Latest Updates
1/22/21
We are so excited that we were able to vaccinate residents and team members at Dayspring Villa today!
1/7/21
First In-Community Vaccine Clinic Date
Friday, January 22nd 11:30-3:30
Walgreens Pharmacy – Pfizer Vaccine
We received word that our first COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic with our Walgreens pharmacy partner, is now going to be held on Friday, January 22nd and we will receive the Pfizer vaccine.
Thank you to those of you who have already turned in a consent form for either yourself or a loved one. We want everyone who lives and works in our community to be vaccinated for the future safety of our community. We also cannot guarantee first-round doses will be available at the second clinic date when it is scheduled.
We encourage everyone in our community to get the vaccine. We must reach a “herd immunity” both within our senior living community and in the broader community, we are located for life to eventually return to normal.
- The vaccine will begin to provide you protection about two weeks after your second vaccination.
- If you are vaccinated, you are being a good neighbor and protecting others by getting the vaccine.
- The more quickly we all are vaccinated, the faster we can begin to loosen restrictions and connect in person with each other again.
- Until we reach a high percentage vaccination rate, we will all still need to continue wearing masks, socially distancing, and washing our hands.
Safety is a top priority for not only our community but also for all of the scientists and health experts working on the vaccination effort. Like any vaccine, there may be minor side effects such as soreness, achiness, and potentially low-grade fever. A small number of people experience more series side effects, but the percentages are low, and typically related to a history of anaphylactic allergic reactions. We have a lot of useful information on our website and links to scientifically proven data. Please take the time to learn more about the vaccine. You can also find the consent forms on the website, if you need to download another copy to fill-out and turn in, go to www.dayspringvilla.org click on the COVID-19 tab and then latest vaccine information. Please email your consent form back to Jody Gentry at jgentry@clcmail.org. We will also need a copy of your or your loved ones insurance card.
We are excited about this good news. We hope you are too!
12/16/20
We continue weekly COVID-19 testing of residents and twice-weekly testing of team members. While most tests this week returned negative results, two residents did test positive. They are fortunately asymptomatic and being served with full isolation protocols in their apartments.
We have conducted contact tracing and due to the isolation protocols, this did not reveal any concerns about exposure. At this time, no other resident or team member has signs or symptoms of COVID-19.
Residents are receiving individualized dining and life enrichment programming as small group life enrichment programs have now been paused. Only essential care visitors are permitted. We continue stringent anti-virus cleaning efforts and are following all federal, state, and local virus procedures and protocols.
To schedule an outdoor visit utilizing our new LOV pod donated by Pinkard Construction please either e-mail Stormie Foust at sfoust@clcmail.org or call our main line at 303-455-5066. If you would like to schedule a time for staff supported technology connection you can make that request to Stormie as well. While you can’t visit in person, you can drop off pre-packaged snacks, cards, window art, and we welcome caroling, drive-by light parades, or card showers organized by families.
You can find regular community status updates on the Dayspring Villa website, www.DayspringVilla.org .
If you didn’t get to join the Facts & Fiction of the COVID-19 Vaccine Facebook live event today with our clinical leaders, please visit the Christian Living Communities Facebook page for a recording of the event.
We appreciate your encouragement and support. Resident and team member safety remain our top concerns.
12/3/20
While the vaccine is not yet available in the United States, Dayspring Villa is ready to receive the vaccine to protect residents and associates in our community as soon as it is available. As a Cappella managed community, Dayspring Villa is registered for the first phase of the vaccine. Priority distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine will go to seniors and healthcare workers who are at the most risk of contracting the virus. We remain in constant communication with the Colorado Department of Health, the CDC, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as details of the distribution process continue to develop.
To learn more about the vaccine in Colorado click here.
12/3/20
All 23 CLC-Cappella Communities Prepared to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine
Priority distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to seniors and healthcare workers who are at the most risk of contracting the virus is welcome news. CLC-Cappella is ready to receive the vaccine to protect residents and associates in all 23 of our communities as soon as it is available. We remain in constant communication with state health departments, the CDC, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as details of the distribution process continue to develop.
