At Watercrest, we are closely monitoring new developments surrounding the coronavirus (COVID-19). The health and safety of our residents, associates, and community are our top priority and we remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of safety. We are actively monitoring all public sources of information and guidance, including the CDC and the World Health Organization, to ensure that we are taking all necessary precautions. We will continue to adjust our actions as this situation evolves. Please be on the lookout for continued communication from us. You can find our letters of communication located in the “Letters to Residents, Families, and Visitors” section.

February 24^th 2022

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Watercrest is happy to report that COVID-19 cases are dropping across the country. As a result of decreasing cases, we will be adding back some of the programs that many of you have looked forward to over the years. We will be bringing back our Sunday brunches, restaurant outings, guest dining, and allow social events revolving around food and drinks to return at our communities. Please know that if we have COVID-19 cases in the community, we will have to put on hold certain events until the community is COVID-19 free.

Because safety is our number one priority, we will continue testing our associates every two weeks for COVID-19 and will continue to require our associates to wear masks while working in the community. We will also continue to screen visitors, associates, etc.

Since there is very little new COVID-19 information to report, we will be discontinuing this COVID-19 weekly update. Rest assured that if we receive any new information related to COVID-19, we will communicate this information to you. We know it is of the utmost importance to keep you informed.

If you have any questions regarding community events and offerings, please reach out to your community director team. They will be happy to assist you.

We are excited to see you and spend time with you in our dining rooms. We hope to see you soon!

Our residents, associates, and family’s health and wellness are our number one priority. Vaccinations, mask wearing, hand washing, and social distancing will help protect our loved ones and yours. Thank you for helping support us with these measures.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All community associates are currently required to wear masks during their shift and to wear gloves while providing direct care to residents. If there are respiratory symptoms of unknown cause or a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, associates are required to wear a N95 mask, face shield, gown, and gloves. We have also returned to every other week testing of associates until further notice.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

All visitors are required to wear masks and be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 and have their temperature checked upon arrival at the community. All visitors must comply with visitation policies and procedures.

We are also making sure that our environment remains clean by cleaning all high-touch surfaces multiple times a day with EPA approved products used to fight against SARS-CoV 2, the novel coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

And as promised, we will provide notification, within 24 hours, to our residents, the healthcare power of attorney, and our associates should we have anyone in our community test positive for COVID-19. We will provide this communication by phone call and we will also send an email. If you are the healthcare power of attorney, please make sure you notify any other family members that you want to make aware. We greatly appreciate your help with this.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

February 16^th 2022

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

On February 11th, 2022, the CDC posted a media statement regarding a new study. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention completed two studies where they reviewed data related to COVID-19 boosters. Their findings were that COVID-19 boosters remain safe and continue to offer high levels of protection against severe disease over time and during Omicron and Delta waves.

In the first study, the CDC reviewed data from two of its vaccine safety monitoring systems. They are called V-Safe and VAERS. You may have received messages from these systems after you received your vaccination and/or booster asking for you to update your health status after having received them.

The CDC reviewed the data from V-Safe and VAERS and found that people 18 years and older who received the same mRNA vaccine brand for all of their vaccinations experienced fewer adverse reactions following their booster dose, than they did after their second dose of the mRNA vaccine. 92% of reports to VAERS were not considered serious, and headache, fever, and muscle pain were among the most reported reactions. V-safe data found medical care was rarely received after a booster dose.

The second study showed that a third dose of an mRNA vaccine continues to offer high levels of protection against severe disease, even months after administration, therefore emphasizing the importance of staying up to date on vaccines when eligible after receiving the primary series. In this study, the CDC reviewed data on 93,000 hospitalizations and 241,000 emergency department and urgent care visits across 10 states during the Delta and Omicron waves. In the study, about 10% of the people were boosted and over 50% of people hospitalized were over 65 years old. During Omicron, vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization was 91% during the first 2 months after a third dose and remained high at 78% four or more months after the third dose.

After review of these two studies, the CDC states that boosters are safe and effective, and they continue to recommend everyone 5 and older remain up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccinations to ensure optimal protection against hospitalizations and severe outcomes.

