Health

Right now, long term care facilities are providing information to the local and state health departments regarding the patients who test positive, those ill, employees who are ill and positive, what floors or wings are affected in order to get an idea about how the virus is spreading and what else they can do to prevent the spread.  They are also reporting their needs to the NJ Department of Health. The state is obtaining necessary items and it is being distributed via the Office of Emergency Management for distribution to each facility. Some facilities have begun to cohort, or group patients together with similar exposures and dedicate staff to those areas. They are taking temperatures and interviewing their staff daily to see if they are showing any symptoms. If so, they are sent home. They are using protective equipment, and they are disinfecting all areas. They have also closed their facilities to visitors for the past several weeks or  longer. However, some do need to accept patients from hospitals,who need special care. The NJ Department of Health is monitoring these facilities. Long term care facilities are communicating with families regarding the status of their loved ones, and the progress of their prevention steps.

You can  file a complaint against the facility  by contacting the State of New Jersey Department of Health. You can file online at: https://web.doh.state.nj.us/fc/search.aspx  or call the complaint hotline available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week: 1-800-792-9770