Seniors Better Together, Part 4, with DeAnne Clune

*The following is the output of transcribing from an audio recording. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors.

The following is a podcast from a qualified senior care provider part on the answers for elders radio show. And welcome back everyone’s wrapping up the hour of answers for elders radio. And again we’re here in a brand new year and all, so many families have been through so much and we are looking at so much has impacted our lives and our styles and with the pandemic itself, obviously one of the biggest industries that have been impacted has been the senior living industry, not only because you know of the you know, extra rules and things like that, but also just trying to keep our seniors safe and secure through something that is been very devastating for, you know, our seniors and for the pandemic. And so, Dan, I would love you to talk a little bit about how are the communities really doing right now? You’re in contact with them for the most part, are you not? Oh yes, I talked to him, name as communities on a daily basis, and many of them here in Washington state. So you know buy and liars. I think they are the unsung heroes that we to give us out out to in terms of their son. I’m keeping both staff and residents safe during a pandemic. It’s an enormous task and people take it with very serious responsibility and, you know, they’re very personally attached to all the residents that live there, and so it’s personally very talenting, not just, you know, on a professional level. So so this is really impacted people and what comes with that need and care and responsibility for keeping residents safe has some kinds come with some measures that people are understandably not that happy with right, a lot not allowing in person visits and things like that, but we have had to innovate. It really comes down to customer service, always doing what’s best for the customer, last resident, right, and so people are innovating really interesting ways to you know, they either connect people virtually, they said, up outdoor areas for visiting. That’s happening even in the bad weather. You know, people are pulling out the stops, making kind of covered, heated outdoor areas and scheduling, you having scheduled visits and taking the appropriate precautions so people can actually, you know, get together with outside the family members and in many cases, like my, I have two relatives that actually live in an assistant living community nearby and that particular community a small, privately owned. They have decided that they don’t allow any visitors inside, but they do allow residents to go out, and that resident just needs to know that if they’re going to go out to a group gathering, which happened with both of them for both Thanksgiving and Christmas, that they just have to agree to isolate after they return and, you know, go back to the you know, staying in their particular apartment and have an everything brought to them. And for them they’re absolutely fine with that tradeoff and they feel like they’re being royally treated, even though they have to stay in and their thrills to be able to get together with family members. Family members are thrilled to have them and so far, I mean, you know, not one with that community hasn’t had even a safe case during this entire ordeal. Well, and you know, the other thing I think now that staff is being you know, we have a vaccine out there and that is going to be helping. Obviously there’s been some challenges with distribution and we hope that’s going to be rectified, obviously with the new administration coming in, but we want to make sure that there is. Obviously there’s a safety I guess membrane. I use it virtual membrane because obviously with our families. Yes, we all want, everybody in our industry want our families to see our seniors and you know, there’s nobody wants to have that for them more than those of us that are in the industry and certainly it’s been a challenge. But, like you said, the people that are in the industry that are doing what we can to keep our senior safe, and that includes a lot of the new regulations and things that have happened. It’s because we want their safety and certainly this pandemic has been a huge challenge to be able to keep people safe and obviously everybody’s doing everything that they know how and I’ve seen some so many amazing creative solutions, you know, that communities are coming up with. It’s amazing and so, you know, hats off to so many of you out there that are sharing the stories and I’m sure you probably have some on your facebook page. Do not? Yes, we do, and in fact I have a couple of testimony as I’d like to share and you can find would love that. Yeah, you can. You can definitely find more of these on our website and on our facebook page. But you know, these are from real people from communities here in Washington. And this particular person, his name is ward and he’s The sun of a resident and his his statement is that throughout the covid nineteen pandemic my mom has been cared for with professional and warm attentiveness, found base and house at Northgate, has maintained all their crucial services and have put their residence at the top of their lengthy list of priorities. I love that we’re really overwhelmhead of gratitude and appreciation from these thok. Yes, yes, so obviously