ILU Covid Protocol Update – 5/21/2020

Although the Governor implemented Phase 1 of re-opening, this does not mean Brandermill Woods will be following the same guidelines. According to the Health Department, Senior Living Facilities will fall in the last Phases of re-opening. Since we care for the population that is most at risk for complications from COVID-19, we need to be strategic, paced and deliberate in this decision for the safety of our residents and staff.

• Independent Living Screening: All independent living residents returning to the community will be screened upon their return. This will include a simple temperature check conducted at the entrance of our Independent Living community. If you happen to return after 5:00 P.M. we would ask that you come to the Clubhouse to be screened by the front desk.

• Many residents and family members have asked about testing at Independent Living (IL). Based on guidelines from the Health Department, we will not do a mass testing of IL employees because we don’t have any positive cases on the IL campus. We have had some IL residents and staff get tested on their own, all of which have resulted as negative results. If and when the Health Departments recommend a Point Prevalence Survey of all IL residents and staff (this would only be if we got at least one positive case), we would do so. Obtaining the quantity of tests needed for this type of program continues to be a struggle. Residents and staff have been told if they wish to try and get tested on their own, they may do so. Please let the Wellness Nurses know if you choose to get tested and the results. Many doctors/facilities won’t test someone who is not showing symptoms and hasn’t had direct contact with a person who has a confirmed case of COVID-19.

Dining Updates

• We will keep dining services the way it’s running now. In the future, we may consider opening the deck and patio off of The Bistro at 50% capacity, per the Governor’s order. Updates will be posted on BWTV channel 970.
• Dining – In order for our kitchen to maintain the high-volume of quality and efficient take-out orders, we have to limit the number of choices. In order to help you maximize your dining allowance for the next 30 days, we have decided to give each resident an additional $100 for your next meal plan period beginning on 4/16. The residents who live in the apartments will receive $300 per resident ($600/couple) starting on their 4/16 meal period. The residents who live in the Cottages will receive the same amounts starting on their 5/1 meal period. This is a temporary change and will be re-evaluated in 30 days. The Grab and Go will be open from 1:30 – 3:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday to sell items such as wine, homemade soup, cookies and soft drinks (only while supplies last).
• Management has discontinued in-house Dining at The Bistro, Oscar’s and Lounge (i.e. Happy Hour). Take out “To-Go” services only. You will have a choice of 4 entrees, and the salad, fruit and dessert will be chef’s choice. Menus will be posted daily on BWTV channel 970. For take-out orders, please call extension 252 between 11:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Sundays. Allow 15-20 minutes until your meal will be ready for pick-up in the Living Room. Delivery, for a charge, is available for those unable to pick-up. Dining Services are only offered to residents. If you live in a Cottage and picking up a meal, please go to the exterior Living Room door. Do not walk through the building. The staff will meet you at the door to hand you the bag; do not touch the to-go bags on the tables or enter the Living Room exterior door. You may drive, use the Shuttle or walk. Residents who live in the Apartments will pick up their meals from the Living Room. This will help us with the requirements that Gov. Northam just put into place that no more than 10 people should be in a restaurant at any given time. If you’ve reached the voicemail on the to-go extensions, please don’t leave a message. Please call back.

