August 27, 2020
Dear Sunrise Residents, Families & Friends,
This is a weekly COVID update from Sunrise Retirement Community.
Cumulatively since April 20, Sunrise has reported 18 individuals with COVID-19 positive test results and all of them have completed their isolation periods at this time. No residents have had positive test results at this time.
With the coronavirus positivity 14 day rolling average inching toward the 10% mark, we have determined that we need to be more cautious with visitation on our campus. We will no longer allow visits that have not been scheduled in advance. Additionally, if guests don’t comply with the visitation regulations or refuse to comply, we will not allow visits to be scheduled for that guest. We ask for your understanding as we make this difficult decision – it is for the protection of our residents! Visitation guidelines are available on our website (sunriseretirement.com).
The details of the Phased plan are available on the Sunrise Retirement Community website. The guidelines have been developed by the Iowa Department of Public Health and the Department of Inspections and Appeals (our regulatory agency) and as a licensed facility we are obligated to follow the directives that we’ve been given. Please keep in mind that these are minimum guidelines and depending on our ability to provide services safely and in accordance with regulations, we may choose to keep certain aspects of the re-opening plans more restrictive as we get used to operations in that phase. We are doing our best to adapt to changing situations, but we always want to be sure that our staff team is prepared and ready for any changes before implementing.
Sunrise Retirement Community, in both the assisted living and health center, continues to implement the following:
- Following all CMS, CDC and Department of Inspection & Appeals guidelines for operations and infection prevention.
- Assess residents and tenants every shift and closely monitor for any changes in condition.
- Staff are monitored at the beginning and end of each of their shifts, are encouraged to be careful of where they are going in public and stay home if they do not feel well. Staff are also encouraged to stay home if they live with someone who is experiencing symptoms or have tested positive, even if they are not.
- Staff are required to wear appropriate personal protection equipment when in the facility and residents are encouraged to wear masks or cover their noses/mouths during personal care with nursing staff.
Check out the COVID-19 page on the Sunrise website. It is a resource for regular updates from Sunrise and also contains links to the following agencies: Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Center for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS), Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH), Department of Inspections & Appeals (DIA) and Siouxland District Health.
Thank you for your support and cooperation as we work to ensure a safe environment for our residents. Please keep Sunrise residents and staff in your prayers.
Sincerely,
Hallie Salmen, CEO & Chris Schenkelberg, Administrator