID-19 recovery stepdown unit this week.
We are excited to announce that out of 25 staff members who tested positive, 24 individuals have been released from quarantine measures while only one remains in quarantine. A total of 109 staff members have tested negative. We cannot wait for our healthy staff members to return to work!
ServPro continues to be a fantastic asset to Festus Manor, as they diligently clean and disinfect our facility on a daily basis. We appreciate their hard work and commitment to the safety and wellbeing of our residents and staff.
Our residents have been delighted to speak with their family members and loved ones via virtual calls over the past week. Calls are available Monday – Sunday between 10 a.m. and noon, and we encourage everyone to reach out and schedule a call.
To schedule, please visit https://festusmanor.com/covid-19-contact-us/ and provide several date/time options. We will reply to all requests and schedule appointments on a first-come, first-served basis. Please fill in all the information requested on the form.
As always, if your loved one has a personal device, you may continue to reach out directly as often as you’d like.
If you have a question about an individual resident, please contact the community directly by calling (636) 931-9066 during regular business hours Monday – Friday or using the contact link.
We are encouraged by the decrease in positive cases in our staff and residents, and we look forward to welcoming many of them back to our “well” unit soon!
5.5.20
As of May 5, we have 50 residents in our COVID-19 unit and 60 residents in our “well” unit. Twenty-six residents have already moved into our COVID-19 recovery stepdown unit this week, and we look forward to welcoming them back into our “well” unit soon. Four residents are currently in the hospital, two of whom have tested positive for COVID-19.
Out of 25 staff members who tested positive, 21 individuals have been released from quarantine measures, while four remain in quarantine. A total of 109 staff members have tested negative.
Our residents have thoroughly enjoyed speaking with their families and loved ones via virtual calls. Over 24 families have used our call system this week, which has resulted in many smiles! Calls are available Monday – Sunday between 10 a.m. and noon.
To schedule, please visit https://festusmanor.com/covid-19-contact-us/ and provide several date/time options. We will reply to all requests and schedule appointments on a first-come, first-served basis. Please fill in all the information requested on the form. We are so happy to be able to work with those who need assistance getting in touch. And as always, if your loved one has a personal device, you may continue to reach out directly.
If you have a question about an individual resident, please contact the community directly by calling (636) 931-9066 during regular business hours Monday – Friday or using the contact link. Please keep in mind that, due to safety laws, we can only provide health information about residents to designated contacts.
Thank you again for your support of Festus Manor.
5.4.20
We continue to be grateful for all of the kind words, prayers, donations and well wishes from our community and are encouraged by the continual decrease in positive cases within our facility.
A huge thank you to Dr. Crawford, ServPro, Mercy Jefferson Hospital, Jefferson County Health Department and our community for all of the support these past several weeks. Our facility is currently celebrating Nurses Week and would like to thank all of our nurses for their years of service and caring for our residents.
As of May 4, we have 51 residents in our COVID-19 unit and 61 residents in our “well” unit. A number of patients will be transitioning out of the COVID-19 unit and into our stepdown recovery unit this week.
Out of 25 staff members who tested positive, 21 individuals have been released from quarantine measures, while four remain in quarantine. A total of 109 staff members have tested negative.
We’ve been able to complete several family and resident online chats and thank our families for remaining connected to their loved ones! Staying connected brings a smile to our residents’ faces. Calls are available Monday – Sunday between 10 a.m. and noon.
To schedule, please visit https://festusmanor.com/covid-19-contact-us/ and provide several date/time options. We will reply to all requests and schedule appointments on a first-come, first-served basis. Please fill in all the information requested on the form. We are so happy to be able to work with those who need assistance getting in touch. And as always, if your loved one has a personal device, you may continue to reach out directly.
If you have a question about an individual resident, please contact the community directly by calling (636) 931-9066 during regular business hours Monday – Friday or using the contact link.
We thank you again for all of your kind wishes and thoughts during this difficult time.
5.1.20
We are so appreciative of the kindness of our community. The uplifting messages, generous donations and calls keep our team and residents in high spirits.
As of May 1, we have 53 residents in our COVID-19 unit and 61 residents in our “well” unit. Three residents are currently in the hospital, two of whom have tested positive for COVID-19. All recovered residents will transition to a “stepdown” unit for continued care and observation before returning to our “well” unit. Two of our short-term rehab residents completed their program and went home today.
