Friendship Village Senior Services’ Update and Response to COVID-19 as of Tuesday, December 8th, 2020
Dear Friends, Residents and Families of Friendship Village:
Christmas is on the way at Friendship Villages on this Tuesday, December 8th, 2020.
The numbers of COVID-positive residents in the Villages remain fairly low at this time and we ask for our Lord’s intervention and grace to help manage it.
Friendship Village Chesterfield
- Currently, still no residents in Skilled Nursing or Assisted Living who are positive for COVID-19 at this time and we are very grateful for this news. One resident is in routine quarantine following arrival from the hospital.
- There is one resident in Independent Living who is confirmed positive for COVID-19 and under quarantine and we pray for a successful recovery. Six additional residents are under quarantine due to potential exposure to COVID-19 in various places, but none have tested positive at this time.
- Chesterfield remains under a “No Visitor” policy for at this time.
- NOTE: There will be a “Drive-Through Christmas Parade on the Chesterfield campus at 11 am on Saturday, December 12th. Everyone will be excited to see record participation. Please contact the campus for information. IN CASE OF POSSIBLE INCLEMENT WEATHER, PLEASE LOOK FOR INFORMATION FROM THE CHESTERFIELD CAMPUS.
Friendship Village Sunset Hills
- In Assisted Living, seven residents remain in quarantine, down from a peak of 19 residents last week who appeared during routine testing. Most of the remaining quarantined residents will graduate over the next week. Two residents are currently being treated in higher levels of care.
- There are currently no Independent Living residents in apartments with COVID-19 at this time. Five residents are being treated for COVID in higher levels of care either in the Care Center of in the hospital and we pray for their recovery.
- The Skilled Nursing Facility has eight positive residents in quarantine and three in the hospital. We do know, however, that while residents are coming off of the COVID list, many are frail and continue to be in great need and the care teams are doing everything possible to nurse them back to health, COVID or no COVID. We pray for strong recovery for all, and for the continuous selfless service our caregivers are providing. It is a difficult situation for everyone involved.
- Sunset Hills remains under a “No Visitor” at this time.
- NOTE: There is much buzz about the December 12th “Drive-by Christmas Parade.” The parade begins at 1:30 pm but cars will begin lining up well before that. We are excited to see what happens! Please contact the campus if further information is needed. IN CASE OF POSSIBLE INCLEMENT WEATHER, PLEASE LOOK FOR INFORMATION FROM THE SUNSET HILLS CAMPUS.
Many employees have been affected by COVID-19, as has the rest of the general population in and around St. Louis County. We have been blessed to have come over the peak number of affected employees that was experienced over the past week and that most employees are back at work, caring for residents as they do so well.
Upcoming COVID-19 Vaccination Plans
- Both Villages are included in the State COVID-19 Vaccination Plan.
- Of the several “phases” in the plan, Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living residents and employees are first in line in Phase 1A.
- We anticipate that the first vaccination on campus is slated to occur on December 21st. Consent forms are soon to be distributed to the appropriate persons.
- Seniors over the age of 65 are included in Phase 1C, to be administered as the necessary quantity of vaccine becomes available.
- A national pharmacy provider has been designated to provide the Phase 1A vaccinations and they have made initial contact with our Skilled Nursing Facilities.
Our thanks go out to all who have shown such wonderful support and said prayers for our residents and staff. Please continue to pray with us as we fight this fight.