Visitor Guidelines

• Please remember that medically necessary family members who have to enter units should ONLY stay in the units to complete the necessary task. Extending the stay does not align with meeting our safety protocols.
• A large banner has been placed at the front of the community stating NO VISITORS. This applies to residents in the Apartments AND Cottages. Only medically necessary health providers are allowed on campus and they must come to the Clubhouse main entrance for screening. If you see someone and you’re concerned they shouldn’t be on property or you see someone entering a door other than the Clubhouse main entrance, please call the Front Desk. The Clubhouse Front Door Main Entrance is locked. Residents may enter with a fob. A phone will be located outside the Clubhouse Front Door for anyone trying to visit the Clubhouse. There will be posted instructions for non-residents, medically necessary visitors to call the Receptionist (or Security after hours) to be screened prior to entering the building. Medically necessary providers will not be allowed to enter the building if they have a temperature of 99.6 or greater or if they fail the Risk Assessment Screening Questions. Updated questions are located under the COVID-19 icon on Resident Apps. Any medically necessary visitors are not permitted to visit any of the common or dining areas.
• We are maintaining an approved medically necessary visitors list until further notice. This list will include those who have to enter your homes such as caregivers, home health, hospice, and any person who organizes medicine. This list will also include those who do not enter your homes such as dropping off groceries, dropping off medicine or walking a pet. ONLY visitors on this list will be allowed on property. Residents must call Kristen at 521-8273 to add your medically necessary visitor to the list. If you have a last-minute addition after-hours, please call the Front Desk to make them aware of your visitor. We will have stationed staff members at the Front Entrance of the Community when available to monitor visitors. All drop-offs to the apartments must be left at the Clubhouse Front Door. Please remind anyone dropping off items for residents in the Cottages to leave items at the doorstep. Do not enter the unit.
• If your family would like to drop off flowers (no trees or shrubs) to be planted at your unit, the staff will be available to assist in planting them. Please call the Front Desk at ext. 250 to coordinate.
• Brandermill Woods vendors and contractors are no longer allowed on property. Only vendors that are here for an emergency or delivery are allowed on property.
• Please don’t have flowers or baked goods delivered to the residents at The HCC/Haven to decrease the risk of exposure. The HCC/Haven are not allowing any visitors.
• We will NOT allow the following outside specialists on the community until further notice. This includes the Massage Therapist, Audiologist, Podiatrist, Nail and Hair Technicians.
• We have closed West Addition entrance to medically necessary visitors. Residents may still use this entrance.

On-Site Guidelines

• We would like to strongly discourage any unnecessary trips off campus since this could expose the entire community. Residents can leave campus to take a drive to nowhere. If residents need emergency car maintenance, then we recommend calling the auto repair shop and question their process on keeping compliant with the Governors mandates. We can mail and send out small packages, so trips to the USPS/FedEx/UPS stores can be avoided.
• Face Masks are now required for all staff and approved visitors if they come in contact with residents. Disposable surgical masks are suggested but handmade masks may also be used. We are now requiring that all residents coming into the common areas/hallways wear masks or cover their face for their own protection and the protection of others. Please remember to cover your nose and mouth with the mask, and do not remove the mask to talk to someone. If you need a cloth mask, please call Activities at ext. 209 and leave a message.
• What does quarantine mean? The resident will stay in their unit (porch is allowed) during the 14-day period. The resident can walk around the outside community grounds with a face mask and following social distancing but not walk in the common areas. Housekeeping and maintenance will not be allowed in the unit. Meals will be delivered and the delivery charge is waived. Mail will be delivered. Arrange with Kristen if you have a package or mail that needs to be mailed out. Essential trips to grocery stores, pharmacy, medical appointments or banks are allowed.

Leaving Campus/Shopping

• Transportation: Medical Appointments, Pharmacies, Banks, Grocery Shopping trips and Shuttle will continue. All other transportation is cancelled. Tuesdays at 6:45am-Publix; Wednesdays at 6:45am-Publix and 10:00am-CVS; Thursdays at 6:45am-Kroger; Fridays at 9:00am-CVS and 11:00am-Banks. Residents should stock up on groceries in the event that transportation is discontinued to grocery stores. Trips will be limited to 9 residents. Shuttle will run Mon-Fri 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Please check with your doctors’ offices prior to making medical transportation requests because many medical offices are cancelling or rescheduling appointments.
• To sign up for grocery shopping or pharmacy trips, please call the Front Desk. You do not sign-up in the Bluebook. Stock up on essentials and prescriptions. Residents going shopping on our bus or on their own should wear a mask and remember good handwashing techniques.
• If residents plan to make any unnecessary trips off campus, they will be required to contact Kristen and quarantine themselves in their units for 14 days upon their return to assure they have no COVID-19 symptoms. Necessary trips off campus include grocery stores, medical appointments, pharmacies or banks. Of course, we can’t prohibit you from leaving the property, however, if you make the choice to leave for an unnecessary reason, then we will be required to quarantine you upon your return in order to protect the community and your neighbors.
• We encourage you to reach out to your family to discuss a plan if there is a Virginia Department of Health mandated lockdown for our community. Also, make a contingency plan if you are dependent on a caregiver and that person gets sick and unable to work.
• We will be closing the West Addition entrance to medically necessary visitors. Residents may still use this entrance.
• We are offering assistance to help residents set up online grocery ordering and pharmacy delivery. If you would like help setting up grocery or pharmacy delivery, please contact Jess at ext. 256, Chase at ext. 409, or Stephanie at ext. 301. We strongly suggest that residents have their groceries and prescriptions delivered to them as opposed to visiting a store/pharmacy since COVID-19 is widely spread throughout Chesterfield County.

