Protocols to keep everyone safe at local senior living facilities

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. – Coronavirus, or COVID-19, has affected everyone’s life in some way with local senior living facilities increasing safety protocol to keep their residents safe.

Safety, secure and sanitation are the name of the game these days, which certainly rings true for senior living facilities, Horton Plaza and Fountain Plaza in Medford and Twin Creeks Retirement Center in Central Point.

“Day-to-day with our residents and staff, we’re incorporating an extreme amount of sanitizing throughout the building,” Danielle Tovall, General Manager at Horton Plaza, said.

Hand rails, elevator buttons, mailboxes and anything else people might touch in common areas are being sanitized at least four times per day. The dining rooms are shut down and three meals are being delivered to each room. Also, transportation shuttles are suspended.

Employees, residents and anyone visiting the campus are screened every day.

Anyone coming here has to say who they are, what they’re doing and give identification. Non-essential visitors aren’t allowed to enter, but essential visitors will get their temperature taken and asked more questions.

Those questions include things like if they’ve traveled internationally or outside of Oregon, have fever-like symptoms, a headache or if they’ve been around someone diagnosed with COVID-19.

“We started a lot of these measures before they were recommended or state-mandated and I think staying on top of this and being pro-active is what’s going to keep our residents safe,” Tovall said.

Flo and Don Bohnert have lived at Twin Creeks for 10 years.

“We love it, it’s home. Great place,” they said.

They said the staff are going the extra mile to ensure everyone’s health.

“Well, it’s been scary, but we feel perfectly safe and everything the staff and management has done has been for us and we realize that,” Flo said.

Despite things like all activities getting cancelled, they are staying positive.

“We know it’s temporary and our friends are loving us wherever they are, and this too shall pass, and we’ll get back to normal,” Flo said.

This is Bob Warren’s fifth facility and says it’s the best.

“It’s far superior in food service. The staff is very dedicated,” Warren said.

Though warren admits he does miss some of the social aspects, he said it’s worth it.

“Brain games and playing cards, but it’s very little sacrifice to make for having the feeling of being fairly safe. I think we’re doing about as well as we could be doing,” Warren said.

Despite the challenges and extra work, everyone said they are committed to getting through it, together.

There have been no cases of COVID-19 at Horton Plaza, Fountain Plaza or Twin Creeks Retirement Center. The other two facilities in Bend and Eugene also have no reported cases.