April 4, 2020
Dear Life Unlimited Family and Friends,
Please join our 1
st
Life Unlimited Family and Friends Zoom meeting this Tuesday, April 7, 2020 at noon.
Our Executive Team will be giving updates and answering questions you may have during this time. To register for this meeting clink the link below:
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Please try to join the meeting 10 to 15 minutes early to make sure you can get connected. If you are having trouble connecting, call or text Denise Garcia at (816) 807-0271.
Below are a few of the questions we have recently received and their present answers.
WHEN WILL LIFE UNLIMITED REOPEN ALL PROGRAMS?
We sent messages on March 12 letting everyone know we were closing My Day and our Recreation programs starting March 16 and would stay closed at least through April 12. As you are probably aware, the virus is now hitting Kansas City, and we are on a stay-at-home order through April 24. We know we will remain closed through April 24, and probably longer. We are monitoring information from the CDC, the news, local health department announcements, and other health resources, which are stating the peak for the virus in Kansas City may be after this date. If this happens, we will not be able to reopen on April 25.
We will keep in contact with you and will reopen programs as soon as we feel confident we can do this while keeping everyone safe and healthy. If this long break from our non-residential services is creating health and or safety issues for your person while they are at home, please contact our Intake Manager Nicole Heflin-Briscoe at (816) 536-3204 or
[email protected]
as well as your Service Coordinator, and we will see if there is a way we can provide some assistance.
WHAT STEPS IS LIFE UNLIMITED TAKING TO KEEP EVERYONE HEALTHY?
- Staff are wearing masks at all times while providing services, only working at one location when at all possible, having their temperature taken before each shift, and are encouraged to practice social distancing while not at work as well.
- Individuals in services are having their temperatures checked regularly and are being monitored continually for COVID-19 symptoms.
- No one other than the Direct Care staff persons who work in the home are allowed to enter the homes, unless an emergency situation were to occur. We are providing oversight and support via Tele/Health, Zoom, and extra phone contact.
- We have weekly all staff meetings with question and answer sessions via Zoom to ensure all staff are supported and connected to the leadership of the organization.
- We have a staff Facebook page where locations are sharing ideas, activities and encouragement with one another. We have had a few family members request to see the Facebook page. We are sorry we are not able to do this. It is a closed group for employees due to confidentiality. Many of our individuals have photo releases and some do not. We have received special permission by some guardians to share on a closed Facebook staff page, who do not want pictures shared openly. When we have proper photo releases, we will post pictures for all to see.
- Our administration offices are closed except for essential purposes. We continue to provide the same services to the individuals we support, their families, and our staff while our administrative offices are closed.
- Staff who work inside our homes are no longer shopping for the homes in order to limit their outside exposure as much as possible. The Life Unlimited Maintenance Team and Health Coordinators are shopping for the homes and dropping off groceries and supplies outside, which are then cleaned and brought into the home.
- We are continuing to provide necessary training and certifications to our employees and have transitioned as much as possible to e-learning formats to minimize risk.
WHO DO I CONTACT IF I CAN NOT GET IN TOUCH WITH A STAFF PERSON
SINCE THE OFFICES ARE CLOSED?
We had to move many of our administrative staff to home offices to protect their health and safety. All staff have great setups with computers, but our phone system is not always transferring calls easily. If you are having difficulty getting in touch with someone after calling (816) 781-4332, please call or email Executive Assistant Denise Garcia at (816) 807-0271 or
[email protected],
and she will get you connected to the appropriate person immediately.
WILL THE INDIVIDUALS WE SUPPORT GET STIMULUS CHECKS AND WILL THESE FUNDS PUT THEIR MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY AT RISK?
All adults should receive a stimulus check, and our staff are developing a process to ensure these checks are received. We have not received guidance from SSI or SSA yet on whether the limits will be raised after these checks are distributed. We do know any person who has a waiver can’t lose their waiver during this national crisis.
If an individual does not file a tax return, they may have to file a quick return to get their stimulus check. Individuals who receive SSI do not have to file a quick return to get their checks. We are working with our state and national associations and local legislatures to try to get all individuals on waivered services exempt from filing a quick return if they do not already file a return. We will continue to watch for guidance on this and will take the proper steps to help all individuals we support receive their stimulus checks.
WHAT STEPS WILL BE TAKEN
IF AN INDIVIDUAL AT LIFE UNLIMITED IS BEING TESTED FOR COVID-19?
If an individual we support has signs and symptoms for the virus, they will be taken to get tested and moved into a separate home with live-in staff to limit exposure for everyone involved. Life Unlimited has two newer homes that are totally accessible and are being furnished with comfortable beds and other furniture. All roommates and staff who have been around anyone who is being tested, or anyone who has a positive test, will be watched carefully and constantly monitored, per CDC recommendations.
We made these decisions based on information we have reviewed, as well as input from other providers who have already worked with people who have had confirmed cases. Life Unlimited has no confirmed cases at this time.
Thank you for your support during this time!
Life Unlimited Leadership Team