If you would like to read more information on these studies, you can click on the following link: https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/s0211-covid-19-boosters.html

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

February 10^th 2022

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

On February 4th, the CDC posted and early release of data from a recent study regarding the effectiveness of face masks or respirator use in indoor public settings for prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The study was a case-control study that took information from 1,828 people from February 10th, 2021, to December 1st, 2021. The study compared people with similar characteristics such as vaccination status, etc.

The study asked participants whether or not they always wear a mask in indoor public settings and what kind of mask they used.

The study found that wearing a respirator (N95/KN95) lowered the odds of testing positive for COVID-19 by 83%. People who wore a surgical mask lowered the odd of testing positive for COVID-19 by 66%. And those who wore a cloth mask lowered their odds of testing positive for COVID-19 by 56%.

In conclusion, the study found that consistent use of a face mask or respirator in indoor public settings was associated with lowering the odds of a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result. The use of respirators with higher filtration capacity was associated with the most protection, compared with no mask use.

You can find more details about the study by going to https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7106e1.htm?s_cid=mm7106e1_x

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

February 2^nd 2022

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Last week, we discussed the difference between what it means to be “up to date” and “fully vaccinated” on your COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As a reminder, “up to date” means a person who has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster doses when eligible. “Fully vaccinated” means a person has received their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines.

If you go on to the CDC website, you can find up to date vaccination statistics. As of today, 75.4% of the US population has had at least one dose of a vaccine.

63.8% of the US population is considered to be fully vaccinated.

And 41.7% of the US population is considered to be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccine. Meaning, they have had all of their recommended COVID-19 vaccines including any booster doses.

51.8% of the US population is booster eligible. Booster eligible means the count and percentage of people who are eligible for a booster dose but have not received a booster or additional dose. Booster eligibility counts and percentages exclude vaccine administrations report by Texas because data on the primary series cannot be linked to data on booster doses in the aggregate data submitted by Texas. Criteria for booster eligibility may change over time; data will be updated to align with the current recommendations.

The following information will help you determine whether you are “up to date” on your vaccines.

Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine:

For anyone 5 years of age or older.
It is recommended that 2 doses be given three weeks apart as the primary series.
You are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after your final dose in the primary series.
Everyone 12 years of age or older should get a booster dose at least 5 months after the last dose in their primary series.
A person is considered “boosted” and “up to date” right after getting their booster dose.

Moderna vaccine:

For anyone 18 years of age or older.
It is recommended that 2 doses be given 4 weeks apart as the primary series.
You are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after your final dose in the primary series.
Everyone 18 years of age or older should get a booster dose at least 5 months after the last dose in their primary series.
A person is considered “boosted” and “up to date” right after getting their booster dose.

Johnson and Johnson’s Janssen vaccine:

For anyone 18 years of age or older.
1 dose is recommended in the primary series.
You are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after your dose.
Everyone 18 years of age or older should get a booster dose of either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna at least 2 months after their first dose of J&J vaccine.
A person is considered “boosted” and “up to date” right after getting their booster dose.

We hope this information was helpful.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

January 27^th 2022

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made a recent change to what it means to be “up to date” and “fully vaccinated” on your COVID-19 vaccine. According to the CDC, “up to date” means a person who has received all recommended COVID-19 vaccines, including any booster doses when eligible. “Fully vaccinated” means a person has received their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines.

The CDC says that people who are “up to date” on their vaccines are optimally protected. And they recommend that everyone 5 years and older get their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines and receive a booster dose when eligible.

The following information will help you determine whether you are “up to date” on your vaccines.

Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine:

For anyone 5 years of age or older.
It is recommended that 2 doses be given three weeks apart as the primary series.
You are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after your final dose in the primary series.
Everyone 12 years of age or older should get a booster dose at least 5 months after the last dose in their primary series.
A person is considered “boosted” and “up to date” right after getting their booster dose.

Moderna vaccine:

For anyone 18 years of age or older.
It is recommended that 2 doses be given 4 weeks apart as the primary series.
You are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after your final dose in the primary series.
Everyone 18 years of age or older should get a booster dose at least 5 months after the last dose in their primary series.
A person is considered “boosted” and “up to date” right after getting their booster dose.

