By Tim
Mullaney | March 6, 2020
Senior living providers across the country are
taking steps to guard against COVID-19 and have protocols in place
should the novel coronavirus infect residents or staff members. But the
situation is most urgent for providers with a significant footprint in
Washington state, where the first U.S. coronavirus deaths occurred and where
the virus has already infiltrated one senior care facility.
“This started in Washington, so we probably
have a closer view of it than people who don’t operate there,” Aegis Living
President Kris Engskov told Senior Housing News.
Bellevue, Washington-based Aegis has nearly 20
operational assisted living and memory care communities in the state. The
company began planning weeks ago for the “inevitability” of COVID-19 appearing
in the United States, but the company has taken more “extraordinary” measures
in the last few days, Engskov said.
No coronavirus cases have been reported in
Aegis communities, but the company is in close contact with public health
authorities in Washington, and is determined to meet or exceed all state and
federal guidelines related to coronavirus, he said. Among the protocols in
place are:
— Enhanced daily disinfection procedures at
communities
— Emergency stores of food, disposable and
washable protective wear and other supplies that might be needed
— More intensive monitoring and screening of
visitors and vendors, to ensure they are not displaying COVID-19 symptoms
— Cancellation of meetings and other events
that would have involved a significant number of visitors to communities
— Daily leadership team meetings to assess the
latest information
— Changes in food service, including
suspending grab-and-go bistro offerings
Proactive communication with residents, their
families and Aegis staff members is also crucial, Engskov said. The goal of
communication is not only to relay information but to enlist the help of
everyone who interacts with Aegis.
“In the very first letter we sent over the
weekend to families, we were very clear that we were sending this to let them
know what we were doing but also ask for their help, because the more people
that come into a community unnecessarily, there’s a higher risk,” Engskov said.
Aegis is facilitating phone calls or video
connections between residents and family members, and family members are being
“incredibly cooperative,” he added.
Previously scheduled move-ins are proceeding,
he said, but tours for prospective residents are being curtailed.
Aegis is acting with an abundance of caution
because, as COVID-19 is a new virus, there are uncertainties around potential
impacts.
“We don’t know what we don’t know,” Engskov
said. “ … This is pretty fast moving.”
That uncertainty and the rapidly evolving
situation create anxiety, but Engskov also stressed that “everybody should
remain calm.” He agrees with comments made by Welltower CEO Tom
DeRosa, that senior living providers already have extensive experience with
infection control related to the seasonal influenza, meaning communities
already have policies and procedures in place to limit exposure to the virus
and care for anyone who should become infected.
Other providers, both those based in
Washington and others around the country, are taking similar actions related to
coronavirus.
Seattle-based Merrill Gardens released a
letter and a video of the company’s president, Tana Gall, explaining steps
being taken related to coronavirus and sharing a hotline number for anyone with
additional questions. Gall conveyed many of the same points as Engskov.
“This is a rapidly evolving situation, and
while it’s important to remain calm, we also want to ensure the health and
safety of our residents, team members in our communities,” Gall said. “ … While
this virus is new to us, our community teams have years of experience in
handling other contagious diseases such as the flu, and our teams are
well-trained in our protocols.”
Brentwood, Tennessee-based Brookdale Senior
Living (NYSE: BKD) is the nation’s largest provider and operates several
communities in Washington state. Like Merrill Gardens, Brookdale released a
video in which CEO Cindy Baier explains steps the company has taken related to
coronavirus, and Brookdale also released a toolkit of COVID-19 resources. These
resources include template letters to external audiences and business partners,
requesting that they curtain non-essential community visits.
Given that it is a newly identified virus,
much remains to be learned about COVID-19. However, one fact has become
increasingly clear as infections have spread across the globe: the virus is
especially dangerous for older adults.
“The elderly are particularly at risk from the
coronavirus, so I think we have a responsibility to take whatever precautions
are necessary to protect residents and staff,” Engskov said.
No comments:
Post a Comment