New Normal for Dayspring Villa Means Ensuring Resident Safety!
From safe dining to vaccine booster clinics to transparently sharing team member vaccination rates, our communities and parent organization, Christian Living Communities continue to support residents’ purpose-filled lives while taking steps to increase resident safety from COVID variants. While the larger community wonders if restaurants and shops will require masks or shut down again, our residents are empowered daily to learn and grow with the added security of neighbors and team members they know are vaccinated.
At the end of August, our community boasted an 86% overall vaccination rate of residents and team members. With vaccines now required for team members, we expect our vaccination rates to further increase.
Dayspring Villa is pleased to see the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s (CDPHE)latest mandate that all healthcare workers in the state of Colorado receive the COVID-19 vaccine by October 31st. At Dayspring Villa we are already in process of requiring the COVID-19 vaccine for our team members as Christian Living Communities, our parent company requires our team members to become fully vaccinated by October 1st, a full 30 days ahead of the state mandate. To read more about the new CDPHE mandate please click here. The health and safety of residents and team members are paramount as we continue to battle the COVID-19 virus in our community, especially as Delta variant cases continue to rise in our state. The vaccine is the extra protection needed.
Dayspring Villa Requires Vaccinations for Team Members
After many conversations with residents, team members, community leaders and tracking the national conversation, the Christian Living Communities (CLC) ownership group is implementing a COVID-19 vaccine requirement. All team members at Dayspring Villa (other than those approved for exemption due to medical or religious reasons) volunteers and business partners working in our communities must receive the full vaccine series for the COVID-19 virus by Friday, October 1st.
This is not a decision CLC leadership takes lightly. Highly contagious variants, including the Delta variant, are exploding across our region and the United States, and COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are rising again. Data from CDPHE indicates that unvaccinated people are most vulnerable to infection and passing the virus to others. Each time a positive case is identified in a community, the community goes into “outbreak” status, which then significantly impacts the quality of life of residents, families, and other team members. Numerous senior living companies, health care entities, and government agencies now require all team members to be vaccinated. Additionally, 56 healthcare associations, including the American Medical Association and LeadingAge, have called for “all healthcare and long-term care employers to require their employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.”
CLC cherishes each team member and their vital contribution to our family of communities and services. We appreciate each individual’s commitment and loyalty during this most challenging time.
We care for the most at-risk citizens and are taking this essential step to require vaccinations to protect our communities including residents, clients, team members, and their families such as young children or others that are unable to be vaccinated at this time.
We are doing our best to accommodate personal choices and individual opinions while taking the necessary steps to protect our communities. One of our central values is We! Care for Each Other; this value is displayed countless times each day in countless ways. Now is the time to show we care for each other by becoming vaccinated.
This requirement is in effect for our CLC ownership group, including Cappella of Pueblo West, Clermont Park, Dayspring Villa, Holly Creek, Someren Glen, Rhythms Home Care, and the Eagle Pointe Support Office as well as CLC-Cappella employees such as Executive Directors who work in our managed communities. In addition, Duet dining and Infinity Rehab team members will also be part of this requirement, and we are working with our other in-community business partners.
Over the next few days CLC leaders, human resources, and Daysping Villa leaders will answer questions and conduct training regarding this vaccine requirement.
We appreciate the continued support, patience, and love shown to each other within our CLC family of communities and services. At Dayspring Villa we are committed to doing what we can to balance the health and happiness of everyone who lives and works in our community.
7/30/21
Mask Requirements
Mask wearing is again required in Dayspring Villa regardless of vaccination status. We hope this requirement is only for a short period of time, but due to several factors, we made this difficult decision in hopes of mitigating infection and illness in Dayspring Villa.
Earlier this week the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommended that masks be worn indoors across the nation in areas of high or substantial COVID-19 spread. Delta variant break-through infections are on the rise in Colorado, this is when a fully vaccinated person becomes infected. The Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE) issued more infection control measures for assisted living communities this week and OSHA has also advised assisted living communities to wear masks.
Masks must be worn by residents, team members, vendors, and visitors, even if they are vaccinated in public areas of the community, going to and from meals and while taking part in programs.
We appreciate your cooperation in this necessary safety measure. Thank you for your support and patience as we continue to battle the COVID-19 virus and its variants.
7/27/21
New CDPHE Requirements
Due to the recent increase in the COVID-19 Delta variant transmission locally and across Colorado, the Colorado Department of Health & Environment is increasing infection control measures to ensure safety in senior living communities.
