ASSISTED LIVING HOMES RESTRICTING VISITORS
Seniors in assisted living find ways to socialize despite distancing rules
CHICO >> Assisted living centers have restricted visits from family members to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, a move prompted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, California Department of Health and the Butte County Public Health Department.
The California Department of Health announced Wednesday, assisted care facilities cannot allow visits from family members unless the resident is near death or in hospice care. Only medical personnel can enter to meet with a resident.
Area assisted living homes, Windchime Assisted Living, The Terraces, Amber Grove Place and Prestige Assisted Living, all confirmed they are not accepting visitors at this time.
Amber Grove Place’s Executive Director Tony Greer said the center is currently taking a number of measures to prevent contact with residents as much as possible.
For example, the center displays signage at the entrance asking all visitors to restrict entrance except if entering to provide medical assistance or home health care, as well as a hand sanitation station.
“It’s a little bit different since we’re a dementia unit and we already encourage social distancing,” Greer said.
As of 6 p.m. Tuesday, the California Department of Public Health has confirmed 589 confirmed cases of COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, in the state. Of these cases, 392 were aged 18-64, and 188 were 65 or older.
Greer said that the center is following direction from Governor Gavin Newsom who said on Sunday that visitors to assisted living and skilled nursing facilities are limited to family members during end-of-life situations and health care workers.
“If they are near death, we would make arrangements for no more than two people at a time,” Greer said. “Depending on what’s going on, we may put them in an isolation area away from residents so they could visit with their loved ones.”
Otherwise, no family members can visit for 30 days, he said.
Greer also said all staff are now screened upon entry, a process that’s now required for all employees of assisted living homes.
“We’re doing a screening process for everyone,” he said. “Our staff gets screened every day — their temperature is taken, they have to fill out a questionnaire about how they’re feeling, have they had any out of the country travel, have they had any contact with anyone suspected of coronavirus or confirmed coronavirus.”
Although this period can be hard for families, Greer said residents’ relatives have been cooperative.
“There’s been people that are concerned that reached out to me,” Greer said. “Everyone is very understanding about it. I thought maybe I would get a lot of flak about it but everyone, once they understand it, is very cooperative.”
Apart but together
At The Terraces, Executive Director Tracy Freudendahl said other solutions have been deployed to encourage social distancing among residents.
While residents are “allowed to roam the grounds,” they are asked to practice distancing from each other.
When movies are shown, which usually takes place each night, anyone attending cannot sit next to each other and must maintain their space from other viewers.
The same applies to popular events like bingo night, which is “a big deal for us here,” Freudendahl said.
Usually the bingo event consists of 20-30 players. Now, only nine chairs with one caller can be present for each game.
Still, visitors will try to make contact with residents.
A local bible study group, though not allowed to enter the premises, sometimes brings its choir “to sing on the sidewalk, and people come to their windows,” Freudendahl said.
“Some people, God love them, even drive up to the patio and say hi,” she added.
Freudendahl mentioned that as some residents already don’t want to go out to pick up supplies and medication, staff members will make trips to the grocery store for them.
She recalled a resident’s daughter-in-law who offered to pick up supplies for other residents anytime they are needed.
“I thought that was just adorable,” she said.
Staying in touch
For the time being, the restriction of visits to most residents will be in place for 30 days before likely reevaluating, Greer said.
In reference to the state’s health department’s evaluating process,” They’ll probably be monitoring every two to four weeks to track cases,” he said. “I get the feeling that federal, state and local authorities are communicating the same message very well right now.”
Greer said he encourages anyone with family members in an assisted living facility to reach out for clarification.
“Make sure you know your loved one’s being cared for,” he said. “I highly suggest calling the community your loved one is in and say what’s going on? Get updates … Make sure they let you know what’s going every few days.”
Greer suggested trying video and phone calls to reach family members during this time.
“Do FaceTime, try Skype — or just give them a call,” he said.