Dear Residents and Families of Abbotswood at Stonehenge,
On Monday, we submitted a total of 5 pools for saliva testing plus an additional 38 resident throat swabs, for a total of 243 individuals tested. While all resident and essential visitor pools were negative, 2 of the 5 pools did come back as positive. Follow-up testing was conducted on Wednesday and Thursday for the 2 positive pools, which consisted of a total of 88 individuals. Also, on Thursday, regularly scheduled testing of associates (Abbotswood, Aware & Legacy), essential visitors and private duty caregivers took place, and all results have been received and were negative. During the time between the report of the positive pools Tuesday evening and the start of the retesting process on Wednesday, an Abbotswood associate self-reported being exposed to someone who had since tested positive and an Aware associate reported feeling cold-like symptoms. Both were in our Monday pools, and both have since tested positive for COVID-19. In addition, 2 other asymptomatic associates were identified as positive through the individual swab testing. Through contact tracing of the 4 positive individuals, we have not identified any other residents or associates that meet the criteria for exposure using CDC standards. However, out of an abundance of caution, we will be making a couple of changes in response to the positive results.
Effective immediately, we will be suspending meals in the dining room and returning to the delivery (at no charge) of all meals to all residents, in accordance with the number of meals included in their personalized service package. While we have successfully opened and operated the dining room under the COVID-19 food service guidelines, since face masks must be removed while eating the dining room still represents an area of potentially heightened vulnerability. As soon as we feel that we are ready to reopen and resume daily dinner service, we will do so.
Another result of the current COVID-19 activity is that we will be implementing a different testing plan for our residents and community associates on Monday and Tuesday, January 18th and 19th. On Monday, individual nasal swab testing will be provided to all Abbotswood, Aware and Legacy associates from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm and from 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm in the Club Room. On Tuesday, we will be providing individual nasal swab testing for each of our residents in their apartments beginning at 9:00 am. This switch in the testing method for our associates and residents from pooled (saliva) testing to swab testing will allow us to get faster, more personalized results of all residents and associates as we continue to closely monitor our community. Essential visitors and private duty caregivers will be tested via the pooled method on Monday from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm in the Club Room, with the ability to leave a saliva sample at the front desk anytime Saturday or Sunday if unable to be present on Monday during the scheduled testing hours. On Thursday, January 21st, nasal swab testing will be provided for all essential visitors, private duty caregivers and all Abbotswood, Aware and Legacy associates from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm in the Club Room.
I appreciate your patience and flexibility with the ongoing changes and adjustments at Abbotswood as we work to navigate the many challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic. I look forward to an announcement in the coming days about the vaccination clinic dates for our community, and what that process will involve. In the meantime, I ask for your continued adherence to the safety protocols in place as our county and nation face rising positivity rates. Thank you again for the privilege of taking care of your loved ones during this time.
David Sexton
Executive Director