Top Notch Facility Care at Circle of Care

Our resident’s safety and comfort are a top priority here at Circle of Care. Let’s face it, this year has been met with the most stressful safety concerns ever witnessed, and our priority is to keep our residents and staff as safe as possible. We have many safety measures in place, including installing a new safety device is called RZERO Arc. The R-Zero uses UV-C lighting to kill more than 99.99% of pathogens, including COVID-19. It is more effective than manual disinfection, which has proven to miss 50% of surfaces. The Arc unit is superior compared to similar UV-C devices as it kills 109% more germ-killing light. This device is easy to move and navigate through the facility; it’s easier to operate than your microwave with just four buttons. 

Another product acquired by our facility this year is called REME-HALO, I encourage anyone to look up additional information on the specific harmful bacteria it destroys; here is the link for additional information https://rgf.com . The award-winning REME HALO air purifier is the next generation of indoor air quality (IAQ) technology and capable of purifying every cubic inch of air that your central air conditioning system reaches. Designed to eliminate sick building syndrome risks by reducing odors and air pollutants, the REME HALO home in-duct air purifier is the best solution for whole building air purification. We Have 8 REME-HALOS strategically placed throughout our building. Invented to recreate nature’s process of purifying the air, it’s like bringing fresh outdoor air inside without ever having to open your windows. The REME-HALO is proactive and sends ionized oxidizers into the room to destroy the pollutants at the source before they can reach residents, staff, and visitors. 

We had our annual fire inspection earlier this month, and I am incredibly proud to report that there were zero violations. We do provide monthly fire drills on all varying shifts to inform staff on protocols and to ensure all staff is informed and prepared in the event of a fire. I’m also certified in Life Safety to assist in the building’s safety in its entirety, including daily rounds of maintenance and upkeep of the generator, sprinkler system, electrical system, and availability to issues or concerns that the staff reports to me daily. 

Michael Faudree 
Maintenance Director 
Circle of Care 

Looking for more information about Our Facility? Contact Us today to schedule a walk-through or make inquiries. Interested in working for us? Apply now on our Careers Page.

Respiratory Therapy at Circle of Care

Circle of Care in Salem, Ohio offers respiratory therapists and 15 private rooms for ventilator/tracheostomy & pulmonary rehab. We’ve put together this article to share what makes Circle of Care unique and how we provide high-quality care for residents facing cardiovascular challenges.

History of Respiratory Therapy

Respiratory therapy has roots going back to 1943 when Dr. Edwin R. Levine established a primitive inhalation therapy program to manage post-surgical patients at Reese Hospital in Chicago, which turned into the Inhalation Therapy Association, or the ITA. 

In 1986, the AARC (American Association for Respiratory Care) and the NBRC (National Board for Respiratory Care) were born, and we have our first modern licensure law governing the profession. Since its inception, respiratory care professionals have played a vital role in acute care and long-term care settings, providing excellent respiratory care practice backed by science. 

Salem, Ohio Respiratory Therapy and Ventilator Care

We here at the Circle of Care strive to deliver that same high level of care to all of our residents facing cardiovascular challenges. All of our Respiratory Therapists were trained at two or four-year colleges and are here to work with our Board-Certified Pulmonologist, Dr. Guy Blaser, to care for all of our residents with lung disorders and conditions. 

Our Respiratory Therapists are trained to aid physicians in evaluating, diagnosing, and caring for residents with cardiopulmonary problems. Circle of Care’s Respiratory Therapy and ventilator program is designed to give our residents the best possible quality of life. 

Why Choose Circle of Care for Respiratory Care?

We have a combined 100 plus years of experience on our staff, with many of our Respiratory Therapists having backgrounds in both acute care and long-term care. We take great pride in providing any and all care to your loved ones in any situation they may be going through. You can rest assured your loved ones will be given top-of-the-line care if and when you choose us as your long-term care facility!!

To learn more about our rehabilitation services, visit our rehabilitation page, or contact us today for more information! 

Infection Control Practices

At the Circle of Care, our nursing Department is united in caring, courage, and compassion. Our team has gone above and beyond in helping our residents remain safe from the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are proud to announce our third deficiency-free Focused Infection Control Survey

Our nursing department works closely with our therapy department, respiratory therapists, dialysis nurses, and technicians to ensure optimal care for your loved ones. We believe in a holistic nursing approach and go the extra mile to engage our residents in their personal treatment plans to include their preferences for everyday living activities. We participate in the PAL Card Quality Improvement Project as a way of honoring our residents’ individual preferences and recognizing them each individually.

