Ginger Cove Coronovirus (COVID-19) Response and Communications

Updated February 4, 2021

Ginger Cove is utilizing every resource at its disposal to help keep residents and staff healthy and safe from COVID-19, a highly infectious virus. We continue to monitor and follow guidance and protocols issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), the Maryland Department of Health, Governor Hogan, and local agencies. Ginger Cove is committed to informing residents, family members, responsible parties, and staff of all news, emerging issues, or changes in regular operations in a prompt and open manner.

Safety Protocol Reminder

Ginger Cove’s success as a community during the COVID-19 pandemic has come from following the safety protocols. While this is an on-going challenge, we must all persist to protect ourselves and our neighbors. Please follow these infection control best practices:

1. Wash your hands frequently.
2. Cover your mouth when you sneeze and/or cough. If you don’t have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow, not your hands.
3. Maintain “social distances” of six feet from others.
4. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
5. Stay in your apartment and get medical attention if you are sick.
6. Wear a mask properly when in public areas.

COVID-19 Vaccine

Through CVS, Ginger Cove residents and employees are receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

• As of February 1, residents in Assisted Living, the Health Center, and staff have received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Resident participation in the vaccine program is strong with close to 99% participation.
• Independent living residents are re-scheduled to receive the first dose on Friday, February 5, from 10 am to 4 pm. Information about appointment time has been distributed to all residents and responsible parties.

Please note that the vaccine is not a cure nor does it offer 100% protection from the virus. It is intended to prevent serious disease. The CDC continues to recommend wearing a mask properly when you are around others, social distancing, and washing your hands frequently.

COVID-19 Testing

• Weekly testing of 182 Ginger Cove employees indicated 180 to be negative. An Environmental Services Housekeeping employee and an Administration employee tested positive. Both were last on campus on January 22. Contact tracing was engaged and COVID-19 cleaning and sanitizing was implemented.
• Universal testing results of all 22 residents in Assisted Living and all 40 residents in the Health Center indicated all to be negative.

Resident Visitation Protocols

Visitation for Health Center residents is restricted to outdoors, under cover of a tent, located outside the 4000 Building main lobby of Ginger Cove. All visits will be scheduled for 30 minutes from 10 am to Noon and 2 pm to 4 pm daily. Visitor parking is located in the end lot of the 1000 Building directly across from the Assisted Living building. To schedule an appointment, please call the Health Center Scheduling office at 410-224-8135.

Per the order from the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) and Gov. Hogan, all Health Center and Assisted Living visitors must provide a proof of a negative COVID-19 test received within 72 hours prior to the schedule visit. Your test result must be presented to the staff person for verification and before any resident is brought outdoors for visitation.

Additionally, if a facility is currently in outbreak status, indoor visitation shall be suspended except for cases of compassionate care.

Visitation for Assisted Living residents will continue to be held in the tent located just outside the 9000 Assisted Living building. Visitor parking is located in the end lot of the 1000 Building directly across from the Assisted Living Building. Please contact Marty Sadler at 410-224-4840 or sadler@gingercove.com to schedule a visit. Visitation hours will be 10 am to Noon and 2 pm to 4 pm daily.

Residents in independent living may continue to receive visitors in their apartments from 10 am to 6 pm daily. Please remember, outdoor visitation is considered safer than indoor visitation.

We continue to connect residents with loved ones via daily telephone calls and/or video conferencing through Zoom and Facetime. To arrange for this, please contact Alena Daily, Director of Wellness, at 410-570-8005 or dailey@gingercove.com. In the event of compassionate care, essential visitation will be determined by Ginger Cove Director of Nursing, Maseray Bayoh-Sensie, who can be reached at 410-224-8142 or bayoh-sensie@gingercove.com.

Residents who have been advised by the Ginger Cove Clinical Team of a potential exposure to COVID-19 and directed to isolate in their apartment are strongly encouraged to follow the protocol and stay in their apartment for the duration of the isolation period.

At this time, community dining in the Chesapeake Dining Room has been temporarily suspended. Residents may order their meals for free delivery to their apartments.

The lap pool, water aerobics pool, and Jacuzzi spa are open Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. Residents can reserve 30 minute increments to use the pool. Please contact Alena Daily at 410-571-8005 or dailey@gingercove.com to make a reservation for the pool.

The pool will be open with these protocols in place:

1. Two residents at a time in the lap pool.
2. Two residents at a time in the water aerobics pool.
3. One resident at a time in the spa hot tub.

Other activities:

• The Café, Chesapeake Dining Room, Skipjack Dining Room and the Bugeye Bar are temporarily closed.
• The Library, cardio & strength room, swimming pool and Boutique are now open, in limited capacity.
• Resident meals are being delivered to resident apartments by staff, free of charge. Menus and directions for ordering have been distributed and are available in the Café.
• Many activities are being held via Zoom. Trips off campus are cancelled at this time.
• Ginger Cove is providing medically-related transportation to residents who have scheduled medical appointments. Ginger Cove transportation to churches, grocery shopping, events, etc., is cancelled indefinitely.
• To assist with residents’ grocery and personal care needs, the Convenience Store has increased its inventory and revised its hours.

As a reminder, the following was put forth by Governor Hogan:

• Everyone older than 5 must wear masks in all indoor public buildings and outdoors whenever it is not possible to maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet from others.
• Based on contact tracing efforts, the Governor said that the No. 1 activity of who those who have tested positive recently was attending family gatherings. The next highest on the list was house parties.

Clarification for Residents who Leave Campus and Holiday Travel

• The CDC advises that large gatherings of families and friends, crowded parties, and travel may put people at increased risk for COVID-19.
• If a resident plans to leave Ginger Cove for five or more days or will travel by airplane, please contact Lu Carnucci, Clinical Manager, at 410-224-8122 or Phyllis Boulden, Administrator, at 410-224-8106 to discuss protocols upon your return to Ginger Cove.
• To help manage potential exposure to COVID-19, residents returning from extended leave or traveling by airplane will be asked to (1) self-isolate in your apartment for 14 days or (2) obtain a negative COVID-19 test following a three day isolation period after your return. Meals and mail will be delivered to your apartment during this time frame.
• As a precaution, upon your return, Apartment Support Nurses will contact you for 14 days to determine whether you have any symptoms consistent with COVID-19.
• If you choose to obtain a COVID-19 test following the three day isolation period, please provide the written test results to Lu Carnucci, Clinical Manager, at 410-224-8122 or Phyllis Boulden, Administrator, at 410-224-8106. Following the receipt of a negative test result, you will be free to conduct business around the Ginger Cove campus while maintaining social distancing and wearing your mask.

ER Visits/Hospitalizations/Exposure to COVID

• The recommendation is to self-isolate for 14 days.
• You may test three days after your return home. Once negative test results are received you can move about the campus, continuing to practice handwashing, social distancing and mask wearing at all times.
• Housekeeping services will be placed on hold during this 14 day period.
• Laundry can be picked up and washed for you. Please contact the Environmental Services Department at 410-224-8152 and ask for protective laundry bags to place your laundry in.
• Meals and mail will be delivered to you during this time frame.

COVID-19 Testing for Independent Living Residents

The recommendation is to contact the Health Department at 410-222-7256 to schedule an appointment. Anne Arundel County Health Department, 3 Harry S. Truman Drive, Annapolis, MD 21401.