Date:9/20/2021
To:NYS and Federal Governmental and Regulatory Leadership
From:Joseph Murabito on behalf of my entire organization
Subj:Vaccine Mandate and the psychology of people
For more than a year and a half we have been fighting COVID-19 as well as our regulatory leadership.
Healthcare workers everywhere have been in the crossfire of heated political debate and conflict in addition to managing
one of the most significant pandemics in recent history.
We are tired. We’ve been quarantined. We’ve been restricted. We’ve been surveyed and fined for sending reports in 1
minute late. We’ve lost friends, associates and family members.
We’ve had cotton swabs stuffed up our noses weekly and in some cases daily for months. We’ve worn protective
equipment to keep ourselves and our residents and patients safe.
We’ve worked long hours month after month. Our family and social lives have been disrupted and intruded upon.
As a profession we largely believe in this vaccine and its positive effects on public health.
Many of us however are scared and hesitant. We have grown suspect of our leadership due to the scandals, conflicts, and
polarization we see and feel everyday all around us.
We need time. We need a different approach. We need to trust again.
The execution of the current vaccine mandate is heavy handed and represents the final and most intrusive regulatory
action to date. In addition to all the external intrusions we’ve endured as well as the testing which has caused us minimal
but frequent internal intrusions, we are all being forced to take something inside our bodies....which is the ultimate
intrusion. Vaccines are not new to the world....but the context of the COVID pandemic and all its moving parts and
politics, makes this vaccine mandate very different in the eyes of many.
It may be this ultimate intrusion is the key to our collective public health. As the author if this memorandum, I can say I
am a supporter of the vaccine. I am vaccinated. My family is vaccinated. However, I am also a supporter of people. We
must support our people’s perspectives and nurture them, especially on the heels of such adversity. We must find a
better and more supportive way to manage this public health effort. Do not place this burden further on our health care
workers. Allow a testing and PPE option for a period of time to allow for our workforce to strengthen and the collective
trust to build.
We are here to care for others and we need our health care workers in full force to accomplish our work. We need better
regulatory and legislative support.
Date:9/20/2021
To:All staff members, leadership and partners
From:Joseph Murabito, President and Managing Member
Subj:Vaccination Mandate and our team and family
As most of you may feel, I too feel frustrated with current nature and position of our regulatory and governmental
leadership in regards to the myopic finality of the current vaccine mandate. I am frustrated in the execution of this
mandate as many people are.
My job, however, as is all of ours, is to provide time and efforts in providing care and service to other people. As I’ve
stated many times over the years, we healthcare workers are not working in this profession on accident. We are
responding to an instrisic calling to serve those people who need us.
We have been challenged greatly in the last 18-24 months. Our challenges began with COVID. We rose to this challenge
and continue working diligently with success to keep our residents safe.
In this last several months our challenges have come from other places as well. It’s safe to say that many people feel
hesitant when it comes to their views on governmental and regulatory leadership. It is not my purpose to provide any
excuses in this area. I do believe there are great efforts being made with the intention of public well being and safety.
At the same time, I also believe that the source of this current vaccine mandate is the same source that has created
hesitation and suspicion. I also believe the execution of this mandate is highly political at this point. Conflict has
resulted and we as healthcare providers seem to be caught in the middle. We must persevere. Our work is too
important.
Despite the political realities at hand, I do believe in this vaccine and its effectiveness in improving population health. IN
addition to individual decisions we must all make, there is a bigger picture at hand.
As a healthcare worker and a valued member of this organization, your time and service to our residents, their families
and your team is absolutely necessary. Every single person who works within this organization at each individual site is
essential and necessary to assure the well-being of others. We need you. For those of you who’ve received the vaccine I
thank you. For those of you who’ve not yet decided to receive the vaccine, I am asking you to think hard and reconsider
your position. Please reach out to company leadership for more information. My cell is 845-750-4566.
At this time our organization will honor both religious and medical exemptions as formally requested and
provided. Please be sure to get this information to your supervisor or Administrator as quickly as possible this
week. Please note, however, that the law regarding religious exemptions remains uncertain as the issue is the subject of
pending litigation. We will provide you with any updated information when it is available to us.
Let’s pull together here again. Let’s stay together and continue our great effort to assure our residents have the care
and services they need.
My most sincere thanks to you all for your work over the last year as we’ve struggled and succeeded with COVID. I am
optimistic we are approaching a much better place. Thank you for your consideration of my message and for your
continued service to our residents.
5/10/2021
RE: NATIONAL NURSING HOME WEEK
To all our essential and dedicated staff and leadership on behalf of this organization’s ownership at each location I want
to thank you and recognize you individually during this 2021 Nursing Home Week. We’ve had quite a ride in the last
year….and the ride continues.
