Friendship Village Senior Services’ Update and Response to COVID-19 as of Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Dear Friends, Residents and Families of Friendship Village:
The weather is a bit dreary today but there is some great excitement in the air at Friendship Villages on this Wednesday, April 29, 2020.
We have an astonishing bit of terrific news today.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Rudy Heider! Rudy is a Resident in our Chesterfield skilled nursing facility and had previously tested positive for COVID-19. Today, he graduates from our COVID Care Center. And, while that is, indeed, great news, the greater news is that, today, Rudy turns 107 years old!
As of today:
- The Sunset Hills campus remains completely COVID-19-free at all levels of care.
- The Chesterfield campus remains COVID-19-free in Independent Living and Assisted Living. In the skilled nursing facility, today’s status includes:
- 4 Residents in the hospital being treated for COVID-19
- 1 Resident in the hospital awaiting test results (not known if positive or negative)
- 3 Residents who have graduated from our DOVID Care Center and have returned to their accommodations
- 1 Resident graduating today from the COVID Care Center, on his 107th birthday!
- And we are very saddened to have had two Residents who did pass who had other conditions and were ultimately tipped over the edge by complications from the coronavirus. And one Resident who has passed whose test results for COVID-19 have not yet been returned.
Our teams, everywhere, are highly engaged providing the very best in care and services possible for our Residents. Supplies and equipment are readily available and used when needed. Entertainment opportunities are plentiful and many Residents are getting involved in a lot of the programming that our teams have put together for them.
Mother’s Day Parade!
Our Residents have been doing an exceptional job of supporting our No-Visitor policy now for many weeks. To celebrate, we are going to open the campuses for a one-time Mother’s Day Parade. We will soon publish the rules for the parade but we will continue to maintain a very strict “No Contact” policy during this parade, but everyone will have an opportunity to wave, make posters, toot some horns and have a good time – from a distance. We are very excited to do this and we hope you are, as well. More information to follow!
No Visitor Policy Still in Full Effect
As many would expect, all of the security and no-visitor policies remain in full effect at all locations as we continue to combat the coronavirus. We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of all involved, Residents and families alike.
Although the State of Missouri will begin lifting some stay at home orders in the coming week or so, St. Louis County is not yet scheduled to do so, and neither is Friendship Village. We plan to maintain our vigilance as it is currently until a time when we feel there will be an opportunity to safely begin relaxing some of our measures, but that time is not now. Our No-Visitor Policy remains in effect until further notice. We appreciate your continued understanding and cooperation.
Gift-Giving in Appreciation of our Staff is Open on our FriendshipVillageSTL.com website:
Many family members and Residents have inquired as to how to donate a gift of appreciation for the staff for their service during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our website at FriendshipVillageSTL.com now has an easy-to-use tab to use in making contributions for the staff and we thank all of you for considering a gift. As funds are collected, we will identify the best use of those funds in order to do the most that can be done for our employees. Every gift is appreciated, large and small.
As always, all of us thank you all for your continued prayers as we continually ask our Lord Jesus Christ to enable us to do our best to fend-off the COVID-19 coronavirus and to maintain the safety and protection of our Residents and staff.