Resident and Family Contact: Ami Desai
Office: 860.726.2399
Web: Duncaster.org
Press and Media Contact:
Andrea Obston
Email: aobston@aomc.com
Cell: 860.803.1155
Grammy Award Winning Flutist Rhonda Larson Performs at Duncaster
February 26, 2020
Kelly Papa, Vice President of Strategy & Community Life interviewed by Med-IQ
June 1, 2020
For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including a FAQ and other guidance and resources, residents are encouraged to visit: www.ct.gov/coronavirus. Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can also call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and offers multilingual assistance and TDD/TTY access. The hotline is intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but who may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone experiencing symptoms is strongly urged to contact their medical provider.
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Yesterday the Caleb Hitchcock Health Center had an unannounced visit from the CT Department of Public Health for an interim focused survey on infection control processes related to COVID-19. They are surveying all nursing homes in the state. The survey went very well and the surveyor was very complementary of our proactive planning, procedures, precautions and leadership. Ami’s steady leadership during this crisis, along with the incredible support from her entire leadership team, Kelly Papa and our Doctors, has been remarkable. And of course the unwavering commitment of the entire frontline staff (RNs, LPNs, CNAs and support staff) to our residents, their tremendous sacrifice, hard work and dedication, is inspirational. We know we have a long way to go and by working together we can overcome this challenge.
– Michael A. O’Brien, FACHE
President and CEO, Duncaster
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Coronavirus Update from the CDC
The Duncaster campus is closed to all visitors as of today. This includes the Commons Building and Caleb Hitchcock Health Center. While there are no cases of exposure or illness from the coronavirus at Duncaster, this decision reflects a cautious concern for the health of our community. All planned events on our campus have been cancelled for the near future. Residents needing to leave the campus for critical health appointments will be assisted in getting to those appointments. Nonresident members of the community at large who have appointments at our on-campus Hartford Healthcare Medical Group clinic should contact the clinic directly at (860) 380-5150 in advance of their visit. Nonresident members of the Aquatic & Fitness Center may contact Lucy Eyre Wellness & Fitness Coordinator at (860) 380-5023 for the latest information regarding access to the fitness center.
“While we understand that this may be a disappointment to those seeking to visit residents of our community, we belief it is the prudent thing to do,” said Michael O’Brien President and CEO, “We have activated our response plans for major community health risk incidents and have made our decision with guidance from State and Federal health officials, including the State of Connecticut’s Department of Public Health and Governor Ned Lamont’s declaration of a public health emergency. We are in communication with State and Federal health officials and are monitoring the situation closely.”
UPDATE 3/10/2020
As a measure to better control the many visitors and contractors coming into Duncaster during this virus outbreak, the Green Awning entrance will be closed to the public effective immediately. Residents, resident family members and staff may continue to use their fobs and access badges to enter through this entrance. All others will need to go to the Aquatic & Fitness Center entrance to gain access to the Commons Building. When signing in at the Aquatic & Fitness Center entrance, all visitors and contractors will be asked to fill out and sign a short questionnaire pertaining to COVID-19 exposure and recent travel. All visitors and contractors arriving to Caleb Hitchcock Health Center will receive a similar health screening upon entry. Please avoid visiting our campus if you have any symptoms of illness. Questions regarding building access should be directed to Lou DeSario (860) 380-5051 or Kelly Papa (860) 380-5142.
Coronavirus Information
At this time, Coronavirus (COVID-19) is garnering a great deal of attention in the media. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that there is an ongoing investigation to determine more about this outbreak. Updates about this rapidly evolving situation will be shared with the general public via the CDC’s website: www.cdc.gov as new information becomes available.
The team at Duncaster and Caleb Hitchcock Health Center are closely monitoring the CDC’s recommendations, as well as those from the Connecticut Department of Health and those from Hartford HealthCare Medical Group. At this time, the best advice is to practice the same common-sense preventative measures that are recommended during cold and flu season, including proper hand washing and staying at home when you are sick.
Duncaster wants to assure you that our interdisciplinary team is making every preparation in the event that our area becomes impacted by an outbreak. We are well prepared and will do everything in our power to ensure the safety of residents, staff, and guests.
We are certainly hopeful that this virus will not impact our community. It is out of an abundance of caution that we ask everyone to remain vigilant and aware of the CDC recommendations which may be found on their website: www.cdc.gov.
Should you have any questions, please contact Ami Desai, Administrator and Vice President of Health Services, directly at (860) 726-2399.