As part of our 2021 innovation plans, we haved added UV-C hospital grade disinfection to our facility in order to bolster our improved infection control practices at our skilled nursing home facility. 

We asked our Infection Preventionist, Debbie Pierce, to shed a little more light on what infection control has looked like in the past 12 months for Salem Circle of Care.

“My duties as an Infection Preventionist were never more important as they had been for the past year with the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been a daily task keeping up with and following CMS, CDC, and ODH guidelines which are ever-changing. We were the first CVS COVID-19 vaccination clinic in the area. Our residents and staff were vaccinated on-site receiving the two-dose Pfizer vaccination in three separate clinics finishing February 1, 2021. 

The daily diligence of staff for well over a year has kept our COVID cases at a minimum. This has been a trying time for our residents, families, and employees while measures were put in place to keep everyone safe throughout the pandemic. Our facility has maintained daily screening of staff and visitors upon entry for COVID-19 signs and symptoms and residents monitored daily by nursing.  

We continue state-supported COVID-19 testing for all employees and residents as ordered. This year has required alternative ways to allow residents to keep in touch with their loved ones, to socialize, and participate in activities with staff and co-residents. Our facility has put several methods in place to keep the environment safe: a Lumin UV sanitizer unit, a UV system installed through the facility’s HVAC system, and an R-Zero Arc UV-C mobile disinfection system that destroys 99.99% of pathogens.”

This past year, we have had three deficiency free Focused Infection Control Surveys from the Ohio Department of Health. Our residents and their safety will continue to remain our number one priority.”

  • Debbie Pierce LPN, Infection Preventionist, Director of Quality Improvement

100% Deficiency Free Infection Control Survey

Salem Circle of Care Scored 100% Deficiency Free on COVID-19 Focus Survey

Updated March 16, 2021

We’re excited to announce our third consecutive COVID-19 Focus Survey results from the Ohio Department of Health back deficiency-free! We’re proud of our team for all of their hard work keeping our residents safe!

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has completed three COVID-19 Focused Infection Control Survey to determine if our facility was in compliance with Federal requirements related to implementing proper infection prevention and control practices to prevent the development and transmission of COVID-19. The Survey found that our facility was in compliance with the requirements and no deficiencies were cited!

Congratulations to our team for all of their hard work!

“Congratulations to our staff at Circle of Care in securing a deficiency-free focused survey! As the Infection Preventionist, I see how our day to day infection control practices have kept our residents and fellow staff members safe. I am proud of our team and this monumental accomplishment”

Deb, Infection Control Nurse

PPE Equipment at Salem Circle of Care

“Our team is committed to giving first-rate care to all our residents at a holistic level. I want to thank each and every member of my team for their caring, hard work, and dedication. We couldn’t do it without all of you!”

– Jeanna, Director of Nursing

About Circle of Care Salem Healthcare & Rehabilitation

Circle of Care is a 62 Bed Skilled Nursing Facility located in Columbiana County featuring state of the art rehabilitation care, long-term care, and options for hospice care. We are located directly across from Salem Regional Medical Center, which allows for easy access if there is ever an emergency. Circle of Care has experienced staff with a strong focus on quality care. We offer a full calendar of life-enriching services and activities.

Our COVID-19 Policies

Circle of Care Skilled Nursing Facility is staying proactive in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are making efforts to prevent the virus from entering our facility due to the impact it would have on our residents. To learn more about our policies and procedures, visit our COVID-19 Facility Guide.

Long Term Skilled Nursing Facility to begin using UV-C Disinfection Technology

In the wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic, skilled nursing facilities across the country have been hard at work implementing innovative new ways to help keep their residents safer from infectious diseases. As part of bolstering their cleaning procedures and upgrading their facility to promote safety, Circle of Care Skilled Nursing Facility in Salem, OH, has purchased a new Hospital Grade UV disinfection system from R-Zero.

UV-C is a special wavelength of ultraviolet light that destroys or inactivates bacteria, viruses, fungi, and mold without harsh chemicals. UV-C disinfection has been used in waste processing facilities and air conditioner units for decades and has become the gold standard to disinfect hospitals in recent years. R-Zero is a biosafety company working to make the same UV-C disinfection technology used by hospitals, accessible to smaller healthcare units such as Skilled Nursing Facilities. The R-Zero Arc is a mobile hospital-grade UV unit that can be easily moved around the facility to kill airborne and surface pathogens. Arc is proven to destroy 99.99% of pathogens (including those that cause Human Coronavirus) in just 7 minutes.

