Important Coronavirus Information

April 6, 2021

At Benedictine Living Community-La Crosse, our priority is the health and wellness of our residents and associates. We know that the frail and elderly are especially susceptible to the coronavirus. That is why we have been doing everything we can to prevent the spread of this virus onto our campus.

COVID-19 Vaccine:

Benedictine Living Community – La Crosse has hosted three COVID-19 vaccine clinics offering the vaccine to residents and employees. We encourage everyone to get vaccinated against COVID-19. It is one of the best ways to protect yourself and everyone around you, particularly those who are at increased risk for severe illness.

Getting these shots will not only protect you from being infected; it will help us take a big step towards ending this pandemic. As we wait for all to receive the vaccine, we continue to urge everyone to remain vigilant with wearing face masks and wearing them properly, practicing good hand hygiene and social distancing.

Visitation

We are thrilled to welcome visitors back onto our campus. Please note there are some differences for residents who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 (which means they have received both doses of the vaccine and 14 days have passed since their last vaccination) and those who haven’t been vaccinated or not reached the fully vaccinated status.

All residents are still advised to follow the core principles of infection control, such as wearing well-fitting masks that cover the mouth and nose, staying 6 feet from others (social distancing) when practical, and using good hand hygiene to reduce risk of infection.

If a resident is fully vaccinated, it means they:

  • do not have to quarantine after non-medically necessary outings unless they spend 15 minutes or more in a 24-hour period within 6 feet of someone who can spread COVID-19.
  • may gather indoors or outdoors with other people who are fully vaccinated;
  • may visit indoors or outdoors with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 infection;
  • may choose to have close contact (including touch) with the persons visiting;
  • may choose to attend a place of worship or other group event that complies with current state mandates or restrictions, shop or eat in a public establishment.

If the resident hasn’t been vaccinated and they choose to leave the building, they may be required to quarantine for 14 days when they return if they haven’t test positive for COVID-19 in the past, have tested positive more than 90 days prior to outing, or tested positive by antigen test but had no symptoms. They will not need to quarantine if they tested positive within 90 days prior to the outing or have been released from isolation, per CDC guidelines.

All visitors will still need to be screened for COVID-19 before their visit, to wear a well-fitting face mask for the duration of their visit, maintain social distance from other residents and staff, practice good hand hygiene and remain in the resident’s room or designated visiting space. Visitors who have been exposed to COVID-19 in the last 14 days prior to their visit will not be allowed into the building. Your cooperation with these measures is greatly appreciated.

We are required to inform visitors that there may be a risk of exposure to COVID-19 while visiting. Adhering to the basic infection prevention measures helps to mitigate the risk.

Please note – visitation may be cancelled on short notice if a resident or employee tests positive for COVID-19. If a resident or employee tests positive, we are required to restrict general visitation until testing has been completed. We will provide notification as quickly as possible if changes are required.

COVID-19 Update:

Benedictine Living Community-La Crosse is providing regular coronavirus testing and as needed to residents, tenants and employees with symptoms. This testing helps to identify those who may have the virus and many not show symptoms so we can care for them and potentially limit transmission to others. Please check our hotline – 608-519-4252 – for the latest COVID-19 Update.

We remain in close communication with our local health officials to ensure we are taking all appropriate actions. As we have for the past few months, we will continue to monitor all residents and employees for signs or symptoms of the virus.

Infection Control Measures

Since March, we have followed all recommended guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and our state and local health departments. Because we have taken this situation very seriously, our campus has been:

  • Monitoring and screening residents daily for symptoms of respiratory illness, temperature and oxygen levels.
  • Providing masks to all residents to wear when caregivers are in their room or when they leave their room for any reason.
  • Offering socially distanced meal service and activities.
  • Restricting visitors to only essential health care services and compassionate care situations such as end of life. Even those visitors must be screened and free of symptoms before they are allowed to enter with protective precautions in place.
  • Encouraging health care providers to use telehealth when possible.
  • Screening staff prior to beginning work for symptoms. Employees are not allowed in the building if they are ill. Any employee who exhibits symptoms is instructed to self-quarantine at home and/or seek medical care.
  • Requiring all employees to wear face masks and face shields while providing care.
  • Implementing enhanced infection control measures, including extra efforts to clean and disinfect all high-touch areas throughout the building.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our top priority is to protect the health and safety of our residents and staff. The latest infection control measure we have implemented is to provide a face mask for every resident. Residents are encouraged to wear the face mask anytime one of our caregivers is in their room or if they leave their room for any reason. They do not have to wear one while they are in their rooms. The CDC recommends wearing cloth face masks as a way to reduce the likelihood of transmitting the virus.