Beginning this week at Dayspring Villa the following testing will be in place:
Unvaccinated residents of Assisted Living, Memory Support, or Skilled Nursing neighborhoods who leaves the community for any reason for longer than 24 hours, will then have to take part in daily testing with a rapid Point of Care (POC) test, and once a week with a PCR test, for 14 days after leaving the community.
Vaccinated residents and Residential Living residents are not subject to testing when leaving the community as long as they remain asymptomatic.
Unvaccinated team members will need to complete pre-shift rapid POC test as well as take part in weekly PCR testing
Outside healthcare & service providers must provide a copy of vaccination, a negative PCR test result within the past seven days, and a rapid test upon entry.
Visitors are encouraged to be tested and the Community may be able to offer a rapid test upon entry, although it is not required.
Mask Wearing mask wearing continues to be a personal decision in our residential living neighborhoods, in assisted living neighborhoods vaccinated residents and team members are not required to wear a mask and in our skilled nursing neighborhoods, mask wearing is required for both residents and team members, regardless of vaccine status.
If we receive a positive test result from any of the above testing, we then will be required to test all residents and team members, regardless of their vaccine status until we clear a 14 day post-positive test time frame with no additional positive tests.
As always, we continually seek to balance the safety of residents and team members with freedom to pursue all the joys of daily living.
For more information on testing availability at our community please call the business office.
We continue to encourage everyone who remains unvaccinated to please get the vaccine to reduce the risk of illness in our community and protect the residents we serve. There are several vaccine clinics in our community through various pharmacies.
Thank you for your understanding and support as we navigate the rise of the Delta variant in our area.
New Freedoms for Residents & Team Members in Regulated Neighborhoods!
6/4/2021
We are thrilled to share the good news that the Colorado Department of Health and Environment loosened many restrictions for regulated levels of senior living.
At Dayspring Villa this means residents who are fully vaccinated do not have to wear a mask and are able to share meals with other vaccinated residents, take part in community-life programs, and take part in outings, all without a mask! Individuals who wish to wear a mask may of course continue to do so due to the proven health benefits.
Residents who are not fully vaccinated will continue to be encouraged to wear a mask for their own protection and practice social distancing when possible. Additionally, if our county positivity rate goes above 10%, and our community vaccination rate is below 70%, we will have to exclude unvaccinated residents from group programs and outings.
We are also thrilled to share that we no longer have to conduct routine, also known as surveillance testing, of team members or residents who have left and returned to the community if they are fully vaccinated. Unvaccinated residents and team members will have to continue with routine testing.
Visitors who are fully vaccinated are no longer required to wear a mask and may take part in group activities and dining. Each person will still need to be screened and we must ask for a copy of your vaccination card. Unvaccinated visitors will still need to wear a mask and may not take part in any activities or dining.
Additionally, we are again able to welcome family pet visitations to our community. Family pets must visit only one resident at a time and avoid unvaccinated residents and team members, if you are interested, please ask about the policy and procedures for pet visits.
We can again welcome vaccinated entertainers into our community much to resident’s delight!
The regulations are similar for team members. Mask wearing for fully vaccinated team members is now optional.
3/24/21
Expanded Visitation Rules are in Effect at Dayspring Villa
The Colorado State Health Department released new directives aligning state regulations with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) newly expanded visitations for long-term care facilities, including our assisted living community.
Families and friends now have more options to connect with their loved ones. The state guidance still recommends outdoor visitations whenever possible because there is less chance of spreading the virus. We are now able to offer indoor visits with the following guidelines and exceptions:
Visits will be allowed regardless of the resident’s vaccination status except in the following high-risk COVID-19 transmission situations:
If a resident is unvaccinated and our county’s Covid positivity rate is above 10% and fewer than 70% of the community residents are vaccinated. Currently, 100% of our residents have received both doses of the vaccine.
If a resident has a confirmed COVID-19 infection and/or has not yet passed the quarantine time frame.
The Health Department requires each community to establish an indoor visitation policy and procedures, including the number of visitors per resident, the number of visits that can be accommodated at one time, the hours of visitations, and where and how the visits will be accommodated before we can offer visits.
At Dayspring Villa visits will be hosted daily, call the community for specific times. Each resident can have three visitors at one time, and we will host visits in our chapel. All visitors and residents must continue to wear masks during the visit, and all visits must be scheduled, with no drop-in visits allowed.
All visitors must first come to the front door to be screened and have their temperature checked. If you have any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 please cancel your visit for the health and well-being of everyone at Dayspring Villa.