Circle of Care Skilled Nursing is proud to begin implementing this new advanced infection prevention measure in 2021 as part of many innovations to promote their long-term care residents’ health and safety.

For more information on R-Zero and their UV-C technology, please visit rzero.com.

Activities at Circle of Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This past year with COVID has drastically impacted the way the department ran in the past. All guidelines and infection control precautions need to be considered, examined, and implemented when selecting activities. The restrictions have led to our team stretching our creativity to run resident-favorite programs and holiday activities. 

Hallway activities have become routine and are always a huge hit. Our facility had a St. Patrick’s Day hallway party- staff dressed in green & costumes and went floor to floor delivering goodies and playing Irish music. The Easter Bunny made an appearance on Easter delivering each resident their basket. 

Because our facility could not host our annual community trick-or-treat, staff dressed up in costumes, and we did a reverse trick-or-treat, which was a huge hit. We will not let COVID get in the way of fun for our residents!

Senior Living and Community Involvement

Maintaining contact and interaction with the community is an essential aspect of a person’s well-being and facilitates feelings of connectedness and self-esteem. Our residents are transported via our facility bus to local shopping stores, county fairs, and places such as White House Fruit Farms. At this time, our residents have not been able to attend community events due to the pandemic. However, many local organizations have adapted, such as our local library that delivers books for our residents to enjoy. At Christmas time, our local 4H community brought handmade Christmas cards for our residents to enjoy.

How has COVID-19 Impacted Family Visitation Activities?

On March 15, 2020, all visitations from outside of the facility were put on hold, meaning families, entertainers, and non-employees were not permitted to enter the building. When outdoor visits were permitted in July, we did a total of 192 outdoor visits. The activities team has innovated by adapting alternative communication to our facility with video calls and window visits. 

*Appointments are required for all of these* currently, we can only offer video calls due to COVID restrictions. 

To keep up with activities at Salem Circle of Care, follow us on our Facebook page for photos!

Dining at Salem Circle of Care

Did you know our residents enjoy a fine dining experience in our main dining area? Residents can socialize with each other while being served homemade soup, salads, and a healthy but tasty daily menu. Our Dietary Manager hosts “Food Club” once a month with residents to discuss food articles, go over the monthly menu, and choose a meal of the month from their favorite foods. Residents enjoy sharing their favorite recipes, which are occasionally incorporated into the meal of the month choice & the daily soups.

Many residents have Physician ordered therapeutic diets for conditions such as Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), Diabetic, and Liberalized Renal diets. Residents who need to watch their sugar or salt are provided with substitutes. Those with Liberalized Renal diets are served with foods lower in potassium such as noodles, rice, & some fruits, which replace the potatoes, tomatoes, oranges, orange juice & bananas.

We also accommodate residents with chronic conditions such as CVA’s & Dysphagia with mechanically altered textures to aid in chewing and swallowing. We have guidelines for liquid consistencies. Our  Speech Therapist determines the need and level of thickened liquids required to minimize choking and aspiration risk.

In addition to providing specialty diets, we have weekly visits from our Consultant Dietician to address diets, weights & any other nutritional concerns related to our residents.

Looking for more information on Dietary Plans? Check out the link below for information on 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.  http://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-/Dietary_GuidelinesforAmericans2020-2025.pdf

For information on our dietary programs, or to become a new resident, contact us today!

COVID-19 Vaccine Update

With the US FDA’s approval of a vaccine for emergency use to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been receiving questions about the vaccine and when it may become available at our facility. To provide information to our residents, staff, and families, we have put together a FAQ and resources to learn more about the vaccine.

Ohio Long Term Care COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ:

Who can get the vaccine?

According to the Ohio Department of Health, Ohio will be administering the vaccine to healthcare workers, and residents and staff of long-term care facilities as part of Phase 1a of their vaccine plan.

Will there be a cost to Ohio Nursing Home Residents to receive the COVID-19 vaccine?

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, there will be no out of pocket costs to receive the COVID-19 vaccine in an Ohio Nursing Home / Long Term Care Facility.

