Dear Residents & Families of Abbotswood at Stonehenge,
On Monday, we completed saliva testing for our residents, essential visitors, private duty caregivers and Abbotswood, Aware and Legacy associates. It was our largest overall testing number since we began the saliva testing, and I am happy to report that each of the pool results were negative. That is no small accomplishment and is a reason for thanksgiving in and of itself!
Just as a reminder, testing will return to its normal schedule next week.
- On Monday, November 30th, residents and Abbotswood, Aware & Legacy associates will be tested. The Club Room will be open and staffed from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm that day to facilitate the collection of saliva samples from residents and associates. For this testing, all residents physically able to go to the Club Room to provide a sample are encouraged to do so. Resident and associate samples can also be left at the front desk either Saturday or Sunday to be included in Monday’s pooled testing.
- On Thursday, December 3rd, essential visitors, private duty caregivers and Abbotswood, Aware & Legacy associates will be tested. The Club Room will be open and staffed from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm that day to facilitate the collection of saliva samples from essential visitors, private duty caregivers and associates. Samples can also be left at the front desk either Tuesday or Wednesday to be included in Thursday’s pooled testing.
- On Thursdays as needed, we will also be utilizing an additional “high risk” pool to provide additional testing for our residents who have been off campus for any reason. This will allow us to further ensure the safety of those residents who have remained inside of the community to reduce their risk of exposure. While we are not requiring residents who leave the campus to strictly “self isolate” at this time, we are asking that they be respectful of those who choose to remain on campus by minimizing their social interactions when outside of their apartment until we have received their negative test result.
The Abbotswood dining room will be open on Thanksgiving Day promptly at 11:30 am to serve lunch to the 36 residents who have reserved a seat. Only those who have already reserved a space will be able to eat in the dining room, and we will be using assigned seating for all who attend. It is important to remember that the dining room experience will be very different for our residents in order to comply with COVID-19 dining regulations, so we are reminding them (and you) to please be patient and flexible with any changes that have been made. For those who will be dining in their apartment on Thanksgiving Day, lunch deliveries will begin at 11:00 am on Thursday. A boxed meal will be delivered mid-afternoon for all residents to enjoy Thursday evening.
The plan is still to reopen the dining room for supper daily beginning on Monday, November 30th for those residents who have reserved their space already. Only those who have already reserved a space will be able to eat in the dining room, and we will be using designated mealtimes (rotated on a 2-week basis) and assigned seating for all who attend. Every two weeks residents will be given the opportunity to change their preference for eating in the dining room or in their apartment. Deliveries will continue for those who prefer to dine privately in their apartment. As always, I will notify you if there are any changes in policies or procedures due to community or government restrictions.
As you celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday in whatever way that looks like for you in 2020, please know that I am thankful every day for the opportunity to be a part of the lives of you and your loved ones here at Abbotswood at Stonehenge. This year has not really gone as any of us hoped or planned, but this is such a genuinely sweet community and the love and kindness I see on display here every day is truly heartwarming. It is also a great motivator to me and to the entire team here to continue to do the hard work required every day to keep our community safe. Thank you again for the privilege of sharing life with you.
David Sexton
Executive Director