06 Apr The Carolina Inn Establishes New Protocols to Protect New And Existing Residents

The Carolina Inn has adjusted its operating procedures to safeguard residents and staff during the COVID-19 outbreak. These changes allow the assisted living community to accept new senior residents, as well.

Developed by the medical staff with input from Medical Director Dr. Raymond Gaskins, these measures help reduce the risk of infection and transmission of COVID-19 so that residents and their families continue to feel safe and comfortable.

Limit Hospitalization
Hospitals are becoming burdened with caring for COVID-19 patients, and seniors who visit a hospital are put at risk to contract the disease. Therefore, The Carolina Inn is limiting hospital trips for its residents to those facing serious illness or experiencing one of the following qualifying events:

• Fall with head injury (resident on Coumadin or coagulant therapy)
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Obvious fracture (compound)
• Severe respiratory distress not responding to oxygen therapy

Strong Infection Prevention
With the highest licensed nursing-to-resident ratio in the area, The Carolina Inn has a reputation for unparalleled senior care and already has strong infection control measures in place. Now, to combat COVID-19, The Carolina Inn has stepped up its efforts, adhering to all Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) guidelines. These include:

• Educating residents, essential visitors and staff on the virus
• Minimizing the opportunity for introduction and exposure by restricting visitors
• Limiting resident gatherings and practicing social distancing
• Promoting good hygiene and providing respiratory hygiene supplies
• Actively screening residents, employees and essential visitors
• Testing for influenza and COVID-19 according to CDC guidelines and availability

Isolation Wing
Beyond strictly following CDC and NCDHHS recommendations, The Carolina Inn has created a nine-room unit to care for residents in a setting that is separated from the rest of the building and where residents can be isolated from each other in the rooms. It will be staffed even for one-on-one care and all necessary personal protective equipment has been secured.

This transformed terrace wing is being used to welcome new residents as well as temporarily house current residents who have been off campus.

New residents will be assigned to an available room on the terrace level for a minimum of 14 days. They will be tested for the Coronavirus and if they have no symptoms and a negative test at the end of 14 days they will be able to move to the room they have chosen as their home.

Current residents returning from a hospital stay will be assigned to an available room on the terrace level for a minimum of 14 days. They will be tested for the Coronavirus and if they have no symptoms and a negative test at the end of 14 days they will be able to return to their previous room.

Suspected cases in the current resident population will first be tested at The Carolina Inn for the flu. If the flu test is negative they will be assigned to an available room on the terrace level for a minimum of 14 days. They will be tested for the Coronavirus and if they have no symptoms and a negative test at the end of 14 days they will be able to return to their previous room.

Anyone who tests positive will remain in the terrace wing, receiving care until such time they meet the criteria set out by the CDC and NCDHHS for release from isolation.

For more than 20 years, The Carolina Inn has been providing unsurpassed, round-the-clock care to Fayetteville seniors. The boutique assisted living community offers a resort-style ambiance along with quality healthcare in the heart of the Village Green neighborhood. Furnished and unfurnished one- and two-bedrooms apartments currently are available.