Learn more about the COVID-19 Vaccine Plan here.
Update 11/30/20
Outdoor Visits May Again Be Scheduled!
We are thrilled to share with our Dayspring Villa family that the city of Denver has lifted our restriction status and we can again schedule outdoor visits for residents and families! We are also now able to welcome new residents in need of our services. Our more recent round of resident testing returned all negative test results. We will continue to test residents weekly and team members twice a week.
Our frequent testing has identified two positive team members, both are at home recuperating. We have conducted extensive contact tracing and have notified all team members and residents who may have had direct exposure to either team member. At this time, no other resident or team member has signs or symptoms of COVID-19.
To schedule an outdoor visit utilizing our new LOV pod donated by Pinkard Construction please either e-mail Stormie Foust at sfoust@clcmail.org or call our main line at 303-455-5066. If you would like to schedule a time for staff supported technology connection you can make that request to Stormie as well.
The entire community continues to operate under the CDC’s restricted status of limited communal dining, life enrichment, and only essential care visitors. We continue stringent anti-virus cleaning efforts and are following all federal, state and local virus procedures and protocols.
We are excited to be able to once again support family and friend connections with our outdoor visit protocols. Thank you for your understanding and patience.
Update 11/23/20
Mass Testing Results
In our efforts to combat the local and national pandemic, we continue to closely monitor residents for signs and symptoms of the COVID-19 virus. Due to high demand, we are experiencing a delay in receiving back, test results. Our test results from 11/14 returned a positive test for a resident living in our community. We are currently transitioning to the Curative lab which provides test results more quickly. The resident was also tested with a test from the Curative lab on 11/19 which returned a negative test result. Both of these test results were the reliable PCR type of test. This resident was retested again today, 11/23 as part of our weekly mass testing. Despite the negative test result on 11/19, out of an abundance of caution the county has ordered us to suspend outdoor visitation and move-ins. We hope to have test results back today from the Curative lab within 48 hours so this order can be reversed. The resident is currently asymptomatic.
We have conducted extensive contact tracing and have notified all team members and residents who may have come into contact with the resident. At this time, no other resident or team member has signs or symptoms of COVID-19.
The entire community continues to operate under the CDC restricted status of limited communal dining, life enrichment, and only essential care visitors. We continue stringent anti-virus cleaning efforts and are following all federal, state and local virus procedures and protocols.
We encourage families to please connect during this time via phone, video chat, or sending a supportive note. Please let us know if you would like to schedule a time for staff supported technology connection by sending an email to sfoust@clcmail.org .
We will contact you if your loved one is suspected or diagnosed with COVID-19.
This is not the news we wanted to share this Thanksgiving week. Thank you for your continued patience and support as we battle the COVID-19 virus together.
Update 11/21/20
Positive Test for Team Member
In our efforts to combat the local and national pandemic, we continue to closely monitor residents for signs and symptoms of the COVID-19 virus. We want to inform you that we received a positive COVID-19 test result for a team member from our recent Curative oral swab PCR mass testing. The team member last worked yesterday, was asymptomatic, and is now at home recuperating. All resident test results came back negative.
We have conducted extensive contact tracing and have notified all team members and residents who may have come into contact with the team member. At this time, no other resident or team member has signs or symptoms of COVID-19.
The entire community continues to operate under the CDC restricted status of limited communal dining, life enrichment and only essential care visitors. We continue stringent anti-virus cleaning efforts and are following all federal, state and local virus procedures and protocols.
We encourage families to please connect during this time via phone, video chat or sending a supportive note. Please let us know if you would like to schedule a time for a staff supported technology connection by sending an email to sfoust@clcmail.org .
We will contact you if your loved one is suspected or diagnosed with COVID-19.
Thank you for your continued patience and support.