Out of 25 staff members who tested positive, six additional individuals were released from quarantine measures today. We look forward to welcoming them back to work. Seven staff members who tested positive are still quarantined. A total of 109 staff members have tested negative.
Our team has facilitated 84 total calls between residents and family members this week, and families can now request to connect with their loved ones via a 10-minute virtual call. These will be available Monday – Sunday between 10 a.m. and noon. To schedule, please visit https://festusmanor.com/covid-19-contact-us/ and provide several date/time options. We will reply to all requests and schedule virtual appointments on a first-come, first-served basis. Please fill in all the information requested on the form.
If you have a question about an individual resident, please contact the community directly by calling (636) 931-9066 during regular business hours Monday – Friday or using the contact link below.
https://festusmanor.com/covid-19-contact-us/
Again, we appreciate everyone’s support and cooperation through this difficult time.
4.30.20
As of April 30, we have 53 residents in our COVID-19 unit and 63 residents in our “well” unit. We welcomed one additional resident home from the hospital today! All recovered residents will transition to a “stepdown” unit for continued care and observation before returning to our “well” unit.
We’re excited to share that out of 25 staff members that have tested positive for COVID-19, fifteen total have been released from quarantine and have been cleared to return to work. We look forward to welcoming them back. A total of 108 staff members have tested negative.
The Jefferson County Health Department announced four additional deaths today. We’re deeply saddened by the loss of these Festus Manor residents, and our hearts go out to all of the families and their loved ones dealing with this pandemic. We continue to be candid and upfront in working with the health department and will follow their lead on announcing news related to our facility. If you have a question about an individual resident, please contact the community directly by calling (636) 931-9066 during regular business hours Monday – Friday or using the contact link below.
https://festusmanor.com/covid-19-contact-us/
We continue to go above and beyond the CDC guidelines as we take aggressive and defensive measures against this pandemic. ServPro has become a vital part of our facility, and we would like to thank them for their tireless work over the past 13 days. In addition to developing a remediation plan and disinfecting our facility, their team has helped to enhance housekeeping protocols in the building, advance training for staff and improve auditing processes. They have integrated with our facility seamlessly and we are so grateful to have them on board. ServPro continues to use EPA-approved disinfectant that is safe for all occupants.
Starting on Friday, May 1, families can request to connect with their loved ones via a 10-minute Skype call. Availability is between 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Monday – Sunday. We encourage all families to reach out using the contact form on our website (see link above) and mention several date/time options that work well. We will reply to all requests and will schedule Skype appointments on a first-come, first-served basis. Please be sure to fill in all the information that the form requests.
We appreciate everyone’s support and cooperation through this difficult time. Rest assured we are doing everything in our power to create a safe, healthy environment for our staff and residents, and we look forward to coming out of this pandemic as a stronger facility and community.
4.29.20
As of April 29, we have 52 residents in our COVID-19 unit and 66 residents in our “well” unit.
Two residents have returned from the hospital and are currently residing in our COVID-19 recovery unit. Out of 25 staff members that have tested positive for COVID-19, ten have recovered and have been cleared to return to work. A total of 108 staff members have tested negative.
We would like to thank ServPro, who has developed a remediation plan and has been working tirelessly for the past 12 days to help disinfect our facility. ServPro, who has years of experience dealing with biological contaminants, uses EPA approved disinfectant that is safe for all occupants.
If you have a question about a specific resident, please contact the community directly by calling (636) 931-9066 during regular business hours Monday – Friday or using the contact link below.
https://festusmanor.com/covid-19-contact-us/
We also have dedicated a team from three departments (therapy, social services, and activities) to help residents and families connect. This team is working hard to connect families with loved ones via telephone call or Facetime, and we are looking into purchasing additional devices to allow more families to connect each day. Families can expect to hear from a member of this team in the coming days to facilitate a virtual visit.
We truly appreciate all those who have reached out to connect with loved ones. Especially during this time, we know our residents wonder and worry about their friends and families as well. Please continue to send mail, artwork and other fun items to keep our residents smiling–they appreciate this in so many ways!
We continue to be amazed by the outpouring of support from the community. We’re so grateful.
4.28.20
As of April 28, we have 49 residents in our COVID-19 unit and 67 residents in our “well” unit. Three residents have returned from the hospital and are currently residing in our COVID-19 recovery unit. Out of 25 staff members that have tested positive for COVID-19, three have recovered and have been cleared to return to work. A total of 106 staff members have tested negative.
