Lebanon Valley Nursing Homes, Care Facilities Breathe Easy Amid Few Flu Cases This Season

Excerpted From an Article by Marylouise Sholly for The Lebanon Daily News

With their residents at risk, nursing homes and long-term care facilities across the Lebanon Valley and beyond dread flu season each year.

This year, however, local administrators are cautiously optimistic that they've dodged a bullet — the number of confirmed cases has dropped dramatically when compared with other seasons.

***

Well into the new year, Juniper Village has had no confirmed cases of influenza, also attributed to a proactive stance, according to Joan-Marie Norman, executive director.

"For our residents, we do a couple of things: we have them see their own doctor for a flu shot, and we keep a log of who receives the shot, and we have two doctors come here in September and October to give shots," Norman said. "We like to have that done early in the season."

Last year, the South Lebanon Township facility encountered only two cases of flu, both mild and neither requiring hospitalization.

"We had prepared the staff that we might be hit with the flu, and we took preliminary measures, so if the flu did hit us, we'd be ready," Norman said.

Educating residents as well as staff is another form of prevention, she added.

Diane Byrne, vice president of Juniper Communities, said the entire staff is trained to know procedures that will prevent the flu from spreading.

"Whether it's the environmental team or the housekeeping team, everybody is educated on stopping the spread of the flu," she said.

A few years ago, the flu made a significant appearance at Juniper, and the staff reacted quickly, serving meals in the residents' rooms to prevent the spread of the virus.

"We will actually use surgical masks if necessary," Byrne said.

In the main building, hand-sanitizer stations and hand-washing areas are strategically placed to prevent the spread of disease.

"We never let our guard down with infections," Norman said. "We have residents with compromising illnesses, and we always have to be aware ... even when it comes to allergy season."

Thorough housekeeping procedures are key to preventing the spread of infection, Norman said.

"Housekeeping is so important," she said. "The department is on more of a high alert, constantly cleaning things like door handles and hand rails along the wall. Things like that get wiped down on a daily basis."

Juniper has a wellness team that supports and looks after the health of the residents, she said. That extra attention can identify a potential health problem earlier, so treatment can be started quickly.

"It's imperative if they begin to feel ill that they be isolated if necessary," Byrne said. "We're also on a high alert to identify symptoms. We look closely at the symptoms exhibited. That's an additional key factor."

The flu season seems to run its course from October through April, Byrne added.

"When May comes, we do kind of breathe a sigh of relief," Norman said.