Update 11/20/20
Level Red Goes Into Effect Tonight
Governor Polis’s Level Red order goes into effect this evening at 5:00 pm. The designation impacts everyone in our county and is aimed to stop the spread of COVID-19. Just this week, the Governor released a new statistic that 1 out of every 100 people in the Denver metro area is infected with the virus. We also know that some state hospitals are already at capacity.
The order very specifically states that anyone considered in a high-risk population should stay home. People ages 65 and up are considered a high-risk population in the order definition; therefore, according to the state order, residents in our community should stay home unless they need to leave for a medically necessary reason.
The order also closes restaurants but still allows for take-out and delivery, and it limits the sizes of gatherings indoors. Again, this applies to everyone who lives in our county, not just senior living. The Centers for Disease Control has also issued a strong advisory asking people not to travel this Thanksgiving.
All of this information is hard to hear. We’ve been working to understand how this order impacts our senior living community. We have been seeking guidance from the state health department and local agencies for any changes in protocols and operations. These conversations are ongoing. Therefore the information listed below may change; this is what we know as of now, and what we must do to be in compliance with the new State order:
- All dining rooms in our community are closed. We will provide in apartment/suite dining and to-go options for all residents. Those needing assistance with dining will continue to be supported in the dining room. To request in apartment/suite dining please contact the dining department.
- All life enrichment gatherings are limited to five people and should be with people each resident is frequently around, their “COVID Bubble Buddy”. This is a term a group of residents came up with to describe what the health order refers to as pods of people, a “household”. Now is the time for all residents in our community to identify their “Bubble Buddies,” up to five people in your specific neighborhood, that you can socialize with while maintaining a safe bubble, creating your household. Residents must continue to wear a mask, keep six feet of social distance with each other, and wash their hands frequently if they are together with their “bubble buddies.”
- By regulation, anyone who lives in assisted living and leaves our community for a non-clinical appointment must then quarantine for 14 days when they return to the community. Per recent testing mandates, they will be tested twice a week along with team members.
- All hair salons that were previously open will remain open with salon staff following all Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) regulations.
Now is the time to pull together as a community and “protect our house.” We want to be safe and responsible for each other. We also want to be creative and find ways to retain and build a connection with each other for our mental and emotional well-being. Please start talking with your neighbors about building your “bubble buddy” system. Work together to place calls to each other, schedule video chats, and small groups of five gatherings with social distance. Now is the time to establish your tribe of people within our community.
For our cherished families, we know these restrictions are worrisome. Please stay in communication with your loved one, schedule video visits, closed window visits, send care packages, drop off cards and favorite meals, plan a “parade of lights” through our parking lot and let us know if you have concerns so we can try to help.
We are in this together. With new vaccines on the horizon, we have to now more than ever, support and love each other, and we will get through this together.
Mandatory Covid Testing Order
11/13/2020
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) issued a new mandatory COVID testing order that will go into effect for our community on Friday, November 20th.
This order requires us to test ALL team members and professionals providing care (vendors, doctors, etc.) associated with our assisted living neighborhood weekly. This mandate also requires testing of any resident of those neighborhoods who leave our community within the last 14 days. Again this goes into effect on Friday, November 20th, therefore any resident leaving this weekend or after, will be part of the testing “look back” period. If our county’s positivity rate increases above 10%, we then will need to test team members and residents twice a week until the rate goes back below 10% for two consecutive weeks.
We are working to set up a standing testing time and date so team members can make accommodations to take part in this mandatory testing. We will also schedule residents who qualify for this surveillance testing on the same days as the team member testing.
To help ensure we are able to conduct this weekly testing, the state has partnered with Curative, a national COVID testing firm to provide supplies and equipment to communities. The test will be an oral saliva test and team members will be able to administer it themselves. Curative has worked with other states and provided test results within 48 hours of receiving the test sample, an improvement over the several day wait we are now experiencing. We will provide all team members, residents, and families more information about where, how and when the testing will take place as soon as we work out a few more details and receive our test supplies.