Johnson and Johnson’s Janssen vaccine:

For anyone 18 years of age or older.
1 dose is recommended in the primary series.
You are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after your dose.
Everyone 18 years of age or older should get a booster dose of either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna at least 2 months after their first dose of J&J vaccine.
A person is considered “boosted” and “up to date” right after getting their booster dose.

We hope this information was helpful in determining your own vaccination status and whether you are fully vaccinated or “up to date”.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic Ahttps://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

January 19^th 2022

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

The Biden Administration has begun distributing at-home rapid COVID-19 tests to Americans for free. White House press secretary Jen Psaki confirmed on Tuesday that the government website to order free Covid-19 tests is up and running and that the website’s formal rollout should occur this morning.

The website is covidtests.gov. This website will allow you to order 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests for one residential address. Once you enter in your information on the website, it tells you that the COVID-19 tests will start shipping in late January.

This site was very easy to use and only took a couple of minutes to complete.

In addition to the website, there is also a hotline that is being set up to also take orders for tests. This number has not yet been released as it is currently being piloted. But additional details are expected to be available at the end of the week.

Testing is an important tool to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that people use at-home tests if they begin to have symptoms of COVID-19, or at least five days after coming in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 or are gathering indoors with a group of people who are at risk of severe disease or unvaccinated.

At Watercrest, we are continuing to test our associates every two weeks for COVID-19. We are also continuing to screen all associates as they come in for their shifts as well as screening any visitors who enter our community.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic Ahttps://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

January 12^th 2022

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

This week’s update is regarding a recent change in guidance by the CDC. On Friday, January 7th, the CDC released the following media statement:

“The CDC is adjusting our recommendation for when people can receive a booster shot, shortening the interval from 6 months to 5 months. Earlier this week, the CDC made this recommendation for recipients of a Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, and after FDA action this morning, we’re extending this recommendation to recipients of a Moderna primary series. This means that people who initially received an mRNA vaccine series- two doses of Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech- can now receive an mRNA booster shot 5 months after completing their initial series.”

We know that booster recommendations are frequently evolving, and we want you to have the most up to date information. You can find this information by using the following link:
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html.

We also encourage you to reach out to your own physician regarding any questions you have related to vaccinations, booster shots, quarantine, isolation, testing, exposure, or close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID, etc.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic A https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

January 5^th 2022

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Last week, we informed you about some recent changes that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention made regarding COVID-19 isolation and quarantine requirements. This week, some additional changes have been made.

Previously, fully vaccinated individuals who were exposed to COVID-19 did not have to quarantine. However, the latest update states that you should quarantine if you are 18 years of age or older and you have not received the booster shot.

It also states you should quarantine if you have been exposed to COVID-19 and it has been 2 months since you received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

And of course, quarantine is recommended if you have not been vaccinated.

For anyone that has been exposed to COVID-19 and has not been vaccinated, the recommendation is to quarantine for 5 days or wear a mask for 10 days. Quarantine refers to the time people stay away from others if they have been exposed to a disease but are not yet testing positive or showing symptoms.

When quarantining, you should stay away from other people for at least 5 days after your exposure and wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days after your last close contact with someone with COVID-19.

All associates should be wearing masks when they are inside of our communities unless they are in an office alone, outside and socially distanced 6ft, or eating/drinking and socially distanced 6ft from others.

All residents and families should be wearing a mask when in our community common areas except for mealtimes and when outside and socially distanced 6ft from others.

All outside providers should be wearing masks when inside of our communities unless they are in an office alone, outside and socially distanced 6ft, or eating/drinking and socially distanced 6ft from others.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20,

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

December 29^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We want to inform you about a few recent changes that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have made regarding COVID-19 isolation and quarantine requirements.

Fully vaccinated individuals who are exposed to COVID-19 are not required to quarantine.

For anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19, 5 days of isolation is recommended if the person is asymptomatic, or their symptoms are improving. And these people should wear a mask for 5 additional days. Isolation refers to the time people who are contagious must be separated from those who are not sick.

