ILU Covid Protocol Update – 3/20/2020Brandermill Woods independent living angle

ILU Covid Protocol Update – 3/20/2020

Friday, March 20, 2020

Since we are an organization with a vulnerable population, Brandermill Woods has implemented the following changes for the health of residents and staff:

  • The White House, CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) urges all people 65 and older to stay home and self-quarantine. We would like to strongly discourage social events and any unnecessary trips (to stores or to see family members) off campus since this could expose the entire community.
  • We encourage you to reach out to your family to discuss a plan if there is a government mandated lockdown (for example, would you rather be in lockdown in your apartment or at a family member’s house)
  • 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 100.4 or greater or if they fail the Risk Assessment Screening Questions. *question removed: traveling to/from or been around someone who visited the Tidewater or Northern Virginia area. Question remains: have you visited or been around someone who visited Westminster Canterbury. (This is due to the confirmed case of COVID-19 in that community.) 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.
  • If residents plan to travel outside of Virginia or been in close contact with someone who visited Westminster Canterbury, 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. Travel within Virginia will be reviewed on a case by case situation based on the current testing in the state of Virginia. Contact Kristen with any of your travel plans.
  • Currently, the risk assessment questions for COVID-19 include the following: “Have you been in close contact with someone who has traveled to/from or lives outside the state of Virginia in the last 14 days.” If the person answers YES to this question, they are not allowed in our building or on our property. Therefore, if a resident goes off property to visit family/friends or a gathering and comes in close contact with someone from out of state, they will need to notify Kristen and will be quarantined for 14 days. We are strongly discouraging residents from leaving the community. Of course, we can’t prohibit you from leaving the property, however, if you make the choice to leave and knowingly are around someone from out of state, then we will be required to quarantine you upon your return in order to protect the community and your neighbors.
  • We will be closing the West Addition entrance to medically necessary visitors. Residents may still use this entrance.
  • Dining: 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 3 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. Due to high volume of calls, meals are prepared as orders are called in. Pre-orders for certain times cannot be guaranteed. 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.
  • Please remind anyone dropping off items for residents in the Cottages or with patios to leave items at the doorstep. Do not enter the unit.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Activities: 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 out side. 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 that does not live with you.
  • Fitness: 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 Free Swim will remain open.
  • Transportation: Medical Appointments, Pharmacies, Banks, Grocery Shopping trips and Shuttle will continue. All other transportation is cancelled. We have added a trip to Food Lion at 1:00 p.m. for 3/24 and 3/31. Food Lion will replace Walmart on 3/27. Trips will be limited to 10 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.
  • 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: From 3/23-4/6, we will have a Wellness Nurse on property only Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:00 – 4:00. Clinic Hours will remain 9-11 on Monday and Friday and 1-3 p.m. on Wednesdays.
  • Front Desk: Service hours will continue as usual.
  • 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.
  • 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 notify the Wellness Nurses.

Update: 3/24: Governor Northam stated during his 3/23 press release that he signed Executive Order 53 which is forcing us to shut down our Fitness Center, Pool and Beauty Salon for the next 30 days. The Order is effective on 3/24 at midnight; therefore, Elaine will be working in the salon on 3/24. The Salon, Pool and Fitness Center will be closed on 3/25 for 30 days. We will keep you all posted as we hear more information.

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 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.