As a reminder, every resident and employee at Festus Manor has been tested to help slow the spread of the virus within our community.
Out of respect for the families and to follow HIPAA guidelines, Festus Manor is unable to provide specifics related to individual cases, particularly regarding the death of a loved one. We are working very closely with the Jefferson County Health Department, and they will continue to take the lead on the announcement of COVID news in our county.
If you have a question about a specific resident, please contact the community directly by calling (636) 931-9066 during regular business hours Monday – Friday. We also have dedicated a team from three departments (therapy, social services, and activities) to help residents and families connect. Families can expect to hear from a member of this team in the coming days to facilitate a virtual visit.
Our hearts go out to all who have lost loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you for your support of Festus Manor.
We are so grateful to the Festus community for the continuous support, donations and well-wishes we’ve received. We have seen positive improvements in our residents and staff over the past few days, and we could not have gotten through this difficult time without our community.
As of April 27, we have 49 residents in our COVID-19 positive unit and 68 residents in our well unit. Six residents remain in the hospital. One resident returned today from the hospital and is now residing in our COVID-19 recovery unit.
Twenty-four staff members have tested positive for COVID-19, while 107 have tested negative. One team member has recovered from COVID-19 and has met all quarantine guidelines. We look forward to welcoming them back to work next week.
We will continue to provide real-time and straightforward information on what is occurring within our facility. Thank you for your support.
We have not had any additional residents test positive for COVID-19 today. One additional staff member tested positive, for a total of 25 positive staff members. To date, 106 staff members have tested negative.
In order to effectively and efficiently keep employees and residents safe, we have facilitated 80 room moves this week to separate residents into “well” and “COVID-19 positive” wings. As of April 24, we have 55 residents in our COVID-19 wing and 64 residents in our well wing.
We are thankful for the added support of ServPro, who has begun to assist our facility with our healthcare restoration and cleaning needs.
A new contact form has been added to our website specifically for COVID-19 related questions. We created this form in an effort to get answers to you as quickly as possible. Our community understands this is a difficult time for your family and we want you to know that we are always here to help.
As a reminder, we have dedicated a team from three departments (therapy, social services, and activities) to help our residents and families connect. You can expect to hear from a member of this team in the coming days to facilitate a virtual visit. You may also initiate a visit directly by calling the facility during regular business hours and we will personally assist you in connecting with your loved ones.
If you have a question about a specific resident, please contact the community directly by calling (636) 931-9066 during regular business hours Monday – Friday.
Thank you again for your support of Festus Manor. We continue to be blown away by the love and encouragement from the community.
We are truly fortunate to have such a great community. Your prayers, words of encouragement and donations so many have generously made have brought cheer to our residents and staff as we deal with this pandemic. We cannot thank you enough.
Festus Manor is 100 percent committed to keeping all of our residents, families and team members safe. We are continuing to closely monitor the COVID-19 situation and are following all policies and practices as set by state and federal officials.
Our goal is to remain transparent and continue to take proactive measures during this unprecedented situation. Every single person associated with the building has been tested, and we are thankful that the majority of cases remain asymptomatic. We are following CDC guidelines by not allowing anyone who has tested positive, including members of our team, into the building.
We have not had any additional residents test positive for COVID-19 today. Out of the 35 staff tests we received back today, we received one positive result and 34 negative results.
We continue to manage and prevent further spread of COVID-19 through the division of our facility into two wings of “well” and “COVID-19” residents to prevent spread. Each hall has a dedicated staff and separate staff dressing rooms and meal areas.
Residents who have tested positive for COVID-19 are relocated to a separate region of the facility. Residents who are well will not be interacting with staff who are dedicated to working with the COVID-19 patients. Additionally, to drastically eliminate chances of exposure through outside contact, housing has been offered to all employees during this time.
As of April 23, we have 55 residents in our COVID-19 wing and 66 residents in our well wing.
We understand that not being able to visit your loved ones in person is very tough. We have dedicated a team from three departments (therapy, social services, and activities) to help our residents and families connect. You can expect to hear from a member of this team in the coming days to facilitate a virtual visit. You may also initiate a visit directly by calling the facility during regular business hours and we will personally assist you in connecting with your loved ones. We see the smiles on their faces when residents hear from family and friends, and we encourage everyone to take advantage of this option.
We will continue to provide real-time and straightforward information on what is occurring within our facility.
Thank you again for your support of Festus Manor.