All residents and families should be wearing a mask when in our community common areas except for mealtimes and when outside and socially distanced 6ft from others.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20,

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

December 22^nd 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

As you may have heard, the Omicron variant of COVID-19 is spreading rapidly across the United States. The CDC is working with state and local public health officials to monitor the spread and to learn more about how the Omicron variant spreads, the severity of illness it causes, and how well the available vaccines and medications work against it. As we know more information, we will share it with you.

Because of the recent increase in cases, it is important that you understand how protected or unprotected you might be against COVID-19. Vaccination has been found to be effective in decreasing infections, serious illness, and death but vaccines are not 100% effective at preventing infections. A fully vaccinated person can still get COVID-19, and this is referred to as a “vaccine breakthrough infection.” And a person who has a vaccine breakthrough infection can be contagious.

Please keep in mind that even though vaccination may not be 100% effective at preventing infections, it is still considered to be the best way to slow the spread of COVID-19. And that even if you are fully vaccinated, if you live in an area with substantial or high transmission of COVID-19, you are better protected if you wear a mask when you are in indoor public places.

It is also important to remember that people who are immunocompromised may not always build adequate levels of protection after the 2-dose primary mRNA COVID-19 series. People who are immunocompromised should continue to take all precautions recommended for unvaccinated people, until advised otherwise by their healthcare professional.

If you have questions about the CDC’s recommendations regarding booster shots, you can find out more information by visiting the following link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html

We ask that you keep the safety of our residents, resident families, and associates in mind when entering our communities. Our number one priority is the safety of those we serve.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20,

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

December 15^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

There have been many recent updates to COVID-19 vaccine recommendations. Because there is so much new information, we would like to provide you with a link that gives you the most up to date details regarding the three different available vaccines, the age recommendations for each, dosing information, booster dose information, and when you are considered to be fully vaccinated. This information can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines.html.

The link above will also give you additional recommendation information for immunocompromised individuals.

In other news, our communities have been active with their Festival of Trees, Joyous Noise Jubilees, and other holiday celebrations. I hope you have enjoyed seeing pictures on social media of our recent events. We are trying to provide safe events for all, so as a reminder, we do require masks to be worn inside of our communities and we encourage frequent hand washing, social distancing, and vaccinations. Thank you for helping us keep our residents and associates safe.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20,

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

December 8^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

On December 7th, the CDC updated their website with additional information about the Omicron COVID-19 variant. Their website includes information on what is currently known about the Omicron variant, the tools we have to fight Omicron, and what the CDC is doing to learn more about Omicron.

The CDC has given the following information about what is known about the Omicron variant:

The Omicron variant will likely spread more easily than the original virus. They are not yet sure how it’s spread compares to the Delta variant. The CDC expects that anyone with the Omicron infection can spread the virus to others, even if they are vaccinated or do not have symptoms.
More data is needed regarding whether Omicron infections will cause more severe illness or death than infection with the other variants.
Current vaccines are expected to protect against severe illness, hospitalizations, and deaths due to infection with the Omicron variant. But breakthrough infections in people who are fully vaccinated are likely to occur.
Scientists are working to determine how well existing treatments for COVID-19 work.

The CDC lists the following tools for fighting the Omicron variant:

Vaccines remain the best public health measure to protect people from COVID-19, slow transmission, and reduce the likelihood of new variants emerging.
Masks offer protection against all variants.
Testing can tell you if you are currently infected with COVID-19

The CDC is working to partner with others to gather data and virus samples to study and be able to answer important questions about the Omicron variant. Scientific experiments have been started and the CDC will provide updates as soon as possible.

The CDC also uses genomic surveillance to track variants of SARS-CoV-2 to more quickly identify and act upon these findings to best protect the public’s health. The CDC’s national genomic surveillance can detect a variant that is circulating at 0.1% frequency with 99% statistical confidence.

At Watercrest, we will continue to monitor the Omicron variant and the information given by the CDC and keep you up to date as we learn more.