Amenities/Activities

• Beauty Salon: The Beauty Salon will has re-opened with various required precautionary measures put into place mandated by the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulations. Tune into BWTV channel 970 for all updates.
• Please call ext. 259 to make an appointment. Elaine will be working Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Walk-in appointments are prohibited.
• Temperatures must be taken prior to salon appointments. Residents will first go to the Clubhouse Front Doors to be screened and have temperatures taken, receive a wristband and then proceed to the Salon. Masks are required to enter the Salon and must be worn throughout the service.
• Only one appointment is allowed per service provider at a time, so Elaine can only work with one resident at a time, hence less residents can receive services per day.
• A limited number of appointments will be taken per day to ensure Elaine can fully sanitize after each customer.
• Do not arrive early to your appointment; the Salon door will remain closed, and only one resident will be allowed in the Salon at a time.
• Stefanie will not be taking appointments at this time.
• Although outside hair salons and churches are opening at 50% on 5/15, we do not consider visiting an outside hair salon or church an “essential trip.” As stated before, any non-essential trips off-campus will require a 14-day quarantine.
• All Activities and events are cancelled; Residents are encouraged to follow “social distancing.” The definition of social distancing is: deliberately increasing the physical space between people to avoid spreading illness. Staying at least six feet away from other people lessens your chances of catching COVID-19. A wonderful way to keep up mentally and physically is to get outside. Go for a walk, work in your garden, enjoy this beautiful weather and our beautiful property. Remember however to practice “Social Distancing” by staying at least 6 feet away from anyone who does not live with you.
• Genesis Therapy has closed their gym at The HCC/Haven but will provide services to Independent Living residents in their Apartments/Cottages until further notice. Please continue to call 269-0034 to reach Genesis Therapy. Residents will be screened and have their temperatures taken prior to each appointment.
• Fitness: Jess will be offering some fitness classes in the cul-de-sac on Foliage Court. See the 5/2 Bugle/BWTV for more details. Most land and aquatics fitness classes will be not be held. Some of Jess’s recorded Fitness classes are available under the COVID-19 icon on Resident Apps. One-on-one sessions will be discontinued. Fitness center and the Pool have been closed until further notice.
• Due to the cancelation of Spring Cleaning, the Housekeeping Department will be offering to clean decks, porches and balconies. Please call Ricky Perry at 744-1173 ext. 286 to arrange scheduling.
• Maintenance: Only urgent work orders will be completed (i.e. appliances not working, light bulbs), monitored by Louise at ext. 285. Non-essential work orders (i.e. hanging pictures and touch-up paint) will be completed at a later time.
• Housekeeping: Service hours will continue as usual.
• Accounting: If you have a billing question for Accounting, please call ext. 278 (Kendall), 279 (Danita), or 253 (Cary). Their office will not be open for in-person visits.
• Wellness Nurses: Service hours will continue as usual.
• Front Desk: Service hours will continue as usual.
• Beauty Salon: The Salon has been closed until further notice.
• Guest Quarter reservations and rollaway beds are discontinued until the end of May or until further notice. It is the resident’s responsibility to notify their family of our recommendation.
• We recommend this homemade solution for cleaning and wiping down surfaces on a regular basis: 10-parts water to 1-part bleach.

If you think you may have a fever or COVID-19 symptoms, please call your physician first and then call the Wellness Nurses.

We are updated daily from the CDC and VA Department of Health regarding this virus and will continue to update you as needed. Please stay tuned to BWTV channel 970 as we will continue to provide updates as we receive them. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Kristen Moore, ILU Administrator at 521-8273. Please continue to wash your hands and use hand sanitizer located at the entrance doors. If you are not feeling well, please contact your physician and do not visit the common or dining areas. Thank you for your assistance in keeping our community safe and healthy.