We have the full Colorado Health Department Directive linked here and the CMS flyer about tips for your visit here.
We are just as excited as residents and families are about these new visitation opportunities. We know personal connections are vital to resident’s well-being. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we roll-out these new directives and get everything set up to welcome you!
Latest Vaccine Information
First In-Community Vaccine Clinic Date
Friday, January 22nd 11:30-3:30
Walgreens Pharmacy – Pfizer Vaccine
All residents and team members need to have their most current insurance cards. If you misplaced your insurance card please make sure you get a replacement card for yourself or your loved one as soon as possible, so the process moves forward as smoothly as possible. Please take a look at the below links for further information.
This Frequently Asked Questions document is intended to give information to residents, families, team members, and the general community regarding the status of rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine in our communities. Information is changing daily. There are times the federal directive and state directives are different. Christian Living Communities (CLC) – Cappella Living Solutions is committed to providing accurate information as timely as possible. This document will be updated and available as changes warrant. For vaccine-specific information, we request the CDC documents be shared.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has prioritized older adults and people working in Long-Term Care to be part of the first-tier to receive the vaccine. Will my loved one’s Community be included?
All CLC-Cappella communities are registered with the Pharmacy Partnership for Long Term Care Initiative to be part of the vaccine’s first-tier distribution. At the moment, we believe this will include team members and residents of skilled nursing and assisted living communities. We are waiting to hear if residential (independent) living residents/team members will also be included in the first-tier distribution.
Where does the vaccine approval currently stand?
Now that the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been approved, the federal government has begun distribution to the states for inoculations. Each state will then set a state-specific timeline and process for vaccine distribution and administration. We anticipate all of the states we support will follow the CDC tier guidelines for prioritizing who will receive the vaccine first, but that has not been firmly confirmed.
Once the states get the vaccine, how will it be distributed to Long-Term Care?
These are some of the details still being worked out. At this point, because all of our communities are registered in the federal pharmacy partnership, we will receive the vaccine through either CVS or Walgreens pharmacy or both. We anticipate the pharmacy teams coming to our communities to administer the vaccines to residents, working closely with our clinical teams. We are awaiting more details regarding team member vaccination.
How will the vaccine be rolled out in our Community?
We will begin by educating residents, families, and team members. The CDC has provided some information sheets that will be distributed and posted on websites to answer questions specifically around vaccine development, safety, and why getting the vaccine is beneficial. We will work with our assigned pharmacy, who will store, distribute, administered the vaccine. We anticipate the pharmacy will set up clinic dates and times for resident vaccinations. The pharmacies will also document and report our vaccine administration progress.
Once residents and team members are vaccinated, will restrictions be lifted?
Not immediately, but that is the goal. It will take time for the two-step vaccine process to be fully implemented therefore, we will still need to wear masks, socially distance, and follow clinical protocols until the Community and the surrounding cities and towns reach a majority of people being vaccinated. It takes up to two weeks after the second dose of the vaccine for each person to benefit from its protection.
What if my loved one or a team member refuses to be vaccinated?
The CLC-Cappella team is working to determine what options if any, will be offered to those refusing the vaccination. We will share more information when it’s available.
For vaccine-specific questions, please refer to the CDC handouts.
Learn more on how the CLC-Cappella Communities prepared to receive COVID-19 Vaccine Here.
To learn more about the vaccine in Colorado click here.
Weekly County Data Updates
Dayspring Villa Begins Posting Critical Data Weekly as a Next Step towards Indoor Visitations
We are adding some very important information to our website for residents, families and team members. We will post two pieces of data that are critical to our COVID-19 testing process, and is one determining factor in our ability to offer indoor visits.
County Case Rate Governor Polis and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) set six criteria that must be met before an indoor visit can be offered in assisted living and skilled nursing communities. The first is the degree of community spread which CDPHE mandates be measured as the county’s case rate. This is the rate of how many positive cases per 100,000 people over a two week time period. This is the first piece of data that we will now post on our website every week.
A low or green case rate means we can offer visits without requiring visitors to have evidence of a negative COVID-19 test.
A yellow or medium rate means we can offer visits, but must require visitors to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test 48 hours prior to the visit.
A red or high rate means we cannot offer indoor visits.
County Positivity Rate The second piece of data is the county positivity rate. This determines how often we must conduct Routine (Mass) Testing of employees and contractors in skilled nursing neighborhoods as mandated by the Centers for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS). A rate below 5% requires testing only once a month, higher than that is once a week and above 10% will require twice a week.
