The 16 PMMA (Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America) communities are working toward reopening their communities to visitors, even as the numbers of COVID-19 cases in Kansas and Missouri continues to climb.
Both states’ guidance relies heavily on recommendations from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued on May 18. CMS guidance from March 13, 2020, limiting visitation to senior living communities remains in effect, but states have the authority to begin reopening senior living communities as it is deemed safe to do so.
“Our reopening plans for each individual PMMA community includes recommendations from CMS and our state and local government entities because each has requirements that must be addressed before moving into the reopening process at any of our PMMA communities,” said Bruce Shogren, PMMA president and CEO.
Based on the recommendations from the CDC and CMS, access to our communities will be relaxed or tightened, as COVID-19 conditions warrant in the greater area surrounding each campus. Items listed in each phase will not be implemented all at once but throughout a phase to ensure resident safety. Phases will last a minimum of 14 days and may last longer, for example, Missouri’s guidance for the length of Phase 1 is 28 days. These recommendations are in place to ensure the health and safety of our residents.
The three-phase process is complex, but it is necessary for keeping our residents and employees safe. Each community’s reopening plan and timeline depends on their local health department and the greater community’s number of new COVID-19 cases.
In Kansas, communities must submit a phased reopening plan to their local health department for review according to guidance from the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services (KDADS) on June 15 and June 16. The plans must include strategies for testing residents and employees for COVID-19, the ability to group residents in separate areas by COVID-19 status, adequate staffing and personal protective equipment (PPE), and local hospital capacity to accept COVID-19 patients. Counties do not approve plans, but they review, recommend and may defer or prevent communities from reopening to outside visitors based on the COVID-19 status in the surrounding community.
Each phase is at least 14 days in length in the Kansas recommendations, and any positive cases for residents and/or employees prevents a community from any forward movement in its re--opening plan.
Many Kansas PMMA communities are beginning to provide limited communal dining and group activities so long as social distancing are maintained. Employees are encouraged to comply with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for infection control and prevention. Residents are encouraged to wear masks outside their residences and whenever employees are present. External providers also are being allowed to come on site to provide vital services such as audiology, podiatry and dentistry.
PMMA communities are approaching reopening cautiously. Resident safety always comes first. Based on the recommendations from the CDC and CMS, access to our communities will be relaxed or tightened, as COVID-19 conditions warrant in the greater area surrounding each campus. If cases in the surrounding area are on the rise, a community may restrict visitors for resident safety until the number of cases declines and stabilizes in cooperation with the local health department.
Elements within each phase will not be implemented all at once but in stages throughout a phase to ensure resident safety. Phases will last a minimum of 14 days and may last longer, for example, Missouri’s guidance for the length of Phase 1 is 28 days.
Communities may begin with loosening internal restrictions on group dining and activities where social distancing can be maintained, reopening beauty shops with precautions and opening to non-essential service providers including podiatry, audiology, dentistry and other services.
All communities are accepting hand-delivered care packages and packages shipped through professional carriers include USPS, UPS, DHL and FedEx. Contact your PMMA campus for details. The 3-day quarantine was lifted in June.
PMMA communities are approaching reopening cautiously. Resident safety always comes first. Based on the recommendations from the CDC and CMS, access to our communities will be relaxed or tightened, as COVID-19 conditions warrant in the greater area surrounding each campus. If cases in the surrounding area are on the rise, a community may restrict visitors for resident safety until the number of cases declines and stabilizes in cooperation with the local health department.
Elements within each phase will not be implemented all at once but in stages throughout a phase to ensure resident safety. Phases will last a minimum of 14 days and may last longer, for example, Missouri’s guidance for the length of Phase 1 is 28 days.
Communities may begin with loosening internal restrictions on group dining and activities where social distancing can be maintained, reopening beauty shops with precautions and opening to non-essential service providers including podiatry, audiology, dentistry and other services.
All communities are accepting hand-delivered care packages and packages shipped through professional carriers include USPS, UPS, DHL and FedEx. Contact your PMMA campus for details. The 3-day quarantine was lifted in June.
If your visit is not absolutely necessary due to end of life, reschedule your visit to the community.
If your visit meets this exception, you should:
Personal protective equipment (PPE), which includes gloves, masks and gowns, are available as necessary.