I’ve always said that people do not find themselves working in healthcare by accident. Healthcare workers are
intrinsically drawn toward serving others. During the best and worst of times this inherent desire to help other people
remains.
We’ve all been tested for sure. From COVID and all its aspects, to layers of new and sometimes unrealistic regulations,
to legislative and governmental scrutiny and criticism, we persist. We will persist. We are in this profession to help
serve our senior population and those who need our time and energy to live better. We are here to help others succeed
in life.
This week is a special week. It is a week to be aware that our work is more than a job. It is a week to recognize that
whatever task you are doing leads to another person’s increased quality of life. Whether you are a clinician, dining
services team member, nursing assistant, accountant or environmental services team member, every task you do
combined with other people’s work creates a beautiful collaborative effort to improve people lives all around us.
I love and appreciate everyone in this organization for who they are and what they bring to the table to help us achieve
our mission, vision and goals as an organization of caring for others. We work to live a life in balance, and we work to
help others succeed. It is an honor and a pleasure to be a part of this organization with all of you.
During this week, please pause and take some moments for yourself as you perform your job and try to be aware of how
important you are to other people. Try to think about how much other people need your caring hands and presence in
their lives. In doing this, we will remember and realize why we are working in this profession. Despite all adversity we
are healthcare workers for an important reason no matter what our individual job may be. We are working to help
others. We find meaning and value in our lives by helping other people live better.
Thank you for being a part of this company and bringing so much love and compassion to our residents’ lives.
Sincerely and with all my appreciation and respect,
July 21, 2020
To: residents, families, visitors and local community
SUBJ: PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
WELCOME BACK. WE MISSED YOU.
Safety is our utmost concern and understand that times have been and continue to be difficult as it relates
to seeing your loved one. The following guidelines have been set forth by the New York State
Department of Health and the facility must ensure these guidelines are adhered to at all times. The NYS
DOH has ordered that if the guidelines are not followed during any visit, your right to visit again must be
prohibited for the duration of the COVID-19 state declared public health emergency.
Keep in mind these
guidelines need to be in place to to ensure the safety of everyone (residents, staff and visitors). Please do
your part to keep us all safe and committ to following all instructions below. We want to keep seeing
you.
- On March 13, 2020 New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) issued guidance to Nursing Homes
limiting visitation due to the COVID-19 Virus Pandemic.
- On July 10, 2020, NYSDOH updated the guidance to allow outdoor visitation and limited indoor visitation
and activities, if the Nursing Home meets specific benchmarks and develops a reopening plan.
- Visitation is strictly prohibited in resident rooms or resident care areas.Waterville Residential Care Center
is only providing outdoor visits at this time
- All visitors must be screened.
- Visitors must wear a face mask and shield which covers both the nose and the mouth at all times while on
the premises.
- Visitors must maintain 6 foot social distancing at all times. No touching, No hugging, No kissing. We
understand this will be hard but is necessary.
- Hand sanitizer must be utilized before and after visits.
- Residents are allowed the same 2 visitors per resident per visit. Visitors under 18 must be accompanied by
an adult and count as part of the 2 visitor maximum.
- All visits must be scheduled.
- A staff member must supervise all visits.
- Visits are Monday through Friday scheduled by appointment only.
- Waterville Residential Care Center has the right to refuse any visotor who is under the influence, disruptive
or presents a danger to any resident or staff.
- Please contact Colleen Sullivan- Marris or Danica Buffa to set up your appoinment.
Above is subject to change. Effective 07/21/2020.
July 10, 2020
To: residents, families, visitors and local community
SUBJ: PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
We are excited and proud to announce that the Department of Health will be allowing limited visitation starting soon.
We are working on a comprehensive visitation plan to be submitted to the Department of Health before ANY visitation will start.
Some of the guidelines you can prepare for that will be incorporated in our plan will be:
- All visits must be by appointment ONLY
- We are limited to 10 percent of our resident census at any one time for the maximum number of visitors in the facility
- All visitors will go through a COVID screening, temperature must be taken and are required to wear a mask, a faceshield and gloves at all times during the visit
- All visitors must visit 6 feet apart
Please understand until we have a successfully submitted visitation plan to the department of health we are still restricting visitation.
We will be sending you our plan and all information that you will need regarding visitation once completed. Please wait for the plan, read it and then contact our Social Worker if you have any questions.
June 12, 2020
To: residents, families, visitors and local community
SUBJ: PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
As we head approach the middle of June we continue with the same restriction level as
directed by NYSDOH. With shared challenge and frustration we continue doing everything in
our power to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 to our most vulnerable population. To date
with everyone’s cooperation and diligence, we have experienced a total of six COVID cases in a
single facility in Rochester, with two staff positive cases. We remain proud of, and optimistic
with, our efforts. With 450 beds and well over 500 employees, I can’t express my appreciation
enough to all the healthcare workers who take this seriously every day. Our staff does an
excellent job and we are so proud of them. We are thankful and committed to ongoing success
here.