When will the vaccine become available to nursing homes in the state of Ohio?

Circle of Care was among the first Skilled Nursing Facilities to receive the COVID-19 Vaccine in the state of Ohio. The first round of vaccines were distributed by the CVS Pharmacy team of Kent, Ohio on Monday, December 21, 2020.

Where can I go to learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine?

US Center for Disease Control: CDC Vaccine FAQ Information

US Department of Health and Environmental Control: Vaccine Updates

Ohio Department of Health:  Vaccine Information & Updates

US Food and Drug Administration: COVID Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Information

COVID-19 Update

We’re very proud to say that our entire staff has tested negative for COVID-19! On Friday, 6/26/20, our team received testing from the Ohio National Guard per orders of Governor Mike Dewine to test over 900 nursing homes in the State of Ohio.

Thank you to all of our staff for all of your hard work and sacrifices to keep our residents and staff members safe!

Our COVID-19 Policies

Circle of Care Skilled Nursing Facility is staying proactive in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are making efforts to prevent the virus from entering our facility due to the impact it would have on our residents. To learn more about our policies and procedures, visit our COVID-19 Facility Guide.

About Ohio State Testing for COVID-19

Ohio governor calls on National Guard to help nursing homes

Ohio National Guard ramps up testing at nursing homes

Circle of Care Rated Among Top In State; Looks Forward to 2019

Circle of Care ranked as #33 of 961 Senior Care Facilities in the State of Ohio and achieved a “100%” Accuracy Rate on their State Exception Review.

Salem, Ohio – January 2019

Circle of Care Skilled Nursing Facility has recently announced 2 major accomplishments for the year of 2018. The 62 Bed Skilled Nursing Facility is located in Columbiana County and features state of the art rehabilitation, long-term care, and options for hospice.

According to a satisfaction survey conducted by the Ohio Department of aging, Circle of Care ranked as the #33 facility in the state out of 961 Facilities. The survey considered “Move In”, “Care & Services”, “Environment”, “Facility Culture”, “Caregivers”, “Meals & Dining”, and “Spending Time” as factors for overall satisfaction.  Circle of Care exceeded State averages in every category, including 100% for “Move-in” satisfaction and “Care & Services”, “Environment” and “Family Culture” scores into the 90th percentile.

“We have worked diligently on improving our ranking. I have been at the facility for three years and my team and I have implemented weekly meeting to review our quality measures and any concerns, which has led to improvements in quality of care.”

–  Deanna Dothard

Additionally, the Facility scored 100% Accuracy on the Mix Care Exception Review completed by Myers and Stauffer. The review takes an in-depth look at the federally mandated assessments of the patients at a long-term health care facility (also known as a Minimum Data Set, or MDS).  These assessments help create a snapshot of the residents at the facility and overall resident satisfaction. Scoring 100% on this review is quite an achievement considering that the state of Ohio accepts scores 75% and above.

“Receiving zero error rate means a lot to our facility, because we strive very hard to ensure that all our residents receive the level of care they require, also we make sure that the resident’s care is our first priority.”

–  Deanna Dothard

Family is considered the key to success for Circle of Care and helps to separate them from the other 960 facilities in the State of Ohio. “We are a family and we let our residents know that we will do whatever is necessary to make sure that their needs and the needs of the facility are met.”

 “We here at the Circle of Care strive to follow our Mission & Vision Statement which reads as the following:  Our vision is to provide quality health care services to the members of our community, and to be recognized as a leader in providing personalized care and services.  We value customer satisfaction, professionalism, and respect for individuals with a focus on continuous quality improvement, dedication, and commitment to the community we serve.”

–  Deanna Dothard

Circle of Care would like to recognize their team of nurses, STNA’s, RT’s, Department Heads, Dietary, and Housekeeping for their hard work that has led to their success in 2018. In 2019 they look forward to their new dialysis unit prospering, increased census, and obtaining a 4 STAR ranking with Medicare Compare.

About Circle of Care Salem Healthcare & Rehabilitation

Circle of Care is a 62 Bed Skilled Nursing Facility located in Columbiana County featuring state of the art rehabilitation care, long-term care, and options for hospice care. We are located directly across from Salem Regional Medical Center, which allows for easy access if there is ever an emergency. Circle of Care has experienced staff with a strong focus on quality care. We offer a full calendar of life-enriching services and activities as well as scheduled outings with our beautiful transportation bus.