It’s hard to believe we are nine months into the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of focusing on the old ‘normal’ we’re choosing to look at what we’ve learned from this experience and how we continue to enhance and bring vibrancy to the lives of our residents. We appreciate the patience our families have during this time. We recognize the difficulty due to COVID-19 and ask for your continued involvement and patience as we work toward our new normal daily.
As we all continue to do our part, Vitality’s residents, team members, and families are adapting beautifully to our “new normal.” Here’s how.
Are you caring for a loved one yourself? At Vitality, we know it isn’t easy. That’s why we created a resource to help make caregiving days go a little more smoothly. The Caregiver’s Checklist: Supporting an Aging Parent covers a wide variety of topics ranging from creating a safe home environment to how to recognize the signs a senior needs more assistance. Download it with our compliments today!
Diligently Protecting Our Residents and Team
Although businesses in your local area may be easing some COVID-19 restrictions, it’s important to remember that senior living providers must follow (and want to follow) much more stringent protocols based on federal, state and local guidelines. Our residents are the population affected most negatively by COVID-19. Their safety is our top priority, which is why we remain 100 percent committed to limiting exposure to our residents, families and team members. As such we’re asking families to remain patient with our visitation policies and asking our team members to use caution and to respect social distancing, hand washing, and limiting personal exposure while not at work.
We’re also following these guidelines in our communities:
Residents
Engagement is limited to small groups and in settings where 6 feet of distance between individuals can be maintained.
Residents are asked to wear masks when out of their apartments.
Assisted Living and Independent Living residents have the option of limited distanced-dining or room service in their apartment.
In Memory Care, dining areas are set-up to accommodate social distancing of 6 feet between individuals.
All residents have their temperature checked multiple times daily and oxygen saturation is tested at the same time.
- Engagement is limited to small groups and in settings where 6 feet of distance between individuals can be maintained.
- Residents are asked to wear masks when out of their apartments.
- Assisted Living and Independent Living residents have the option of limited distanced-dining or room service in their apartment.
- In Memory Care, dining areas are set-up to accommodate social distancing of 6 feet between individuals.
- All residents have their temperature checked multiple times daily and oxygen saturation is tested at the same time.
Team Members
- Frequent disinfecting of commonly touched environmental surfaces to decrease environmental contamination.
- Team members providing direct care wear PPE.
- All team members are equipped with proper PPE in the event of a positive COVID-19 case.
- Team members complete the screening questionnaire and have temperature taken as well oxygen saturation tested daily.
- Must strictly adhere to CDC hand washing and hand sanitizer guidelines.
- Frequent disinfecting of commonly touched environmental surfaces to decrease environmental contamination.
- Team members providing direct care wear PPE.
- All team members are equipped with proper PPE in the event of a positive COVID-19 case.
- Team members complete the screening questionnaire and have temperature taken as well oxygen saturation tested daily.
- Must strictly adhere to CDC hand washing and hand sanitizer guidelines.
In addition, current residents and team members who exhibit potential symptoms and/or who have had potential exposure are tested for COVID-19. Potential new team members are also tested before their start date.
Continuing to Enjoy Life, Safely
Our mission at Vitality is to create vibrant communities where residents, families and team members can be themselves, live purposefully and experience a profound sense of belonging. We’re proving that we won’t let COVID-19 stop us from fulfilling that mission as our team members continue coming together with creative ways for our residents to find joy in each day including:
Encouraging independent leisure activities by passing out cards with recommended exercises on them as well as games and puzzles.
Creation of a virtual series called Vitality Talks that provides live and recorded content to enhance the lives of seniors. It’s available to non-residents and families too!
Use of technology that gives residents the opportunity to enjoy virtual field trips and concerts as well as making computers and/or devices available to connect residents with friends and families through FaceTime and Skype.
Drive-by parades where families and others in the local area participate with signs of love and support.
- Encouraging independent leisure activities by passing out cards with recommended exercises on them as well as games and puzzles.
- Creation of a virtual series called Vitality Talks that provides live and recorded content to enhance the lives of seniors. It’s available to non-residents and families too!
- Use of technology that gives residents the opportunity to enjoy virtual field trips and concerts as well as making computers and/or devices available to connect residents with friends and families through FaceTime and Skype.
- Drive-by parades where families and others in the local area participate with signs of love and support.
In communities where in-person visits aren’t yet available, we offer window visits between residents and loved ones and even encourage fun conversation topics as well as games like window Tic Tac Toe and Show & Share. All visits need to be scheduled. Contact the community for specifics and to schedule your visit today.
Check out our community Facebook feeds to see other creative ways we’re keeping life vibrant while staying safe! We also provide daily updates via Facebook in each of our communities.
YourLife of Palm Beach Gardens
Ensuring Confidence for New Residents
We know it can be stressful to consider a move to senior living right now, but we also know that the need for care often isn’t something that can be postponed. We are also learning how vital it is to be around others and that social isolation has many negative effects.
It’s our desire that potential new residents and their families to feel confident in choosing Vitality with these move-in protocols:
New move-ins are tested 72 hours prior to move-in date and on day 7 after move-in.
New residents are asked to shelter in their apartments until after the second COVID-19 test is negative.
- New move-ins are tested 72 hours prior to move-in date and on day 7 after move-in.
- New residents are asked to shelter in their apartments until after the second COVID-19 test is negative.
What’s more, you might be surprised to learn that senior living offers a number of ways to limit exposure to COVID-19, potentially even more so than at home including:
Having everything needed under one roof so residents avoid public touchpoints.
Safety checks for those entering the community as well as limited visitor access to the community.
Strong supply chain so residents never have to worry about out-of-stock necessities.
Trained healthcare staff experienced with outbreaks and 24-hour staffing to watch for symptoms and offer prompt support.
The most up-to-date cleaning and social distancing protocols are followed.
- Having everything needed under one roof so residents avoid public touchpoints.
- Safety checks for those entering the community as well as limited visitor access to the community.
- Strong supply chain so residents never have to worry about out-of-stock necessities.
- Trained healthcare staff experienced with outbreaks and 24-hour staffing to watch for symptoms and offer prompt support.
- The most up-to-date cleaning and social distancing protocols are followed.
As always, we are closely monitoring the situation and will adjust policies as set by state and federal officials. To learn more about senior living at Vitality, contact us to schedule a virtual tour.
