Friendship Village Senior Services’ Update and Response to COVID-19 as of Friday, July 17, 2020
Dear Friends, Residents and Families of Friendship Village:
It is the end of another warm week and everyone is ready for the weekend at Friendship Villages on this Friday, July 17th, 2020.
As is everyone, we are watching the news of the surges of COVID-19 all around the country. Our local area is no exception. Friendship Villages are in the middle of the battle and we, too, have our challenges.
In our skilled nursing facilities, we are blessed to have no active cases of COVID-19 among the residents in either Chesterfield or Sunset Hills. Our teams in both facilities are doing an exceptional job of keeping the virus away and we pray for God’s continued intervention.
Residents in our Assisted Living facilities, at this time, show no signs of active COVID-19. On the Sunset Hills campus, however, we are monitoring residents very closely due to potential risk from employees who have tested positive from exposure off campus. There are currently a small number of staff from the Sunset Hills assisted living facility who have been exposed to the coronavirus off campus and a couple of them have tested positive. All positive and presumed-positive employees are under quarantine at home where they will remain until cleared. In the meantime, the staff continues to monitor resident temperatures and other symptoms at least twice per day and, at this time, no residents are exhibiting signs of COVID-19. As a further step, we will be conducting a full blanket-testing event for all residents and staff beginning on Monday, July 20th in order to know if any spread of the virus has occurred.
Independent Living residents on the Chesterfield campus were gleefully released from their voluntary quarantine on Thursday, July 16th, after two weeks in seclusion, as a precaution from potential exposure on campus two weeks ago. Two residents who had tested positive, possibly from attending an off-campus social event, have remained off campus since their test result came back. A third resident had likely contracted the virus from one of the other two before anyone knew anyone was positive. This third person has shown no illness, is doing well, is tightly quarantined, and is monitored in their living unit on campus. While the rest of the campus is no longer under quarantine, we regret that the no-visitor policy remains in effect until further notice, as a continued precaution.
On the Sunset Hills campus, there are no COVID-19 cases among Independent Living residents, and no quarantine, and visitors are allowed, but under strictly controlled conditions that include a comprehensive screening upon entering the buildings.
Just to illustrate that no person is exempt from the effects of COVID-19, even the CEO is now under quarantine at home due to possible exposure of a family member who had been in contact with someone who has since tested positive for the virus. The nose swab has been done, results are forthcoming, and quarantine is imposed until cleared. Every person is in the fight.
Still, as always, we URGE all Residents and Staff to adhere to prevention protocols, which are:
- Wear a close-fitting mask at all times when not in living units, including on or off campus
- Wash hands or hand-sanitize frequently
- Maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet from others
- Avoid making contact with others
- If symptoms are detected, immediately contact the Care Navigator or Employee Health Nurse
We appreciate everyone’s ongoing understanding of the situation. Our foremost concern is for the safety of our Residents and our employees. We thank you for your cooperation.
We are not alone. God is with us. Together, we’ve got this!