Bergen Geriatric Care’s
Covid-19 Initiative and Updates
All team members at BGC take infection precautions very seriously. We feel strongly that transparency is essential to battle the spread of the virus while continuing to care for our patients.
All of our providers and clinical staff have been fully vaccinated against the Covid-19 virus. We strongly support the ongoing vaccination efforts and look forward to transitioning toward more normalcy in the future. In the meantime, we continue to practice all safety protocols, exceeding CDC guidelines, in order to ensure the safety and well being of our patients and our staff. Masking, distancing, and strict hygiene regimens continue to be a part of our regular practice. This minimizes the risk for exposure to the patient and providers.
Below are some helpful links for your reference
regarding the Covid-19 vaccine:
We wish everyone continued good health and well-being.
Resources
New Patients
To all our patients, please take a few minutes to complete our health questionnaires for us to provide the highest level of comprehensive quality care. We care genuinely about the health and safety of our patients and take every measure available to ensuring their well being.
To become a new patient, please call the office at 201.387.2003.
Covid-19
Information on Antibody Tests
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/testing/serology-overview.html
Interim Guidelines for COVID-19 Antibody Testing|
Centers for Disease Control
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/resources/antibody-tests-guidelines.html
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
World Health Organization
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
Home Centered Care Institute (HCC)
https://www.hccinstitute.org/about/covid-19-information-hub/
Covid-19 Antibody Testing
https://www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/Documents/COVID-19-Antibody-Testing%20Graphic.pdf
Goals of Care
Prepare for Your Care
https://prepareforyourcare.org/welcome
Compassion and Choices
https://compassionandchoices.org
The Conversation Project
https://theconversationproject.org
Colorado Program for Patient Centered Decisions
https://patientdecisionaid.org
Planning for Future Medical Decisionshttps://www.elderguru.com/downloads/your_life_your_choices_advance_directives.pdf
Advanced Care Planning
Understandably, matters relating to end of life and incapacity are difficult to discuss, however it enables physicians and clinical care staff to provide the type of health care that an individual expresses he or she prefers. If a loved one is unable to make such decisions for him or herself, our goal is to provide care that honors the wishes our patient.
We encourage you to discuss your feelings and beliefs about these subjects with those who may become responsible for making decisions for you such as family members, friends and your physician. Advanced directives provide an important written statement of your wishes to others, but discussing your wishes with others is the key to ensuring that your wishes are understood. Candid conversation can significantly reduce the chance of disagreements occurring between those who care for you, and may relieve your loved ones of some of the heavy burdens of decision making, while lending additional assurance that your wishes will be respected.
An Advance Health Care Directive (Advance Directive) is a document in which you give instructions about your health care if, in the future, you cannot speak for yourself. You may appoint someone to make health care decisions for you. You may give instructions about the kind of health care you do or do not want.
In a traditional Living Will, you state what your wishes are regarding life-sustaining medical treatments if you should become terminally ill. In a Health Care Power of Attorney, you appoint someone else to make medical treatment decisions for you if you are unable to make them for yourself. The Advance Directive combines and expands the traditional Living Will and Health Care Power of Attorney into a single comprehensive document.
POLST (Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) is an approach to improving end-of-life care, encouraging doctors to speak with patients and create specific medical orders to be honored by health care workers during a medical crisis. A POLST form is a legal document for people with advanced illness that specifies the type of care that individual would like in a medical emergency.
For your reference/consideration, please download forms for Durable Power of Attorney (Health Care Proxy,) POLST and DNR (Do Not Resuscitate).
Vaccinations
Part of optimizing preventive healthcare includes vaccinating against avoidable infections.
The following vaccines are indicated in our senior population:
-
TdaP (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis)
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Shingles
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Pnemovax (PPV23)
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Prevnar (PCV13)
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Flu
Please review Vaccination Information Statements, created by the CDC to inform patients and families of vaccination benefits and risks. These information guides can be found at www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/vis/current-vis.html
Falls
National Council on Aging
www.ncoa.org/improve-health/center-for-healthy-aging/falls-prevention/
Helpful links and Organizations
Although we understand that the internet may be a source of medical information, not all websites are necessarily accurate
and thus might be misleading. We would suggest the following links for your consideration:
National Institute on Aging
www.nihseniorhealth.gov/category/healthyaging.html
National Council on Aging
www.ncoa.org/improve-health/center-for-healthy-aging
Centers for Disease Control
American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP)
https://www.aafp.org/home.html
https://www.aarp.org/caregiving/local/info-2019/national-resources-for-caregivers.html
Coalition to Transform Advanced Care (C-TAC)
Center to Advance Palliative Care
Dementia Directive
Planning for Future Medical Decisions
https://www.elderguru.com/downloads/your_life_your_choices_advance_directives.pdf
National Institute on Aging
https://respectingchoices.org/
The John A. Hartford Foundation (JAHF)
https://www.johnahartford.org/