We also continue to encourage you to receive your vaccination and want to thank everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

December 1^st 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

On Wednesday, December 1st, the CDC released a media statement confirming the first case of the Omicron Variant has been detected in the United States.

The California and San Francisco Departments of Public Health have confirmed that a recent case of COVID-19 among an individual in California was caused by the Omicron variant.

This individual had traveled to South Africa and returned on November 22nd. This person had mild symptoms that are improving and is self-quarantining. All close contacts have been contacted and have tested negative. Vaccination status was not stated in this media statement.

The World Health Organization classified a new variant of COVID on November 26th and named it Omicron on November 30th. The CDC says it has been actively monitoring and preparing for this variant and will continue to work with and partner with others to learn more.

The emergence of this new variant is a further reminder of the importance of vaccinations, boosters, and general prevention strategies to protect against COVID-19. Currently it is recommended by the CDC that everyone 5 and older be vaccinated and boosters are recommended for everyone 18 years and older.

We continue to encourage you to receive your vaccination and we want to thank everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

November 24^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

With Thanksgiving being tomorrow, we want you to know how thankful we are for each of you. Thank you for allowing us to care for you and/or your loved one. We feel blessed and honored to have served you this year.

We know how important holiday traditions are and we want each of you to feel comfortable when celebrating this year. Below are some recommendations that the CDC gives to safely celebrate the holidays:

Protect those not yet eligible for vaccination such as young children by getting yourself and other eligible people around them vaccinated.
Wear well-fitting masks over your nose and mouth if you are in public indoor settings if you are not fully vaccinated.
Those who are fully vaccinated should wear a mask in public indoor settings in communities with substantial to high transmission.
Avoid crowded, poorly ventilated spaces.
If you are sick or have symptoms, do not host, or attend a gathering.
Get tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have a close contact with someone who has COVID-19.

The CDC also gives a few additional special considerations:

People who have a condition or are taking medications that weaken their immune system may not be fully protected even if they are fully vaccinated and have received an additional dose. They should continue to take all precautions recommended for unvaccinated people, including wearing a well-fitted mask, until advised otherwise by their healthcare provider.
You might choose to wear a mask regardless of the level of transmission if a member of your household has a weakened immune system, is at increased risk for severe disease, or is unvaccinated.
If you are gathering with a group of people from multiple households and potentially from different parts of the country, you should consider additional precautions (e.g., avoiding crowded indoor spaces before travel, taking a test) in advance of gathering to further reduce risk.
Do NOT put a mask on children younger than 2 years old.

We hope you all have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!

In other news, we continue to encourage you to receive your vaccination and we want to thank everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

November 17^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We want to give you an update regarding the recent emergency temporary standards that Occupational Safety and Health Administration, otherwise known as OSHA, recently released on November 4th.

On November 4th, OSHA released the following emergency temporary standards:

Companies with 100 or more employees would have to require vaccines or weekly COVID-19 testing
Companies that do not comply with this order would face fines of $13,653 per violation up to a maximum of $136,532
The mandate was set to take effect on January 4th, 2022

After OSHA released these standards, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a stay on the new standards.

OSHA has announced today, November 17th, 2021, they will cease the enforcement of the emergency order.

We will continue to monitor this situation for any changes that may occur, but we wanted to update you with the most recent information that we have.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

November 10^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We want to give you an update regarding holiday celebrations at each of our communities.

We believe it is important to meet the needs of all residents during the holiday season. There are some residents who will be uncomfortable with having meals with guests in the dining room due to COVID-19. And there are some residents who would love to be able to have their family join them for the holidays.

To meet the needs of all residents, we will be holding two different celebrations. One offering will be for those residents who are only comfortable being around their fellow residents. And the other offering will be for those residents who are comfortable dining alongside their guests and other’s guests.

By now, your community should have reached out to you directly to find out which offering you prefer to attend. Holiday invitations and the opportunity to RSVP is on their way. If you have not heard from your community, please reach out to your Executive Director with any questions.

We look forward to celebrating another year with you!

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

November 3^rd 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

On Friday, October 29, 2021, the CDC released a media statement regarding published new science that reinforces the fact that vaccinations are the best protection against COVID-19. This science was published in the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report).

