Posted: April 3, 2020
“At least I am not isolated by myself. I still get to see people and talk with others. The staff is wonderful they even deliver my meals to my apartment!”
With coronavirus identified in some senior living communities, you might be thinking, why would I move to a senior community? Here’s what residents tell us:
Many people rely on restaurants to eat and don’t cook for themselves. With the current closure of restaurants and empty shelves at many grocery stores because of panicked hoarding. At Casey’s Pond, we continue to provide high-quality meals delivered directly to resident apartments. Each meal is a chance to see a friendly face, enjoy a hot meal, and maintain balanced nutrition. Residents also love traveling happy hour and the “ice cream truck” rolling down the hall.
Our dedicated staff is an extension of residents’ families. After following all proper infection control and safety protocols, team members continue to show up daily in resident apartments and suites, providing care as well as much-needed human interaction.
Recently, teams got creative keeping residents busy and cheerful with activities like daily brain games, hallway bingo, and SingFit music. Whether it’s opening apartment windows to outdoor musical performances or having a plant starter delivered to nurture in their apartment, residents love the friendly faces of our staff and appreciate the enrichment these interactions provide.
Social distancing has made technology more valuable than ever before, but the reality is that many older adults don’t have the latest devices in their homes to communicate with loved ones during self-quarantine.
Casey’s Pond is equipped with technology to help residents stay connected with their family and friends. Residents and their families can sign up online for a team member-assisted virtual chat with Facetime or Skype. This helps ensure residents don’t miss important milestones during this time of isolation with friends, children, and grandchildren.
Even with proper social distancing, all are at risk for COVID-19. In a community, residents have immediate access to trained medical professionals. In Assisted Living, Memory Support, and Skilled Nursing, residents are monitored on a daily basis and when illness occurs, it can be more quickly treated. Those same professionals are also educated when it comes to taking extensive steps to prevent illness from spreading to other residents.
The clinical teams in our senior living communities receive daily briefings from government and health professionals and are able to keep residents informed with accurate, up-to-date information. These teams adapt that information into evolving protocols and procedures, and provide immediate training to all team members. Highly trained and experienced team members know the protocols for preventing viruses, and they are equipped with proper protective gear and the appropriate disinfectants.