Friendship Village Senior Services’ Update and Response to COVID-19 as of Tuesday, November 24th, 2020
Dear Friends, Residents and Families of Friendship Village:
The Thanksgiving holiday is almost here at Friendship Villages on this Tuesday, November 24th, 2020.
The status of COVID-19 has not changed much since our report on Friday, November 20th and we refer you to that report just below this edition, except for these few changes:
- The Chesterfield campus still has no residents who are positive for COVID-19.
- Sunset Hills Skilled Nursing still has multiple residents who are now in recovery phases from having tested positive for COVID-19. The staff, also afflicted by the coronavirus, is working hard and long hours caring for all of our residents in the best ways they can, and they are seeing success.
- Sunset Hills Assisted Living did discover 8 residents who tested positive over the weekend and all are doing well in-house. One has been admitted to the hospital but for other illnesses not directly linked to COVID-19.
- Sunset Hills Independent Living residents, all of whom have been under voluntary self-quarantine for almost a week, appear to have contained the recent spread of COVID, and we are very grateful for this positive news. The number of affected residents affected by the initial wave is shrinking as they recover and emerge from their 14 days of observation. Still eight days to go toward our goal of eradication and we are looking forward to getting back to zero.
While it pains us to suggest this, we caution any residents who wish to leave campus for Thanksgiving from doing so for right now. We all like to assume that family members could not possibly spread COVID-19 to us BUT, we have learned, first-hand, that this was a major contributor in starting the recent spate of the virus in independent living. If the pull of visiting family over Thanksgiving is completely irresistible, we urge everyone to thoroughly follow the precautions that have been communicated over the past nine months (wear a mask at all times, maintain social distancing, make no physical contact, wash and sanitize hands frequently). Knowing this is virtually impossible when visiting family in their homes for Thanksgiving, residents are highly encouraged to stay-in this time. We all wish this was not the case.
Please pray with us as we continue our fight to protect our residents and staff. It’s a fight worthy of the best we can give.
The Lord is with us.
FRIENDSHIP VILLAGE VISITOR POLICY
In an effort to combat the swell of COVID-19 currently occurring in the surrounding communities and at Friendship Villages, and in support of St. Louis County restrictions, the following measures are in effect:
No visitors are permitted on campus for Independent Living residents until further notice:
- All entrants to the campus will be met by courteous security personnel.
- No visitors to Independent Living residents will be permitted to enter.
- Those wishing to drop-off packages for Independent Living and Care Center residents will be permitted to do so at a central location.
- Those wishing to drop-off packages for Assisted Living and Memory Care will be screened and permitted to proceed to that facility to do so.
- Essential workers and caregivers will be permitted to enter the building through the Clubhouse entrance. Contract and personal caregivers must be on an approved list through the Care Navigator. If not on the list, security personnel will be able to assist in making contact.
- Residents are strongly encouraged to remain on campus and to only leave campus for essential trips for medical appointments or critical supplies. This includes visits to families for Thanksgiving. Such visits are not prohibited, but strongly discouraged in the interest of minimizing exposure to COVID-19 and bringing it back to the Village.
- The Village can assist in acquiring essential supplies. Please contact the Concierge.
- At SUNSET HILLS, residents are under voluntary self-quarantine in their living quarters that began on November 18th. This action is intended to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 that is present on campus.
- At CHESTERFIELD, there is no current request for voluntary self-quarantine, but residents are highly discouraged from any in-unit visiting and any physical contact. Wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing is always the order of the day.
- Families of residents in the Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing facilities must adhere to policies established by those facilities. Please contact the appropriate facility for details.