In the new Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 7,000 people across 9 states who were hospitalized with COVID-like illness were examined. The CDC found that those who were unvaccinated and had a recent infection were 5 times more likely to have COVID-19 than those who were recently fully vaccinated and did not have a prior infection.

The CDC states that this data demonstrates that vaccination can provide a higher, more robust, and more consistent level of immunity to protect people from hospitalization for COVID-19 than infection alone for at least 6 months.

The CDC Director, Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, states that “we now have additional evidence that reaffirms the importance of COVID-19 vaccines, even if you have had prior infection. This study adds more to the body of knowledge demonstrating the protection of vaccines against severe disease from COVID-19. The best way to stop COVID-19, including the emergence of variants, is with widespread COVID-19 vaccination and with disease prevention actions such as mask wearing, washing hands often, physical distancing, and staying home when sick.”

For more information on this report, you can click on the following link.https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/pdfs/mm7044e1-H.pdf

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

October 27^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

On Thursday, October 21st, 2021, the CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., endorsed the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP) recommendation for a booster shot of COVID-19 vaccines in certain populations.

For individuals who received a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, the following groups are eligible for a booster shot at 6 months or more after their initial series:

65 years and older
Age 18+ who live in long-term care settings
Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions
Age 18+ who work or live-in high-risk settings

For those who received the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, booster shots are also recommended for those who are 18 and older and who were vaccinated two or more months ago.

There are now booster recommendations for all three available COVID-19 vaccines in the United States. Eligible individuals may choose which vaccine they receive as a booster dose. The CDC recommendations now allows for people to mix and match their booster doses.

According to the CDC, the available data right now shows that all three of the COVID-19 vaccines that are approved or authorized to use in the United States continue to be highly effective in reducing risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death, even against the widely circulating Delta variant. Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and reduce the spread of the virus and help prevent new variants from emerging.

All communities are currently working with their preferred pharmacy provider on booster clinic dates. Please reach out to your community Executive Director if you have any questions.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

October 21^st 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

On Wednesday October 20th, the Food and Drug Administration authorized COVID vaccine booster shots made by Johnson and Johnson and Moderna.

The FDA also simultaneously recommended that Americans will be allowed to mix and match vaccines, meaning that you can get a booster shot from a different drugmaker than the one from your original dose.

After this approval, the FDA Commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock made a statement saying, “Today’s actions demonstrate our commitment to public health in proactively fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic.”

This ruling will now go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its vaccine advisory committee, which is scheduled to meet today, October 21st. If the CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky signs off, additional shots for those vaccines could be distributed immediately to eligible people.

The Moderna booster is being recommended for elderly people and at-risk adults six months after they complete their primary series of shots.

The Johnson and Johnson booster is being recommended for everyone 18 and older who received the initial shot at least two months ago.

At this time, all communities who received the initial Pfizer vaccine have received their scheduled booster clinic date. Once the full approval is given for the Moderna booster, those communities who received the initial Moderna booster will be scheduled as well. Please reach out to your community Executive Director if you have any questions.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

October 13^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee will be meeting this week on October 14th and 15th to discuss the use of booster doses with the Moderna and Janssen COVID-19 vaccines. Currently, booster doses have been approved for only the Pfizer vaccine.

The VRBPAC will be meeting on October 14th to discuss the booster dose for Moderna and then again on October 15th to discuss the booster dose for the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

During these meetings, the committee will hear presentations from the companies regarding data on their respective vaccines and the FDA will present their analyses of the manufacturer’s data. There will be an open public hearing each day where the public will be given an opportunity to provide comments.

A panel of advisers to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet next week to discuss specific recommendations on who can receive the boosters if the FDA authorizes them.

We will update everyone next week on the outcomes of these meetings. However, if you would like to find out information sooner, you can visit the Federal Drug Administration website at https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

October 6^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Today’s update will be a review regarding the difference between quarantine and isolation guidelines.

Quarantine is required when you have possibly been exposed to the COVID-19 virus. If you are required to quarantine, it is suggested you stay home for 14 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19, watch for symptoms (cough, fever, shortness of breath, etc), and if possible, stay away from people you live with especially those at high risk for getting very sick from COVID-19. *These requirements may be shortened in certain circumstances.

