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Our Response to COVID-19

At St. Luke Lutheran Community, the health and safety, as well as the physical, social, and spiritual well-being of our residents is of utmost importance and priority. The residents we serve are cared about deeply, and we take our responsibility of providing care for them seriously. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, our level of care and sanitization have been elevated as we work even harder than before to protect our residents and staff.

Following strategic guidelines from the Stark County Health Department and Ohio Department of Health, we are working diligently to limit and prevent the possible transmission of coronavirus.

Up-to-date, preliminary positive case numbers for our facility can be found at coronavirus.ohio.org.

The following rules and procedures have been implemented across our North Canton assisted living and skilled nursing facilities in an effort to diminish the spread of the virus:

  • Public health officials are notified as required, and guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control, Ohio Department of Health, and Stark County Health Department are implemented and followed
  • Positive residents are relocated to an isolation unit and their physicians and responsible parties are notified
  • Resident emergency contacts and staff are notified of any positive cases through phone, text, and email notifications
  • Only authorized staff members have access to the COVID isolation units and wear full PPE (personal protective equipment) while providing care
  • Air Scrubbers have been installed in our COVID isolation units
  • All staff members and vendors must wear an N95 face mask and a face shield while in the building
  • We practice social distancing and encourage it among our residents through enhanced in-room activities. Staff members practice social distancing in common areas like the employee break room by sitting at individual, separated tables. Both staff and residents perform proper hand hygiene procedures
  • All staff members and vendors are screen for signs and symptoms upon entering and exiting the facility
  • Visitor access to the building has been temporarily suspended until further notice
  • Testing for staff and residents has been increased to every 3-7 days
  • Positive staff members are removed from the scheduled, instructed to follow up with a physician, and cannot return to work until cleared by their local health department
  • All staff have been educated on the proper use of PPE and proper hand hygiene procedures
  • An additional infection control nurse educator has been added to our team to ensure heightened infection control measures are followed
  • Effected living areas, as well as common “high-touch” areas throughout the facility, are sprayed using an electrostatic disinfectant sprayer
  • Wavelength UV portable sanitation units have been purchased to further aid in disinfection processes

Unfortunately, despite our efforts, like so many other nursing care communities who have experienced similar challenges, we can confirm that some of our residents have tested positive for COVID-19, and that some of those residents have passed. We are extremely saddened that the pandemic has touched our facility in this way, and we extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of our residents.

Your continued prayers and patience is greatly appreciated as we work to protect our residents and staff while limiting and preventing additional transmission. The need for faith-based care doesn’t stop during a time of crisis, and neither will we.