By Mimi Wahlfeldt, Fort Collins Village
The news from around the globe has been painful, especially when we hear stories of the novel coronavirus spreading inside assisted living and skilled nursing communities. The statistics can be scary.
This is why senior living facilities are operating under the strictest protocols these days, doing everything they can to keep the illness from crossing their thresholds.
The Good Samaritan Society’s national campus implemented firm visitor restrictions, employee screenings at every shift, and the elimination of communal dining and group activities as soon as it became clear that social distancing and monitoring employees’ health was key to minimizing the chance of infecting residents.
“In my 35 years as a nurse, I’ve never seen anything like this,” says Julie Rich, RN, Senior Living Director at the Good Samaritan Society’s Fort Collins campus. “But, the way our team has come together to maintain a safe environment for our residents has been exactly what I’d expect.”
At the beginning of this outbreak, new procedures were being mandated from multiple sources every single day. It was a challenge to keep up with all of the protocols being directed from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Colorado and County Health Departments, the American Health Care Association, etc.
Staff members in senior living are very aware of how difficult the visitor restrictions have been on residents and their family members. Adding to that sadness and frustration, reduced socializing opportunities have also impacted loneliness and boredom – concerns that staff are working hard to address.
“It would be easy to focus on the stresses we’re experiencing, but we don’t. We can’t,” Rich shares. “Our residents’ and our teammates’ health is the most important thing in our focus. Everyone somehow continues to show their very best selves in the face of this once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, and that gives me hope.”
~ Tours of the Good Samaritan Society’s six Northern Colorado communities will be available once visitor restrictions are lifted. Visit www.good-sam.com/NoCo for more information.