The timing of this order is something to take into consideration for the holidays. If a resident leaves for Thanksgiving, they will be required to be tested and to socially isolate for 14 days upon return to the community. Both the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and CDPHE state that this mandated testing will not shorten the required 14 day social isolation period for residents in our assisted living, memory support, and assisted living neighborhoods.
We highly recommend that everyone who lives and works at Day Spring Villa exercise caution and take extra safety steps during this holiday season. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued some Thanksgiving guidelines for all of us to consider if we choose to take part in a gathering.
- Take into consideration the local county positivity rate before planning a gathering.
- Those preparing food should wear a mask at all times.
- If two or more households are gathering, everyone should wear a mask.
- For residents hosting a small in apartment gathering, you do not have to count each in community apartment as a separate household. Day Spring Villa is considered one household according to CDPHE, however, you must still adhere to no more than six to 10 people, and you must practice social distancing.
- Keep the gathering small and short in duration to limit exposure risk.
- If possible, have a window open or better yet, host the meal outside. Governor Polis has asked for no more than two households to gather together.
- Attempt to maintain social distancing of six feet or more at all times.
We will serve a special meal for residents and team members on Thanksgiving. We will also do our best to help families connect for the holiday through technology visits, outside visits (if we are able), and closed window visits.
With the surge in cases in our community and nationally, we all must do our part to stop the spread of the virus and protect those most vulnerable to the harsher effects of this very contagious virus.
Thank you for your support and understanding during this challenging phase of our community’s life.
UPDATE AND MASS TESTING NOTIFICATION
11/13/2020
Dayspring Villa is committed to timely communication and transparency, we learned last evening that one of our team members tested positive for COVID-19. The team member last worked on 11/9 and was wearing proper PPE. The team member was tested on 11/10 after direct exposure, the test result was returned on 11/12 in the evening. The team member is now recovering at home.
We have conducted extensive contact tracing and have notified all team members and residents who may have come into contact with the community support team members. At this time, no other resident or team member has signs or symptoms of COVID-19. We have been instructed by the Denver health department to begin mass testing of all residents and staff. We will be testing tomorrow between 6am-12pm. We will have additional communication coming regarding new testing requirements in Colorado as well as holiday procedures.
The entire community continues to operate under the CDC restricted status of limited communal dining, life enrichment and only essential care visitors. We continue stringent anti-virus cleaning efforts and are following all federal, state and local virus procedures and protocols.
We encourage families to please connect during this time via phone, video chat or sending a supportive note. Please let us know if you would like to schedule a time for a staff supported technology connection by sending an email to sfoust@clcmail.org or lgarcia@clcmail.org.
We will contact you if your loved one is suspected or diagnosed with COVID-19.
You can find regular community status updates here on the Status Updates page.
Thank you for your continued patience and support as we battle the COVID-19 virus together.
Update 10/28/20
Update on Indoor Visits
In our continued commitment to keep you informed during this COVID-19 pandemic, we want to update you regarding our work to offer indoor visitations per Governor Polis’s directives issued early this fall.
At Dayspring Villa we have met most of the six criteria required for our community to offer indoor visitations. We are poised for the last requirement of baseline testing, however, as you may be aware, COVID-19 positive cases have increased in most areas of our state. For our county, our case per 1,000 rate is 384.6 which means the positivity rate is 5.5 percent. Therefore, we are in a holding pattern on offering indoor visitations until the positive case rate for our county decreases. We post the county data on our website every Tuesday on the COVID-19 update tab.
We are committed to being able to offer visits as soon as we are able. We have identified an area in our community to host indoor visits safely; we have a sign-up and screening system ready to launch. We have the PPE needed as well as the disinfecting plan.
As a reminder, once we can offer visits and meet all six criteria, visitors must also meet specific criteria. The main requirement is to produce a written record of a visitor receiving a negative COVID-19 test result within 48 hours of the scheduled visit. Testing turn-around times vary significantly at the moment, with some labs meeting this requirement and some taking up to seven days to return results. We recommend calling various testing locations to ask what their turn-around time is before scheduling a test and a visit.