This rate is important to keep an eye on for all levels of living including residential and assisted living, not just skilled nursing, as it is a key indicator of the risk in our county of spreading COVID-19.
Routine Testing Requirements for Skilled Nursing
Greater Community COVID-19 Activity
County Positivity Rate in the past week
Minimum Testing Frequency
Low
<5%
Once a month
Medium
5% -10%
Once a week
High
>10%
Twice a week
Every week we will post both important pieces of data on our COVID-19 Updates page under the Weekly County Data Updates tab by the end of the day Monday.
Indoor Visits for Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing Requirements
In addition to the community spread rate each community must also meet five other criteria, conduct baseline testing of certain residents and staff, surveillance and outbreak testing, be outbreak-free, PPE supply must be adequate and critical staffing must be in place. To read more details, please visit the CDPHE website.
Our community is currently working to conduct the required baseline testing in our regulated neighborhoods ( assisted living and skilled nursing, if applicable) Once we have successfully finished the testing and met the other five criteria then visitors must also meet the following criteria:
Tested negative for COVID-19 within 48 hours of the visit and have documentation (from the time the test was collected) if the county is in the medium or high case rate level. The test must be a PCR (nasal swab) test, not a rapid POC (point of care) or an antibody test.
Fever free, go through screening and have no known COVID-19 exposure
Be 18 years old or older
Schedule appointments in advance
Wear masks and follow infection control guidelines such as washing hands prior to visiting and frequently throughout
Limit visitation to residents only in designated areas
We know the connection with family is vital and we will implement visits as soon as we are able to. In the meantime, please continue to utilize outdoor patio visits and plexiglass visits as offered by your community as well as technology-supported connections. Care essential visits are still being accommodated at this time.
We are preparing for some wonderful family reunions! Just yesterday the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released new guidance that communities like ours should offer responsible and safe visit options regardless of vaccination status for families and residents. CMS put in place some restrictions, and as has been the case throughout the pandemic, we must receive the green light from the Colorado health department before we can actually host more indoor visits. Read the specific information on our Christian Living Communities website.
2/2/21
Dayspring Villa Welcomes Residents Again and Opens Up More Community Life Programs
We are pleased to share that Dayspring Villa has cleared all positive and suspected COVID-19 cases. We are so grateful to the dedicated team members who have tirelessly worked to care for residents and celebrate their hard work and these recoveries. We thank residents and families for their ongoing support, patience, and encouragement.
Team members, continue wearing masks and we ask residents who leave their apartment home to please wear a mask when out and about in the community. If a cloth mask is needed by a resident, please contact a team member. We continue to follow strict virus prevention and cleaning protocols in cooperation with local, state, and federal guidelines.
Thankfully, the Denver county virus positivity rate is well below 10%, which means we will be able to offer indoor visitations for families to connect with their loved ones. To schedule a visit and learn of the requirements and restrictions for visits, please contact Stormie or Latoya at sfoust@clcmail.org, lgarcia@clcmail.org, or call 303.455.5066. Our ability to offer indoor visits can change week to week, we post the county positivity data weekly, click on the county data tab to learn more.
We will continue to support connecting residents with their loved ones through video chat, calling, texting, or other social media formats. Please let us know you would like to schedule a time for staff supported connection you can also reach out to Stormie.
We are now working closely with the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) and clinical leadership on plans to safely re-open the community to admissions, so we can again serve the needs of seniors who need quality care now more than ever, and continue to protect the safety of Dayspring Villa residents. We are also thrilled to again be able to open our dining room for socially distanced dining and we are again able to host group life enrichment programs while retaining social distancing and continuing to wear masks.
We also want to share the amazing response by Dayspring residents to receiving the vaccine. 100% of residents have received their first dose of the vaccine and 53% of team members have received the first dose. Our next clinic is on February 12th. Our expectation is that everyone who is clinically eligible will receive the vaccine as we believe it is the only way to bring an end to this pandemic and some normalcy back to your community.
The family member hotline remains available; please call 303.997.1301 if you have questions about this information. For specific resident questions, please know someone may need to call you back after a message is relayed to care teams. Additionally, families of residents may contact our Ombudsman, Heather Porreca, at hporreca@dcrcog.org or call 303.480.5629.
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 learnmore 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.
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 details 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.
