UPDATE: May 10 – The Benjamin is now a 4-star CMS rated facility.
Table of Contents
- General Information
- Vaccine Information
- Visitors
- Contacting Residents
- Medical Check of Residents
- Testing
- Nursing
- Barber and Salon Services
- Admissions
- Activities
- Dining
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Entrance and Exit Policy During COVID-19
- Healthcare Worker Appreciation
- Donations
- Media Information
- Update History
Edgar P. Benjamin Healthcare Center (EPBHC) is firmly committed to helping protect the health and safety of our residents–your family member, your friend, or your community member.
We are closely monitoring the changing situations related to COVID-19 and influenza and are complying with public health guidance.
Here is additional information regarding policies and procedures to help provide the best care at the EPBHC. Please help us by reading and following these policies and procedures. These policies and procedures are not exhaustive nor detailed and may change at any time.
GENERAL INFORMATION
This facility will follow any orders and guidelines provided through local, state, and federal partners regarding the pandemic of the COVID-19, including those published by the Commissioner of Public Health, Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Our employees are regularly screened and tested for COVID-19. If an employee tests positive for COVID-19, we removed the employee from the work schedule. Then, increased testing and protocols are in place to protect the health and safety of our dear residents. Following regulations, fully vaccinated employees are returned to the work schedule after the recommended timeline. Unless a religious or medical exemption, all our staff is fully vaccinated for COVID-19 and influenza. To assist with our recommendation, a COVID-19 booster clinic was provided to our staff. If a positive test result happens, notifications are sent out to our residents’ contact.
We are happy to welcome you to visit your loved ones and friends following the recommended guidelines. (Please visit https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-updates-and-information for additional information.)
VACCINE INFORMATION
Edgar P. Benjamin Healthcare Center will be following the latest vaccination requirements for employee, staff, and contractors.
The first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine was provided to our residents and essential front line workers in December 2020. The second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine was provided mid-January 2021. Edgar P. Benjamin Healthcare Center worked with CVS pharmacy to ensure your loved ones and community members were vaccinated safely. We are proud to report that no adverse effects were experienced from those who received the COVID-19 vaccine. We are so proud of our residents and staff for participating in this important vaccine effort.
See media coverage of the vaccine distribution.
In addition, we offer and continuously offer our residents options to remain fully vaccinated. Also, a COVID-19 Booster Clinic was scheduled for Monday February 14, 2022 to help our staff to be fully vaccinated.
VISITORS
* Please call to inquire about visits with a specific resident. *
We welcome visits with our residents. However, due to the configuration of our building, you may not be allowed to visit your loved one in resident rooms. We do provide visitation spaces for your visit and weather permitting you may hold your visitation outside. Please notice additional guidelines regarding your visits. These guidelines are put in place to protect your family member or friend, as well as all of our residents and staff.
There are temporary situations where an in-person visit with your loved ones is not safe and cannot occur, including if there is a new COVID-19 case in your loved one’s unit, floor, or care area or your loved one is currently infected with COVID-19. Please ask if you can use FaceTime, Zoom, or other video calling options during these times to keep in touch.
- Although not necessary, it may be helpful to schedule your visit.
- Only COVID-19 free residents may be visited in person. In addition, only residents whose health condition allows transportation or movement from the resident’s room to the designated visitation space may be visited.
- You must make and provide your own arrangements for transportation.
- You may park using the parking lot behind the building or on the street. Please do not park in the Roxbury Prep parking lot.
- All visits will be held in designated visitation or outdoor areas.
- All visitors must wear a face mask or face covering during the entire visitation process. The face mask or face covering should cover the nose and mouth at all times.
- For the health and safety of our staff, you must maintain physical distancing.
- We want you to give expressions of greetings or love, but to maintain the safety and health of your family member or friend, it is recommended only brief physical contact. The facility-provided alcohol-based hand sanitizer should be used before and after contact.
- An EPBHC staff member may be present or nearby for the entire visit.
- Bathroom facilities are for hand hygiene only and will not be provided before, during, or after your visit.
- No open items, including home-cooked meals or food, may be left nor delivered nor passed to our residents at this time. Any belongings or items you bring must be taken with you once the visit is complete.
We want you to have an opportunity to visit your family member or friend and request that you comply with the above guidelines. Changes to the above guidelines may happen at any point to comply with federal, state, local, facility, and medical guidance.
If you are unable to visit in-person your family member or friend, you may see more information in the next section “Contacting Residents (Family Member/Friend).”
CONTACTING RESIDENTS (FAMILY MEMBER/FRIEND)
We encourage you to continue to call our residents. Telephone calls may be made directly to resident rooms or to the unit resident phones. A list of cordless unit phones are below:
- 1 East Residents: 617-566-1385
- 1 West Residents: 617-566-1402
- 2 East Residents: 617-566-1405
- 2 West Residents: 617-566-1429
*You may need to contact the receptionist or social services for your family member’s or friend’s current room assignment.