While we have restricted visitors to specific, limited, compassionate care situations, we are encouraging and offering families several ways to keep in touch with their loved ones.

  • Phone calls
  • Write them a letter, card or piece of art and send via snail mail.
  • Send an email via our website. Please fill out the “Connect With Us” form and put your message in the comments section. We will make sure your loved one gets the message.
  • Video chat—you can schedule a time through our website to visit using Zoom or other technology. Please fill out the “Connect With Us” form and select “schedule video chat.”
  • Regularly check out our Family Update page on our website and Facebook page for highlights and photos of the activities we are hosting to boost spirits all while protecting the health of our residents.
  • Where possible and free of snow and ice, we welcome you to come to their window to share messages of love. If you let us know you are coming, we can make sure your loved one is able to use the phone to speak with you.  Please call Suzanne Lindner at 608-615-7446 to arrange this window visit.

We want to minimize the number of persons coming into our reception area and prefer our residents choose meal options from their dining room menus. However, if food delivery is an integral part of the resident’s psychological well-being (ethnic food, comfort food etc.) it can be allowed providing the delivery person does not enter the community and leaves the food at the front desk and then exits.

Our spiritual care staff realize how important faith practices are to our residents. To ensure our residents’ needs are met, we will be connecting with area clergy to offer phone contact in addition to our onsite chaplain’s services. We are also providing Mass on local channels and window visits with the facility priest.

1. Daily Exercise
2. Bingo
3. Dice Games
4. Ice Cream Sundaes
5. Arts and Crafts, etc.

Our staff is picking up right where you left off and ensuring that any services our residents were receiving from their families are now being met by our staff. Please call 608-788-9870 directly if you have specific questions about your loved one’s needs.

Yes, we will gladly receive deliveries for our residents at the main entrance door, and our staff will bring them to the appropriate residents’ apartment. Please call the front desk at 608-788-9870 to make arrangements for this to happen.

Residents and families have been supportive of the steps we’ve taken focused on protecting residents’ health, wellness and safety, which are in line with federal and state guidelines. Our community staff are providing compassionate care to make sure residents are staying mentally healthy and stimulated while adhering to social distancing guidelines. And both residents and staff are very appreciative of the daily activities that are taking place. There is positive feedback and understanding of why every precaution is being taken.

We are excited to announce our new “#GramsForGrands” program that invites local children, family members and the public to send cards, letters, artwork, drawings or inspirational messages to our residents. The messages and artwork will be shared with our center’s grandmas, grandpas and other residents as well as posted on an “art gallery” wall in the center for residents and staff to enjoy. Please send messages and artwork to the Activities Department or Suzanne Lindner at 2902 East Avenue South, La Crosse WI 54601.

Yes, our residents can go outside and walk or sit as long as they are safe in doing this activity. Residents need to remember to maintain the 6 foot distance from other residents.

We will be working closely one-on-one with your loved one to make sure she feels right at home, including welcome visits by key staff, giving her an orientation/tour to key locations within our community, and introducing her to her new neighbors and activities within current social distancing guidelines.

Current federal and state guidelines prevent our hair stylist from working at this time. Our staff are stepping in and assisting with grooming needs to ensure your mom looks and feels her best.

Make sure you protect yourself and loved ones by using the following “best practice” infection prevention strategies every day:

  • Wash your hands frequently (20 seconds of really washing well with soap and water – sing “Happy Birthday” twice). Using alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol is also acceptable.
  • Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze with a tissue or into your sleeve, and then throw the tissue in the trash.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
  • Stay home and get medical attention if you are feeling sick.
  • When out in public, maintain a “social distance” which means stay a minimum of 6 feet away from anyone else.

Thank you!

We sincerely thank our residents, their families and our staff for their patience and dedication as we keep the safety, health and wellness of our residents and associates our top priority. Given the coronavirus situation is changing frequently, we will be working hard to provide additional information on this page and through other communication methods as it becomes available.
Please feel free to contact us at 608-788-9870 with any additional questions or concerns. We’re here for you and your loved one!