In the meantime, we will continue to offer outdoor visits as long as the weather allows. We also encourage residents and families to connect via technology, such as video chat, letters, and care packages. Please call the community directly at 303-455-5066, to schedule a visit.
We know connections with loved ones and friends if vitally important to the health and happiness of those we serve, we will continue to look for creative ways to help preserve precious relationships.
We will let you know as soon as the situation changes and we are able to offer indoor visits.
With the increase in the both the case rate and positivity rate in our county, by regulation we must make the following changes, decrease group gatherings to five or less, this impacts life enrichment, suspend scenic van rides, and limit communal dining to those requiring assistance.
We appreciate your partnership and patience; together, we will get through this.
Update 10/19/20
Postponement of Baseline Testing
In our continued effort to support as much connection between residents and family members we are planning the final steps needed to provide Indoor visitations for our assisted living.
However, we were informed today by CDPHE that our baseline mass testing has been postponed for tomorrow. Cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in Denver County and the state of Colorado and the CDPHE is responding and shifting testing priorities as needed for the benefit of the public health and well-being. We will be receiving tests to conduct the baseline testing ourselves internally, but do not have a timeframe of when testing supplies will arrive.
We will share more with you when we have a clearer picture of when this testing will occur. In the meantime, we continue to offer outdoor visits, window, and plexiglass divider visits. Please continue to take advantage of these opportunities and technology-supported visits while we continue to work on implementing the Governor’s indoor visitation directives. We are as anxious as you are and will quickly work to implement these visits as we are able.
Update 10/15/20
Notification of Baseline Mass Testing
In our continued effort to support as much connection between residents and family members we are taking the final step needed to provide Indoor visitations for our assisted living community.
We will be conducting baseline PCR mass testing of all team members and residents. This testing includes all contract workers and care essential visitors. The testing will be conducted on 10/20.
There are six criteria that each community must meet before offering indoor visits ranging from the degree of virus spread (posted on our website weekly) in the greater community to baseline testing of team members and PPE availability. This is part of Governor Polis and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) directives to allow indoor visits in assisted living and skilled nursing communities.
Depending on the results of the baseline testing, we believe we will be poised to offer indoor visitations. We are identifying visitation areas, protocols, and procedures.
However, there are also criteria that each visitor must also meet. This includes being able to have documented proof of a negative Antigen COVID-19 test within 48 hours prior to the scheduled visit. Without that proof, and having results back within that time frame, we cannot accommodate an indoor visit.
We will share the results of our baseline testing once it is available In the meantime, we continue to offer outdoor visits, window, and plexiglass divider visits. Please continue to take advantage of these opportunities and technology-supported visits while we continue to work on implementing the Governor’s indoor visitation directives. We are as anxious as you are and will quickly work to implement these visits as we are able.
Update 9/3/20
Next Steps for Colorado Governor’s Guidance on Indoor Visits
We are as excited as our families and residents to hear the good news that Governor Polis and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has given final guidance on allowing indoor visits within residential care communities.
There are six criteria that each community must meet before offering indoor visits ranging from the degree of virus spread in the greater community to baseline testing of team members and PPE availability. We are assessing our community’s eligibility to offer indoor visits based on the six criteria now, to read more detail please visit the CDPHE website.
If we meet these six criteria, then there are additional requirements of the person coming into the community. This includes being able to have documented proof of a negative Antigen COVID-19 test within 48 hours prior to the scheduled visit. Without that proof, and having results back within that time frame, we cannot accommodate an indoor visit.
We appreciate our resident and family member’s patience as we work through this new exciting guidance. In the meantime, we continue to offer outdoor visits, window, and plexiglass divider visits. Please continue to take advantage of these opportunities and technology-supported visits while implementing the Governor’s new directives. We are as anxious as you are and will quickly work to implement these visits as we are able.
We will host a special CLC-Cappella Colorado Communities Town Hall Webinar on Tuesday, September 8th at 4:30pm MT for residents, families and team members to receive the latest progress towards implementation and what is required.
