Today I need to share both good and bad news regarding the pandemic. I’m sorry to have to report that two of our residents recently passed away in local hospitals from complications related to COVID 19. Our heart goes out to their families and friends during this difficult time. This pandemic has claimed far too many of our friends and all of their loved ones are in our thoughts and prayers. We also learned that another Assisted Living resident and staff member have tested positive for the coronavirus. They are both currently in quarantine. We are encouraged to report that several of our employees diagnosed earlier with the virus have completed their stay-at-home requirements and have been cleared by the Health Department to return to work. Additional results have come in from our testing in The Haven (residents and staff) and we are happy to report all of them are negative.
Over the past two days, inspectors from the Virginia Department of Health have been conducting a COVID-19 Infection Control Survey of The Haven. This process includes reviews all of our infection control protocols and COVID-19 related prevention measures we have taken to date. I’m pleased to report that we passed with flying colors according to our inspectors. I want to offer my sincere gratitude to our staff for remaining so diligent in protecting our residents.
You may have recently read stories regarding the challenges of getting personal protective equipment in assisted living facilities. I want to assure you that Brandermill Woods is in good shape in that regards. It’s true the normal distribution channels are more challenging to navigate, but we have been able to keep our facility well stocked of the necessary equipment.
We will continue to follow the guidelines set forth by the CDC and Health Department regarding our strict no visitation and employee screening policies in the Assisted Living, Memory Care and Haven in order to continue to protect our residents. Our goal is to prevent a second spike of the virus on campus and your participation is critical in achieving that objective.
Now that the state has started to re-open, we have some new guidelines for the residents residing in the Independent Living we need to follow for those leaving the property. Starting today, Wednesday, May 20, Brandermill Woods will require all residents who have traveled outside of the community to 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.
I also wanted to let you know that we will be changing how we distribute our updates. Moving forward, all updates on our COVID-19 response will be available on our website under our blog. They will no longer be emailed out to all residents. We need to simplify some of our administrative tasks around the pandemic given the increased workload we are now facing. If you have any questions, feel free to give me a ring.