recurs the community like you normally do. Obviously you can’t go have lunch in the dining hall and all the things. That kind of been the normal way that communities have marketed themselves. So what are they doing now to change that to keep people safe? Yes, you cut add a little bit. Are you asking about how they’re marketing to new residence of your keep to a speed? Yeah, if you’re considering to move to a community, what is the process now with the pandemic? By and large, what’s happening is there is a required period of whatever term you want to use. Quarantine a no isolate in this kind of restricted social activity. People are asked to stay in their apartment for a period of time. At this that this moment, the typical length of time is fourteen days. I think you know that could change with some of the new CDC recommendations and things like that, but out of an abundance of caution, that’s what’s taking place and so they’re safely assimilating new residents into the community without causing concern among the existing residents. And then, once that period is over, of course they’re also doing covid testing and then, you know, so the period as expired, there’s negative covid test and then at that point they’re free to participate in whatever way we are allowed to at any given time, as the state regulations are ever changing. Sure, so in that case, you know, is as as people are coming in and moving into a community, is there a quarantine period? Yeah, so that’s what I was referring to as the fourteen day okay, so that is that typically what is happening across the board. I haven’t encountered a community that is doing any different amount of time. So requiring the negative covid test and a fourteen day period of quarantine in their new apartment, right and then once they’ve gone through the quarantine period, then they what happened after that. Then they depending on what is happening with state regulations as to you know, what is allowed to transpire at a community these days. You know, the number of people that can gather or things like that. It will depend on what happens at that point. But whatever is allowed to happen. Many people are able to do kind of a pod system where they have a small group that that’s are designated group. Sometimes we see it, you know, it’s the bridge group, for ladies in a bridge group, and that their pod, and so they’re able to do get together for bridge and their life sign together and you know, I might like those Fay Bridge or there might be a common activity they could share together, things like that. Right right at this point, in this moment in time, with the state regulations were dealing with, that isn’t allowed. So so okay, so one on one thing’s happening. So there might be instead of a group art class, there’s one on one art classes or one on one. Right, you know, exercise or virtual programs as well, well, you know enough good to know. So so, as far as if you have it, it’s our listeners have obviously questions about. You know, what is the process during the two pandemic? Is that something they can reach out to you for? Yes, absolutely. I mean way we can help guide them in the right direction. Like I said, there’s many unique circumstances that at different communities, but at the moment, being we’re all guys by the same state regulations, there’s a lot of consistency in those rules for every community. So we can certainly help them get the information they’re looking for. Well, perfect. And how do we reach you, Dam I was success going to the website at seniors better togethercom or emailing, Uh Huh, at Info at seniors better togethercom. And we always welcome people going to our seniors better together facebook page. That’s the way we want this really active engagement with consumers and want to help support them in this decision making. Well, and you know, to our listeners, even if you’re your loved one is not ready yet, I encourage you to go to the facebook page seniors better together and like your page. Well, you know, you learn a lot of information about what’s going on it’ll help you be a better informed consumer when the time comes and when into time is right. So, Dan, I’m so glad you were with us on the show today and again go to seniors better togethercom and the email address again is info. Is that correct? At seniors better togethercom. CARRACTIC. Thank you so much for being on the show today and to all of our listeners, just know that we are here for you, for your questions, for any information. You know you can always go to answers for elderscom as well as seniors better together, and we look forward to these days being behind us and we are looking at a light, maybe a few months ahead, but we know we’re going to get through this together and Dane, thank you so much for being on the show today. Happy New Year and until next week, be good to each other. Answers for elders radio show with Suzanne Newman. Hopes you found this podcast useful in your journey of navigating senior care. Check out more podcasts like this to help you find qualified senior care experts and areas of financial, legal, health and wellness and living options. Learn about our radio show, receive our monthly newsletter, receive promotional discounts and meet our experts by clicking on the banner to join the Senior Advocate Network at answers for elders, radiocom. Now there is one place to find the answers for elder Hes