6A | MAY 21, 2020
Seniors from A1
allowed to visit, only re-
cently has the facility begun
accepting new residents
from private residences
and hospitals — and even
in those cases only under
certain circumstances.
“What we’re requiring is
a 10-day temperature check
that needs to be sent to us
virtually so we can see what
the temperatures are over a
whole 10-day process,” said
Greco. “There is a screen-
ing criteria, so once those
things are followed … we
can move forward and get
an assessment done from
our nurse.”
Coupled with strict
guidelines, those living at
home who need assisted or
memory care can receive
help from the facility. How-
ever, Greco laments that
the process has become
much more impersonal as
the center has switched to
virtual tours and video as-
sessments.
“It really takes that feel of
that communal part away
from touring communities,
which we love doing,” she
said. “So we have to really
rely on the virtual part of
it, which is hard. … It’s be-
come very at arms-length
going forward in the way
we’re doing business and
allowing [new] residents to
enter.”
While the heavy restric-
tions are keep the com-
munity physically safe,
psychological health is also
an ingredient that must be
taken under consideration.
“Right now, our greatest
concern is our residents
and making sure they have
enough to thrive with ac-
tivities and Zoom conver-
sations with families,” said
Greco.
Keeping residents’ spirits
up is task well on the fore-
front of the “new normal”
|
COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL
inside senior living facili-
ties and in-person interac-
tions have understandably
been a popular means to
that end in the form of
window visits.
“It really brightens their
day, for sure,” said Greco.
Window visits allow
families to communi-
cate with facility residents
through the first-floor
apartment windows, some
using whiteboards to write
messages.
The visitation technique
has become something of
a trend nationwide and
has also become popular at
Magnolia Gardens Senior
Living.
“We have quite a few that
do window visits,” said Tara
Blount, executive director
at Magnolia Gardens. “But
even when they have their
window open to chat, we’re
still asking that they are
wearing masks.”
Blount
acknowledged
these visits as an essential
element of the residents’
thriving amid the lock-
down.
“Every day is different
for us right now and we’re
just trying to minimize the
impact that it has on our
residents — trying to keep
them engaged and spend
time with them as much
as we can,” she said. “So-
cial isolation for seniors is
critical. It can be a leading
cause of depression. It’s
failure to thrive for them.”
Magnolia Gardens, too,
shut its doors as the coro-
navirus spread became im-
minent.
“It kind of came in baby
steps and before we knew
it, it was a full closure,” said
Blount.
Currently, just essential
health care personnel are
let in and family members
are allowed in only if a resi-
dent is actively dying.
All employees must
take a temperature check
at the entrance and also
go through a Centers for
Disease
Control-based
screening, meaning they
are questioned about trav-
el, contacts and if they’ve
had any symptoms. Resi-
dents, too, have a once-a-
day minimum temperature
check and screening.
Inside the facility, social
activities such as commu-
nal dining have ended and
residents have had to adjust
to eating meals alone.
“The overall isolation
has been the biggest im-
pact,” said Blount about
Magnolia Gardens’ resi-
dents. “Thursday lunch
with their kids was one
of the biggest events of
the week for them; just as
much as being able to go to
the salon or take their ani-
mal to the vet.”
On top of that, staff have
been hustling about town
to run errands for the res-
idents. A basic run to the
pharmacy, for example, is
no longer a part of a resi-
dent’s routine.
“We’ve asked our resi-
dents to please let us han-
dle those for them right
now, because it’s safer for
us to go out into the com-
munity than it is for them,”
Blount said.
Though both facilities
report staff that have ad-
justed well to the new con-
ditions, there is still a pal-
pable toll on workers who
have added concerns out-
side the job.
With school out of ses-
sion and babysitters and
daycare hard to come by,
single parents in particular
have had it rough.
“As well as knowing every
day they’re coming to work
in a high-risk environment
and then potentially bring-
ing it home to their family
because they have to pay
the bills,” Blount added.
One employee even re-
signed over concern the
coronavirus was going to
hit senior living, she said.
Among residents, Blount
said there had been some
mixed feelings at first to
the new adjustments to
daily living and, moreover,
the lack of agency afford-
ed to residents has meant
a kind of isolation within
isolation for some.
The novel situation has
necessitated creative re-
sponses.
Middlefield Oaks, for in-
stance, recently conducted
a “Grant-A-Wish Senior
Day” in which residents
sent wishes for an outside
gift to the community.
“The outpouring was —
I’ve never seen anything
like it,” Greco said. “The
community in Cottage
Grove … they fulfilled ev-
ery single one of our resi-
dents’ wishes. Puppy visits,
cakes, cookies, bottles of
gin, olive oil, Greek food,
you name it. And the gifts
just keep pouring in and it’s
fantastic to see.”
Though so many daily
interactions now involve
the impersonal barriers of
masks, gloves and gowns,
Greco said creative activ-
ities such as these have
helped tremendously with
everyone’s adaptation.
“With such a negative
situation that we find our-
selves in, it’s made us so
much closer,” she said.
“The stories … are more of
gratitude than anything in
the negative because we’re
trying to give our residents
the same way of living, if
you will.”
While the senior living
centers have found ways to
manage the public health
crisis for now, the future re-
mains uncertain as the fa-
cilities will be following the
guidance of public health
authorities in regards to
any reopening strategies.
“But as far as our full
building being able to
open, and have public ac-
cess again, I’m pretty con-
fident that the senior living
homes — we’re going to be
the very last to be able to
open again,” said Blount.
Looking to the future,
Greco said she is cautiously
optimistic about again em-
bracing the social aspects
of her job.
“I think we as a commu-
nity and as a society have to
be hopeful,” she said. “But
it’s also making sure that
just because some things
have laxed, we are not lax-
ing.”
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513 E. Main St. Cottage Grove
For more info, call 541-623-0513
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City
from A1
basketball courts and any
day-use areas prone to at-
tracting crowds are closed.
Th e skate park will remain
closed due to a lack of abili-
ty to maintain physical dis-
tancing at that park. Groups
or parties in the parks are to
be limited to groups of 10 or
fewer that arrived together.
Th e city is not taking any
reservations for park use
through at least the end of
September.
Parks are open, but all us-
ers must follow physical dis-
tancing requirements.
Th e restrooms in the
parks will be open, but will
not be cleaned twice dai-
ly. Visitors to parks should
bring their own hand sani-
tizer with them to the parks.
Th e city reminds commu-
nity members to continue
to following public health
guidelines:
• Stay home if you are
sick.
• If you become symp-
tomatic (cough, fever, short-
ness of breath) while in
public, please return home
and self-isolate immediate-
ly. Contact your health care
provider if you need medical
attention.
• Stay home if you are
at-risk for severe complica-
tions: Individuals over the
age of 60 or who have un-
derlying medical conditions
should stay home, even if
well, to avoid exposure to
COVID-19.
• Practice good hand hy-
giene: Frequently wash your
hands for at least 20 seconds
or use hand sanitizer (60-95
percent alcohol content).
• Cover coughs/sneezes
with elbow or tissue: If you
use a tissue, immediately
discard tissue in garbage and
your wash hands.
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Phone: 541-942-2521
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