I want to again publically thank all of our leadership and staff for their focus and efforts so far.
They have been great. We know that we must continue with our diligent work. As the world
determines how it must begin to start our economic and social engines again I must stress that
our operations will conduct themselves in a most conservative way. We were the first
organizations to implement restrictions. We will be the last organizations to lift restrictions.
There is no better option. If we can prevent transmission and subsequent suffering related to
this condition then we will do so..
THROUGH THE 30th OF JUNE 2020 our organizations (all four locations), in an effort to be as
conservative and proactive as possible will continue restricting ALL visitation to our facilities.
We are only allowing residents to make critical healthcare appointments as directed by our
Medical Directors and NYSDOH. Despite our optimism we know we are not out of the woods
yet.
HOWEVER, please be assured that our management team is planning how we can begin
structuring some controlled and managed visitation. We’ve begin increased socialization
among our residents within our facilities and are trying to use our green spaces more effectively
as the weather allows. We all look forward to taking more steps toward better and normal
social interactions all around.
While it is impossible to guarantee that COVID-19 will not present itself within our facilities, we
work diligently and are committed to protecting people. Your continued support with our
decisions is important and very much appreciated. Please continue with your own efforts to
minimize and hopefully eliminate transmission by following all the governmental guidelines and
directives....it is worth the effort to protect our most vulnerable.
We take great pride in our work and continue to be honored with the privilege of caring for you
and/or your loved one.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT. WE WILL RE-EVALUATE THIS
CURRENT POSITION AT THE END OF MAY AND LOOK FORWARD TO SOME LIGHTER
RESTRICTIONS AND MORE NORMAL INTERACTIONS IN THE DAYS AHEAD.
May 15, 2020
To: residents, families, visitors and local community
SUBJ: PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
The challenges with COVID management continue as we reach mid-May 2020. Our facilities
continue with significant restrictions and exercise all the measures of caution and prevention
we can to avoid the virus. With shared challenge and frustration we continue doing everything
in our power to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 to our most vulnerable population. To
date with everyone’s cooperation and diligence, we have experienced a total of six COVID cases
in a single facility in Rochester, with two staff positive cases. We remain proud of, and
optimistic with, our efforts. With 450 beds and well over 500 employees, I can’t express my
appreciation enough to all the healthcare workers who take this seriously every day. Our staff
does an excellent job and we are so proud of them. We are thankful and committed to ongoing
success here.
I want to again publically thank all of our leadership and staff for their focus and efforts so far.
They have been great. We know that we must continue with our diligent work. As the world
determines how it must begin to start our economic and social engines again I must stress that
our operations will conduct themselves in a most conservative way. We were the first
organizations to implement restrictions. We will be the last organizations to lift restrictions.
There is no better option. If we can prevent transmission and subsequent suffering related to
this condition then we will do so.
THROUGH THE 31 st OF MAYour organizations (all four locations), in an effort to be as
conservative and proactive as possible will continue restricting ALL visitation to our facilities.
We continue cancelling all non-critical medical appointments. We continue cancelling traveling
entertainment. We don’t like it either but as society begins to loosen its restrictions we need to
refocus our efforts and watch things closely possibly into the end of May. Despite our optimism
we know we are not out of the woods yet.
HOWEVER, please be assured that our management team has begun discussions and planning
for how we can begin structuring some controlled and managed visitation. We’ve also
discussed how and when we can begin some normal type interactions between residents
through activities and managed social interaction. We know we need to take steps forward and
expect some better information for everyone by months end. We are frustrated with the
situation along with everyone else but know that small subtle steps forward will allow us to
proceed safely and avoid unnecessary negative outcomes.
While it is impossible to guarantee that COVID-19 will not present itself within our facilities, we
work diligently and are committed to protecting people. Your continued support with our
decisions is important and very much appreciated. Please continue with your own efforts to
minimize and hopefully eliminate transmission by following all the governmental guidelines and
directives....it is worth the effort to protect our most vulnerable.
Lastly, I believe it is important to mention some key points specific to our organization’s efforts
to comply with recent state mandates for COVID-19 testing. As you may know recent directives
require all adult care facilities to test all personnel twice weekly. We strongly agree that testing
leads to better knowledge and awareness allowing us to provide optimal care. While we
support the intent of recent testing mandates and believe we have common goals with our
governmental leaders, the resource and supply chain statewide prohibits total compliance as
mandated, at least at the present time. At the same time, we are working diligently together to
accomplish the goals as laid out by our government. Our testing success has increased notably
in all areas and we push forward. We are optimistic support for our work will increase and
improve.
