CTMC, local nursing homes taking preventative measures against coronavirus

Central Texas Medical Center and local nursing homes are taking preventative steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

CTMC said special procedures and precautions have been activated to prepare the hospital and care sites for the coronavirus, including increased screening measures, staffing contingency plans and supply protocols.

“Central Texas Medical Center is committed to the health and safety of our team members, patients and community,” CTMC said in a statement. “Our hospital and care sites follow the guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We are working closely with health agencies as the situation evolves to ensure best-practice care based on the continuing developments.”

Nursing homes in San Marcos, including AdventHealth Care Center San Marcos, Cypress Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center and Brookdale North and South, are taking measures to protect their patients.

AdventHealth Care Center San Marcos

AdventHealth Care Center San Marcos, 1900 Medical Parkway, closed its doors to visitors as of 10:30 Friday morning in an effort to protect residents from the growing COVID-19 outbreak.

“As of this morning, we got word that we are not allowing any visitors to come visit at our facility. It is in lock down,” Admissions Director Karen King said. “We have no idea how long it’s going to last, but right now we’re in the process of calling every resident’s family members to let them know they cannot come into our building.”

The two cases of COVID-19 that were confirmed in Travis County early Friday morning are what prompted AdventHealth, the care center’s parent company, to go into no visitor protocol, according to King.

King said they are allowing exceptions for residents that are on hospice care and at the end of their life. AdventHealth Care Center is also working on setting up video chats so that residents can contact their families and are currently allowing family members to drop off items to be taken to residents by staff members.

According to King, AdventHealth Care Center, prior to cutting out visitations entirely Friday morning, had been allowing visits from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily but were closely monitoring visitors by mandating they fill out a health questionnaire and have their temperature taken — those with fevers were sent away.

King said AdventHealth is working closely with the CDC to adhere to protocols containing the spread of the novel coronavirus. As part of that effort, they are also monitoring the health of employees and staff that come in contact with the residents.

“Any time we leave and come back and every morning when we come in, we have to have our temperature taken, we have to fill out the questionnaire and if we have a temperature or cough, we have to go home,” King said. ‘And we’re closing down certain exits on our building, so everyone has to come through our front door and have their temperature scanned and fill out the questionnaire.”

Cypress Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center

Cypress Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, 1351 Sadler Dr., entered into no visitor protocol at 12 a.m. Friday, according to Administrator Tiffany Weiser.

“We are restricting visitations by any outside visitors,” Weiser said. “Essential personnel and services are the only ones we are allowing inside the building, and only staff that have been adequately screened are allowed on the premises.”

Weiser said that all activities and outings have been canceled at this time, but the facility is encouraging the use of FaceTime and other videochat services for families that want to contact residents. She said instructions on how to set up a video chat with a resident will be posted on Cypress Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center’s Facebook page and those with questions can call 512-805-5000 for more information.

Weiser said Cypress Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center is also encouraging those that have close proximity to elderly people to abide by CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“We’re encouraging and educating everyone we know that has anything to do with the elderly population to practice proper hygiene, hand washing and staying out of large crowds and avoiding close proximity with people in large crowds,” Weiser said.

Brookdale San Marcos North and South

Brookdale San Marcos North and South are both following protocols from its headquarters, said Brookdale Public Relations Project Manager Heather Hunter.

Brookdale San Marcos North — located at 1720 Old Ranch Road 12 and Brookdale San Marcos South —1401 Wonder World Dr. — are taking precautionary measures, following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Brookdale is restricting visitors and conducting health screenings on anyone coming into the community.

Additionally, Brookdale sponsored/planned group outings have been suspended, while it has suspended groups of three or more coming into the community, excluding family, third party medical/clinical providers or essential community tours.

The Daily Record reached out to other nursing homes to see what measures were being taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 but they did not respond by press time on Saturday.