Gentle Shepherd Hospice continues to closely monitor COVID-19 and following all Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines.
Since early in 2020, our multi-disciplinary emergency preparedness response team has been coordinating all operations in accordance with guidance from the CDC and Virginia Department of Health.
This team continues to direct the following efforts:
- Implementing emergency preparedness plans, including monitoring of our supply inventory and making adjustments as necessary to our infection control policies
- Following our standard clinical protocols for preventing the spread of infectious diseases, including proper hand hygiene and appropriate use of personal protection equipment.
- Supplementing these policies as needed with COVID-19 specific policies, including screening for illness post travel or potential exposure.
- Working with local and national public health resources to ensure we have the most up-to-date information in our approach to mitigating the spread of the virus.
- Educating patients on symptoms that indicate a need for emergency help or further medical care.
- Utilizing our volunteers to call and send cards to patient families, offering companionship, encouragement and prayer.
- Inviting prayer requests and hosting of a weekly Facebook devotional event by our Chaplain, Brian Whited.
We continue to work with our long-term care and nursing facility partners to provide care for our patients who reside there in accordance with their policies.
If you are currently a Gentle Shepherd patient or family caregiver of a patient and have questions or concerns, please call your hospice nurse or our main office, 800-789-0856.
Please also do not hesitate to call us if you know someone who needs the support of hospice care during this difficult period. As specialists in providing end-of-life care in a home setting, we can help.
For updates and helpful information, check out our:
- Downloadable handouts: General Information/Caring for Someone with COVID-19/Prevention and Coping/Symptoms/Disinfecting
- Gentle Shepherd Hospice Blog
- Facebook page
Other COVID-19 educational resources:
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