Dear Family Member,
The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been a major focus in healthcare over the past month. Sunrise Retirement Community began addressing this topic several weeks ago. Sunrise has been working directly with IDPH (Iowa Department of Public Health) and with guidance from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to address this issue and avoid potential outbreak.
The State Epidemiologist’s position is that Coronavirus is a contact exposure virus and in general the facilities existing contact infection control policies and procedures should be adequate in preventing the spread of the virus. We have educated staff and developed a plan to keep our residents safe in the event the virus continues to spread. This issue is ever evolving and we will continue to monitor and remain in contact with IDPH, CDC & CMS.
At this time, we are asking family members and guests to limit their visits to the facility unless absolutely necessary. We ask that all guests enter the facility through the main entrance and record their visit in the log book set up at the desk. We will be screening guests at the door when they sign in. Specifically, we are asking those who have any of the identified symptoms (cough, fever, shortness of breath), those who have been exposed to anyone with symptoms, and those who have traveled outside the country in the past 14 days to not visit the facility at this time.
We will plan to use our Facebook and Instagram sites to continue to update residents and families about cancellations and visiting policies or other important announcements. We are also about to launch an email newsletter, so updates can be shared by email as well. You can sign up for our e-news on our website – www.sunriseretirement.com. We may also employ our mass-communication tool to get important, time sensitive information out to residents and family (either by phone, text or email).
To ensure the safety of our residents, Sunrise potentially could prohibit visitors all together in the event that the virus is spreading throughout Sioux City, Woodbury County, or the surrounding area.
Please be assured that Sunrise is taking all the necessary precautions to keep our residents safe.   The only thing that spreads faster than a virus is mis-information, so we ask that you limit your knowledge base to approved sources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and the Iowa Department of Public Health. Please share this information with your family and community. Remember – wash your hands and stay home if you are sick.Â
Please reference these two sites for more information: https://idph.iowa.gov/Portals/1/userfiles/7/3_6_20%20COVID19%20FactSheet%20for%20Public.pdf
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to management and thank you for your understanding and cooperation. We appreciate the opportunity to continue to care for your loved one.
Sincerely,
Hallie Salmen, CEO/Executive Director