Outdoor Visitation Guidelines Per Governor Polis’s direction, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment released directives for outside visits with loved ones for people living in long-term care communities such as assisted living, memory support and skilled nursing. The directives require new operational protocols, which we are in the process of developing. In addition, team member training must take place before outside visits can be scheduled. We will provide an update on Dayspring Villa’s ability to host these visits as soon as we can. We appreciate your patience.
Update 6/5/20
Health and Happiness
While many states are in various stages of reopening, government restrictions have not changed for senior living communities. We are still under restrictive CDC status. However, CLC-Cappella has formed a Health and Happiness Committee to reevaluate our current procedures in order to strike a balance between the crucial need to maintain physical health with mental health leading to happiness.
We want to share some of the ways Dayspring Villa is responding currently. Please note that these measures are subject to change at any time in response to developments in county, state, or federal policy and the health conditions in our area. Here are some of the measures available at this time, please contact us with questions or for complete details.
In Person Visits
We are currently able to offer outdoor plexiglass visits for all residents and their families, please schedule a visit with the community.
Isolation Protocols Following Essential Visits
We are working with residents on a case-by-case basis to determine appropriate protocols and what visits are essential and if a self-isolation time after the visit is warranted based on the visit and risk for exposure..
Excursions
We are unable to offer scenic-ride excursions at this time.
FAQ
Q: Will booster vaccines be available in communities?
A: Many communities are seeking to coordinate booster clinics for those vaccinated last winter and spring for COVID-19. Our goal is to provide onsite clinics eight months following the second round of vaccine shots that were offered in a community last winter. We’ve partnered with local retail pharmacies and Pharmerica to provide onsite access. With vaccines now so readily available at pharmacies, grocery stores, and medical offices, communities may also coordinate transportation as needed for residents to get their boosters.
What about immunocompromised residents?
In assisted living, memory support, and skilled nursing neighborhoods, we are identifying residents whose health conditions qualify them for a third vaccine- a stronger dosage than the booster- and are offering third vaccines in conjunction with many of our booster clinics, or sooner where possible and needed. In residential living, we are educating residents who may have the following conditions of their option for a third vaccine:
Active tumor treatment
Organ donation recipient
Immunosuppression therapy for stem cell or CAR-T-cell transplant
Moderate to severe primary immunodeficiency
High-dose corticosteroid treatment
Q: How are visitors being screened?
A: We screen everyone entering the building everyday immediately, including team members and essential care providers. Screening includes:
Fever screening, we take temperatures of everyone, including team members
Cough and/or shortness of breath
Sore throat
Any travel outside of country or state
Identifying if they have visited another senior living community
Questions on purpose of visit
Once screening is complete, visitors must wash hands before visiting residents and after leaving the community
Q:Will CLC/Cappella require the vaccine for team members?
CLC & Cappella leadership has been discussing this weekly since the vaccine became available. Ultimately, we feel it’s one of the most important steps we can take to protect resident and team member health, safety, and freedom in the communities we serve. Fortunately, the majority of Cappella/CLC team members have already chosen to be vaccinated.
Two key factors tipped the scales. First, the Delta variant causes more than twice as many infections per ill individual as earlier variants of COVID-19. In fact, a recent study of by The American Health Care Association and The National Center for Assisted Living showed the higher team member vaccination rates, the lower the resident COVID-19 infection rate. And for communities where team members were 100% vaccinated, resident COVID-19 deaths were nearly eliminated.
Second, with FDA approval for at least one vaccine, one of the key concerns expressed by team members about efficacy and safety has been more fully addressed.
By the end of August 2021, nearly half of senior living & healthcare organizations across the country were requiring vaccinations of team members.
All team members (other than those approved for exemption due to medical or religious reasons) volunteers, and business partners working in our communities must receive the full vaccine series for the COVID-19 virus by Friday, October 1st.
Q: What about residents or team members who already had COVID-19? Do they need to be vaccinated?
A: Unvaccinated individuals who were previously infected with COVID-19 but did NOT get vaccinated were more than twice as likely to be reinfected with COVID-19 as those who had the illness AND were fully vaccinated, according to a recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control.
What portions of residents are vaccinated? What about team members?
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid have begun publishing vaccination rates for nursing homes
Cappella (or CLC) President and CEO Jill Vitale-Assume recently hosted a FB live event with two clinical experts, CLC Medical Director Dr. Erick Gomer MD, and VP of Clinical and Compliance, Pat McBride, RN, BSN, MSN. Watch the video to hear these experts sort COVID 19 Vaccine fact from fiction.