We would like to thank everyone in the Festus community for the outpouring of love, prayers and support. We would also like to thank Dr. Steve Crawford for his tireless dedication to our residents and the community as a whole.
Festus Manor remains aggressive and proactive in our defense against this pandemic. Every single person associated with the building has been tested, and we are thankful that the majority of cases remain asymptomatic.
We will continue to provide real-time and straightforward information on what is occurring within our facility.
- St. Pius High School students and families, who donated snacks and masks to residents
- Chad Smith for his Prayer services, as well as those who participated
- State Representative Becky Ruth for her donation of PPE worth $1,500
- Josh Kelly with Modern Woodman for his donation of PPE worth $1,500
- John Brunner for his donation of PPE worth $1,000
- Scott Harness with Harness Law for assisting with legal matters, wills and advance care directives free of charge
- Derrick Good with Thruman Law Firm, who has been working on legislative issues surrounding medications
- Jefferson County Animal Control for use of their autoclave
- Keran Fears of Homestar Mortgage for donating snacks, adult coloring books and paper products
- Lynetta Uhls and Jamie Keaton for donating paper products
- John Neff with JPAD, who assisted with decontamination of PPE
- Virginia Casey, for creating 37 homemade masks for residents
- Lednick Law Firm in Festus, which donated $500 for our employees staying in a hotel
- Lisa Casey Rush, Realtor (Dominos Pizza & Krispy Crème)
- Susan Mains Wright, Wright Living Real Estate (Panera Bread & Cracker Barrel)
- Karen Spencer, Land & Home Financial (Lapachanga)
- Giving Something Back To The Community Organization (Jimmy Johns, Burger King & Sonic)
- Twin City Toyota (Kentucky Fried Chicken)
- Sapaugh (Pasta House)
- Reuther Ford (Dairy Queen)
- Herculaneum (100 Dairy Queen ice cream sandwiches)
- Eldonna Foster Kent (White Castle)
- Marc & Andrea Yeida (Dippin’ Dots & Doc Popcorn)
- Jennifer Nichols Sojka, Realtor
4.20.20
Thank you to our Festus Manor family, the greater Festus community and the Jefferson County Health Department for all the positive messages and support. In an effort to identify and isolate to prevent further spread, Festus Manor has tested all residents and employees for COVID-19 and has a total of 82 positive cases (62 residents and 20 employees) and 146 negative cases.
Our facility is continuing to take aggressive defensive measures against the virus. We have still divided into sections of “well” and COVID-19 positive residents to prevent spread. Each hall has a dedicated staff and separate staff dressing rooms and meal areas. Additionally, to drastically eliminate chances of exposure through outside contact, housing has been offered to all employees during this time.
We remain in close contact with the Jefferson County Health Department and Mercy Hospital and are grateful for the opportunity to combat this virus through facility-wide testing.
4.19.20
As of April 19, 2020, the facility has tested every resident and employee at Festus Manor. Fifty-one residents and 13 staff members have tested positive, with many remaining asymptomatic. Additionally, 72 residents and 53 employees have tested negative for the virus.
The facility is being divided into two sections of “well” and “COVID-19” residents to prevent spread. Each hall has a dedicated staff and separate staff dressing rooms and meal areas. Additionally, to drastically eliminate chances of exposure through outside contact, housing has been offered to all employees during this time.
We are in daily communication with the health department and hospital system to ensure we’re providing the best care and following all protocols to keep all of our residents, families and team members safe.
Defensive measures currently in place include:
- Closely monitoring and screening all residents and team members for symptoms on a daily and shift-by-shift basis. This includes temperature checks and other CDC-recommended screenings. We are screening residents three times per day as well.
- Enforcing social distancing, maintaining six feet between all individuals and limiting community activities.
- Allowing only essential individuals (those providing needed essential care for residents) into the community.
- Practicing frequent hand hygiene in accordance with CDC guidelines.
- Frequent disinfecting of commonly touched environmental surfaces to decrease environmental contamination.
- Taking higher-than-required protective equipment precautions, such as wearing masks, gloves and gowns as situations warrant their use.
- Encouraging all residents to stay in their rooms as much as possible to better protect themselves.
- Permitting only virtual tours and enforcing strict screening measures for new residents until further notice.
- Working with our engineers and building maintenance team to move residents to appropriate wings and control airflow in the building.
We are grateful for your adherence to these rules as well so that together we can keep everyone safe. Thank you in advance for your continued cooperation as we partner together to limit exposure to COVID-19.