Dear Residents, Families and Associates of BridgePoint at Los Altos:
On December 4th, we were notified that an associate pool tested positive for COVID-19. This pool did not contain any residents. After individual nasal PCR testing, 1 Bridgepoint associate and 1 outside agency worker were identified as the positive persons. Both are at home quarantining and will not return until cleared by a physician.
On December 11th, we received notification that a pool containing outside agency workers tested positive. We immediately conducted individual nasal PCR testing. As of today, all samples were overnighted to the lab. We expect to see results in 3-4 days. Notifications have been made to all agencies providing services to residents at Bridgepoint. Agency workers in this pool will not return until a negative result is received.
In a proactive response to mitigate potential spread and an outbreak at Bridgepoint, we have modified our protocol for testing and shelter in place requirements for residents who leave the community during the holidays to gather with loved ones outside of the Bridgepoint bubble, as we had done for Thanksgiving. Due to our enhanced testing, we do not require a quarantine for outings currently. We are discouraging non-essential outings as this is in alignment with the regional stay at home order that went into effect on Sunday December 6th, 2020.
We love how life may look and feel closer to normal in our bubble of safety that is Bridgepoint and we know that participation in our testing programs, along with proper social distancing, proper mask use, hand hygiene, and ongoing health monitoring, we can provide an excellent line of defense in the fight against COVID-19. We encourage families to continue to visit safely this holiday season by utilizing our visitation stations, or better, our individual saliva testing program we created for families and friends! This program provides you peace of mind with the ability to hug your loved one and enjoy a more private visit in our Private Dining Room. A flyer with more detailed information to come!
This week we had our bi-annual Associate Check Distribution Event hosted by the Resident Association. This event is always a heartwarming and joyous one, but it was especially meaningful this year. Our associates are truly the backbone of our community and we couldn’t do what we do without their compassion, dedication and resilience during such an unprecedented year. They truly are the heroes of Bridgepoint. From the bottom of our hears, the staff at Bridgepoint want to thank our residents and their families for their extremely generous contributions. So generous, in fact, that the Resident Association received its highest contribution amount to date!
Immediately following the event, associates had a small holiday gathering to celebrate an incredible year of strength. To kick it off, the Assisted Living Team sang carols for the residents to show their gratitude. Santa and Mrs. Claus stopped by to take pictures and gifts were raffled off to associates. The joy and appreciation were palpable.
In the next few days, residents and families may see a new associate rolling around the community. Marvin the Robot has joined Bridgepoint to provide virtual visitation services to families! We understand that some families are still reluctant to visit their loved ones out of an abundance of caution or you may want to visit a resident who is on quarantine. In these situations, you can “rent” Marvin the Robot for a set period of time to virtually visit with your loved one. For more information, please contact Jayden Bettencourt.
The opportunity to dine with our friends, engage in meaningful social, fitness, spiritual and intellectual opportunities, and the ability to gather and enjoy each other’s company is a treasure and a luxury during this time. We thank you for your commitment, confidence, and partnership during this exceptional season. As always, please reach out if you have questions. Please enjoy some pictures from this past week!
As always, stay safe, stay healthy.
Sincerely,
Maria Quintero
Executive Director