We take great pride in our work and continue to be honored with the privilege of caring for you
and/or your loved one.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT. WE WILL RE-EVALUATE THIS
CURRENT POSITION AT THE END OF MAY AND LOOK FORWARD TO SOME LIGHTER
RESTRICTIONS AND MORE NORMAL INTERACTIONS IN THE DAYS AHEAD.
April 29, 2020
To: residents, families, visitors and local community
SUBJ: PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
We are completing our second month of very active efforts to care for, preserve and protect our residents. Our facilities implemented significant restrictions and direction to all who come in contact with our residents for the purpose of doing everything in our power to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 to our most vulnerable population. To date with everyone’s cooperation and diligence, we have experienced only five COVID cases in a single facility in Rochester, with one staff positive case. The team in Rochester has worked very hard to contain this issue and provide the best care....they are doing an excellent job and we are all proud of them. In our other three facilities we continue with no cases in residents or staff. We are thankful and committed to ongoing success here.
I want to again publically thank all of our leadership and staff for their focus and efforts so far. They have been great. We know that we must continue with our diligent work. As the world determines how it must begin to start our economic and social engines again I must stress that our operations will conduct themselves in a most conservative way. We were the first organizations to implement restrictions. We will be the last organizations to lift restrictions. There is no better option. If we can prevent transmission and subsequent suffering related to this condition then we will do so.
THROUGH THE 15th OF MAY our organizations (all four locations), in an effort to be as conservative and proactive as possible will continue restricting ALL visitation to our facilities. We continue cancelling all non-critical medical appointments. We continue cancelling traveling entertainment. We don’t like it either but as society begins to loosen its restrictions we need to refocus our efforts and watch things closely possibly into the end of May. Despite our optimism we know we are not out of the woods yet.
While it is impossible to guarantee that COVID-19 will not present itself within our facilities, we work diligently and are committed to protecting people.
Your continued support with our decisions is important and very much appreciated.
Please continue with your own efforts to minimize and hopefully eliminate transmission by following all the governmental guidelines and directives....it is worth the effort to protect our most vulnerable.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT. WE WILL RE-EVALUATE THIS DECISION MID-MAY AS THINGS UNFOLD.
April 27th, 2020
Our staff and leadership continue their diligent efforts and work to manage all aspects of the current COVID-19 pandemic. We appreciate your continued support through this challenging time. We are dedicated to our work, our residents and our families as you know. We are available for questions and recognize the concerns people may have. With that said we ask for your continued patience and understanding as we continue to navigate all aspects of this topic.
The following is a link for information and resources on COVID: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home
You may also contact directly the NYSDOH via email: icp@health.ny.gov OR covidadultcareinfo@health.ny.gov OR covidnursinghomeinfo@health.ny.gov
We understand and feel the stress of this matter and want to assure everyone that our complete focus and efforts are being directed toward managing this issue.
Thank you again for your support and understanding.
April 14, 2020
A Letter from our President:
To: residents, families, visitors and local community
SUBJ: PUBLIC COMMUNICATION
One month ago our facilities implemented significant restrictions and direction to all who come in contact with our residents for the purpose of doing everything in our power to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 to our most vulnerable population. Due to everyone’s cooperation and diligence we have not experienced cases of this condition among our staff or residents. We are thankful and committed to ongoing success here.
We want to publically thank all of our leadership and staff for their focus and efforts so far. They have been great. We know that we must remain diligent in our efforts for the next 2-4 weeks. As the world determines how it must begin to start our economic and social engines again I must stress that our operations will conduct themselves in a most conservative way. We were among the first organizations to implement restrictions. We will be the last organizations to lift restrictions. There is no better option. If we can prevent transmission and subsequent suffering related to this condition then we will do so.
THROUGH THE END OF APRIL our organization (all four locations), in an effort to be as conservative and proactive as possible will continue restricting ALL visitations to our facilities. We continue cancelling all non-critical medical appointments. We continue cancelling traveling entertainment. We don’t like it either but as society begins to loosen its restrictions we need to refocus our efforts and watch things closely for the rest of the month and possibly into early May. Despite our optimism we know we are not out of the woods yet. We thank our residents, staff, and our community for the creativity and openness to finding new and innovative ways to stay connected. We personally thank everyone for the cards, the notes, the social media updates and the praise to our essential front line employees in all departments. Keep them coming – they are appreciated!!
We have not experienced influenza or COVID-19 outbreaks or cases so far. We want to keep it that way and protect our residents as best as we can. While it is impossible to guarantee that COVID-19 will not present itself within our facilities, we work diligently and are committed to protecting people.
Your continued support with our decisions is important and very much appreciated. Please continue with your own efforts to minimize and hopefully eliminate transmission by following all the governmental guidelines and directives.... it is worth the effort to protect our most vulnerable.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT. WE WILL RE-EVALUATE THIS DECISION at the end of APRIL AS THINGS UNFOLD. ON BEHALF OF OWNERS AND LEADERSHIP – RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED