As have many other senior living operators across the country, Affinity Living Group is following the recommendations of health officials and the American Health Care Association / National Center for Assisted Living and closing its more than 160 communities to all visitors and vendors to protect the health of its more than 7,000 residents as U.S. cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) proliferate.
No cases of the virus have been identified at ALG communities. To further help prevent the spread of the disease, the Hickory, NC-based company also is offering staff members a place to stay if they believe they are at risk of becoming ill.
“Every community is different, but often there are model rooms or ancillary spaces that we can utilize to keep employees under our roof but separate from residents,” ALG Chief Human Resources Officer Mary Raddant told McKnight’s Senior Living.
Employees are screened at the beginning of their work shifts, and only those who are assessed as healthy are allowed to enter a community, Raddant said.
“We are enforcing our infection control training programs as well as taking the recommended hygiene precautions set forth by local and state health officials,” she said. “We would rather go an extra step to ensure our employees are healthy than risk them bringing something into the community.”
Community executive directors have the final say on whether an employee can temporarily live in a building, Raddant said.
As for how long an employee could stay at a community, she said: “We will work with individual employees on their particular situations on a case-by-case basis. We appreciate that every employee’s circumstance is different, and we want to meet them where they are to provide the support they need.”
ALG has placed signage at each of its communities explaining the temporary visitation restrictions and is contacting all resident families, vendors and healthcare partners about the new limitations. Exceptions will be made only in emergency situations at the discretion of the community’s executive director, according to the company.
“Our residents and their families have entrusted us to ensure good care and an optimal quality of life,” ALG Executive Vice President Rick Grimes. “Creating a safe living environment — a haven of wellness — in these uncertain times is part of keeping that trust.”
ALG leaders began preparations for the potential effects of COVID-19 in early February, working to ensure that plans were in place should the concerns and risks continue to grow.