Arrangements may be made with our Activities Department to schedule a video conference call using Zoom. Fifteen-minute video conference calls are scheduled throughout the day using donated tablets. This type of call will not only allow you to speak with your family member or friend, but you will be able to see him or her. You will need to download and install Zoom on your phone, tablet, or computer from your device’s app store or directly from http://zoom.us. (A video camera is not necessary, but it will be helpful for your family member or friend to see you.) Unfortunately, we cannot provide technical support to use Zoom. However, there are numerous video tutorials available on how to download, install, and use Zoom on http://zoom.us or http://youtube.com.
To protect the health and safety of our residents and staff, we request that you do not drop-off or make deliveries of flowers, gifts, meals, clothing, or other items..
We kindly ask that nursing stations not be called to speak with a resident. This request will allow our amazing nursing staff to focus on providing the necessary care to our residents.
MEDICAL CHECK OF RESIDENTS
We understand your concern for our residents. In order to provide the best care for your family member or friend, we ask that you do not call the nursing stations for updates on the medical condition of our residents. If the medical condition of your family member changes, we will contact the listed health care proxy or emergency contact. If you would like to receive information on a resident, please contact the social worker’s office.
On July 29, 2020, dental and podiatry specialists will resume scheduling and holding appointments and visitations with our residents.
TESTING
EPBHC follows the guidance and recommendations from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NSHN) and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) regarding testing and screening of residents and staff.
Residents are continuously checked for symptoms and related symptoms of COVID-19. Weekly reports of resident status are sent to DPH.
Staff is screened daily upon entering the facility. Screening includes a visual check, measured temperature checks, and screening questionnaire. If the measured temperature exceeds 100.0 F, the staff member is required to immediately get tested for COVID-19. The staff member is not allowed back to the facility until a negative test result is returned and/or completion of the recommended quarantine period.
Staff COVID-19 testing is done in accordance with federal and state regulations with results coming back within 24 hours. Changes to this testing frequency will be determined by guidance from regulatory authorities or based on the impact of the facility’s surrounding community spread.
In addition, all on-site staff must receive and provide documentation of a flu shot.
NURSING
We appreciate the diligent and hard work of our nursing staff. They are working tirelessly to ensure that our residents are well taken care of.
BARBER AND SALON SERVICES
We have made adjustments to ensure our residents are looking their best.
ADMISSIONS
EPBHC is providing on-going care for our community and is taking admissions. Please call and speak with or leave a voicemail message for our admissions director to get more information about our facility and our nursing.
ACTIVITIES
Group activities are being scheduled in our dining rooms to provide the most space available. These resumed activities follow strict protocols to maintain health and safety. In addition, activity care packages are being created and distributed to residents.
Our Activities Department is assisting to make sure that our residents are in contact with family members and friends. We can arrange for Zoom video conferencing calls. Due to high demand, video conference calls are scheduled throughout the day using donated tablets from the Massachusetts Attorney General Office, Massachusetts Senior Care Association, and Walmart.
For information on in-person visitations, please see the visitors section
DINING
Our dining halls are open. The residents are enjoying meals in our first and second floor dining areas. In addition, meal service is still provided and served to resident’s room.
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE)
All EPBHC healthcare workers and staff are required to wear a face-covering at all times within the building. Residents are given face masks to wear in rooms and in the facility provided no medical condition prevents wearing a face-covering.
ENTRANCE AND EXIT POLICY DURING COVID-19
Entry and egress are now restricted to the main front lobby entrance. Edgar P. Benjamin Healthcare Center may restrict the visitation of all visitors and non-essential health care personnel. There will be no congregating in the main front lobby or entrance.
All healthcare workers and EPBHC staff will be asked to perform hand hygiene, answer and sign a brief survey, and submit to a non-invasive temperature check when entering the building. Temperature check results cannot exceed 100.0°F in order to enter the facility to provide care or to work.
In emergency situations, emergency personnel will be permitted to go directly to the resident, staff, department, or affected area of the facility.
HEALTHCARE WORKER APPRECIATION
All of the EPBHC staff are essential workers. They are front line workers in caring for our residents during this pandemic. Our staff forms the backbone of the standard of EPBHC care provided to your family member or friend.
We appreciate our staff’s commitment and dedication during this pandemic. If you would like to show your appreciation or express words of gratitude to our staff, please contact the Human Resources Department.
DONATIONS
As a non-profit, donations are always appreciated. If you would like to make a donation, please click on the donate button below.
MEDIA INFORMATION
Members of the Media are encouraged to contact the EPBHC Administrator, Mr. Tony Francis, for information.
See media coverage of the vaccine distribution at EPBHC.
UPDATE HISTORY
February 8, 2021: Moved Update History (Announcements; Updates)
For a list of major updates.