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DuPage Care Center reports COVID outbreak cleared; committee approves two residency waivers amid staffing and census updates
Summary
The committee approved two residency waivers for DuPage Care Center admissions, heard that a recent COVID wave affected staff and residents but has cleared, and received updates on masking, vaccine guidance and staffing levels and bed availability.
The DuPage County Human Services Committee approved two residency‑waiver admission requests for the DuPage Care Center during its May 20 meeting.
Janelle (DuPage Care Center staff) told members the first candidate had family and guardians who have been DuPage residents for many years; the committee approved the waiver by voice vote. The second candidate had not lived in DuPage County but family members have lived in Naperville for 21 years and the family is requesting a long‑term county‑resident consideration; that waiver was also approved.
The committee also received an operations update: the care center experienced another round of COVID that affected key staff members and residents but the outbreak had been cleared by the time of the meeting. Staff reported the most recent variant “did seem to spread more easily,” and that masking remained in place at the care center.
Nut graf: Committee members approved residency waivers that will allow two applicants to be admitted to the county care center, and heard operational updates that included an elevated but concluded COVID episode, ongoing masking, and staffing and census changes as units are brought back online after construction.
Members asked about vaccination eligibility and staff vaccination status. Staff said residents over 65 continue to receive the CDC/IDPH‑recommended vaccines for that age group and any changes in vaccine availability or eligibility will be followed according to Illinois Department of Public Health guidance; if a younger resident wanted to get a vaccine outside local guidance, family arrangements would be required.
Staff said census had climbed toward about 200 from a low near 180, that two full units were down earlier for construction and that one dementia unit recently reopened. The care center reported 12 open male beds and seven open female beds at the time of the meeting; private rooms are sometimes held open for infection control or behavioral reasons. Staffing is being adjusted to census; nursing positions were described as “predominantly full,” agency certified nursing assistant use had declined, and hiring had been strong over the prior two months.
The committee asked that staff keep members updated on the new patient care center and on any federal budget impacts affecting long‑term care funding.