Unless you are fully vaccinated, it is suggested by the CDC that you quarantine if you have had close contact (within 6 feet of someone for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) with someone who has COVID-19.

People who are fully vaccinated do not have to quarantine when exposed to someone with COVID-19 unless they have symptoms. However, these individuals should get tested 3-5 days after their exposure and should wear a mask indoors in public for 14 days following exposure or until their test result is negative.

Isolation is required when you have been infected with the virus, even if you do not have symptoms. Isolation requires separation between people who are infected with COVID-19 and people who are not infected. People who are in isolation should stay home until it is safe for them to be around others. You can be around others after it has been ten days since your symptoms first appeared and 24 hours with no fever without the use of fever reducing medications and other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving.

When in doubt regarding whether you should quarantine or isolate from others, consult with a local healthcare professional for recommendations. You can also refer to the latest guidance from the CDC at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/quarantine-isolation.html

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

September 29^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Today’s update will be a review of what we currently know regarding the Pfizer COVID booster shots.

On September 20th, the FDA Advisory Panel made the recommendation of the Pfizer booster shots for older people and others at high risk of severe COVID-19 who received their second dose at least six months ago.

On September 22nd, the Food and Drug Administration made the official amendment of the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to allow for use of a single booster dose, to be administered at least six months after completion of the primary series in:

Individuals 65 years of age and older.
Individuals 18 through 64 years of age at high risk of severe COVID-19.
Individuals 18 through 64 years of age whose frequent institutional or occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2 puts them at high risk of serious complications of COVID-19 including severe COVID-19.

This authorization applies only to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

On September 24th, the CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky, M.D., M.P.H., endorsed the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ recommendation for a booster shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in certain populations and also recommended a booster dose for those in high risk occupational and institutional settings.

The CDC recommends:

People 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series.
People aged 50-64 years with underling medical conditions should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series.
People aged 18-49 years with underlying medical conditions may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks.
People aged 18-64 years who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine at least 6 months after their Pfizer-BioNTech primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks

The CDC says that many of the people who are now eligible to receive a booster shot received their initial vaccine early in the vaccination program and will benefit from additional protection. The CDC says that a booster shot will help strengthen protection against severe disease in those populations who are at high-risk for exposure to COVID-19 or the complications from severe disease.

The CDC will continue to monitor the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines to ensure appropriate recommendations to keep all Americans safe. They will also evaluate with similar urgency available data in the coming weeks to swiftly make additional recommendations for other populations or people who got the Moderna or Johnson and Johnson vaccines.

At Watercrest, we are working closely with our pharmacy provider to create a plan for administering these booster shots to our qualifying residents and associates. Please be patient with us while we await a response from Guardian Pharmacy, Walgreens, and/or CVS.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

September 23^rd 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Individuals 65 years of age and older.
Individuals 18 through 64 years of age at high risk of severe COVID-19.
Individuals 18 through 64 years of age whose frequent institutional or occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2 puts them at high risk of serious complications of COVID-19 including severe COVID-19.

This authorization applies only to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

The acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. said this will allow for a booster dose in certain populations such as health care workers, teachers, and day care staff, grocery workers, and those in homeless shelters or prisons, among others.

To read the full release statement on the FDA approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 booster shot, click on the following link: https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-authorizes-booster-dose-pfizer-biontech-covid-19-vaccine-certain-populations

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

September 16^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

As of today’s date, there is no new news related to approvals of booster vaccinations by the FDA and CDC.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will hold a virtual meeting of its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) on September 17th from 8:30 am to 3:45 pm EST. This meeting will be held to discuss the possibility of additional doses of COVID-19 vaccines and will specifically address the Pfizer-BioNTech supplemental Biologics License Application for administration of a third dose of their mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in individuals 16 years of age and older.

The FDA intends to livestream this VRBPAC meeting on the agency’s YouTube channel as well as the FDA’s website. Their YouTube channel can be located at https://www.youtube.com/user/USFoodandDrugAdmin. And their website is https://www.fda.gov/

At Watercrest, we will continue to update you as the FDA and CDC make any further decisions regarding the approvals of booster vaccinations. Stay tuned as we continue to provide additional information as we receive it.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

September 9^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Tonight at 5pm ET, President Biden announced his six-step plan to stop the spread of the Delta variant and to increase vaccinations in the United States.

The six steps are as follows:

Requires all employers with more than 100 employees to ensure their workers are vaccinated or tested weekly.
Providing easy access to booster shots for all eligible Americans.
Getting students and school staff tested regularly.
Make at-home tests more affordable.
Streamlining the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness process.
Increasing support to COVID-burdened hospitals.

If you want to hear the details of these six steps, you can watch it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSFRFVIJqC4

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

August 25^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

On August 23rd, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave full approval to the first COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine given full approval is the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. It has been fully approved for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older. It will continue to be available under emergency use authorization (EUA) for individuals 12 through 15 years of age and for the administration of a third dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.

Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. said, “the public can be very confident that this first FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of an approved product.” She also said, “while millions of people have already safely received COVID-19 vaccines, we recognize that for some, the FDA approval of a vaccine may now instill additional confidence to get vaccinated.”

At Watercrest, we continue to encourage you to receive your vaccination. If full FDA approval is what you were waiting on and you are ready to get your vaccine, you can make an appointment by visiting CVS or Walgreens website and scheduling today. Here are the sites:

https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine?cid=ps_cvdvcc_bd&gclid=CjwKCAjw1JeJBhB9EiwAV612y6P67H0x1JHqlc508ozugnPBZf6KepUUR_sd0aCEzfmDoju0uHBTIxoCo9AQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/covid/19/landing?ban=covid_scheduler_vaccineinfo

we want to thank everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

August 18^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

The following statement was released today from the public health and medical experts at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) regarding the Administration’s plan for COVID-19 booster shots.

The statement is attributable to Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); Dr. Janet Woodcock, Acting Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration (FDA); Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General; Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH); Dr. Anthony Fauci, Chief Medical Advisor to President Joe Biden and Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID); Dr. Rachel Levine, Assistant Secretary for Health; Dr. David Kessler, Chief Science Officer for the COVID-19 Response; and Dr. Marcella Nunez-Smith, Chair of the COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force:

“The COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States continue to be remarkably effective in reducing risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death, even against the widely circulating Delta variant. Recognizing that many vaccines are associated with a reduction in protection over time, and acknowledging that additional vaccine doses could be needed to provide long lasting protection, we have been analyzing the scientific data closely from the United States and around the world to understand how long this protection will last and how we might maximize this protection. The available data make very clear that protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection begins to decrease over time following the initial doses of vaccination, and in association with the dominance of the Delta variant, we are starting to see evidence of reduced protection against mild and moderate disease. Based on our latest assessment, the current protection against severe disease, hospitalization, and death could diminish in the months ahead, especially among those who are at higher risk or were vaccinated during the earlier phases of the vaccination rollout. For that reason, we conclude that a booster shot will be needed to maximize vaccine-induced protection and prolong its durability.

“We have developed a plan to begin offering these booster shots this fall subject to FDA conducting an independent evaluation and determination of the safety and effectiveness of a third dose of the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines and CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) issuing booster dose recommendations based on a thorough review of the evidence. We are prepared to offer booster shots for all Americans beginning the week of September 20 and starting 8 months after an individual’s second dose. At that time, the individuals who were fully vaccinated earliest in the vaccination rollout, including many health care providers, nursing home residents, and other seniors, will likely be eligible for a booster. We would also begin efforts to deliver booster shots directly to residents of long-term care facilities at that time, given the distribution of vaccines to this population early in the vaccine rollout and the continued increased risk that COVID-19 poses to them.

“We also anticipate booster shots will likely be needed for people who received the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine. Administration of the J&J vaccine did not begin in the U.S. until March 2021, and we expect more data on J&J in the next few weeks. With those data in hand, we will keep the public informed with a timely plan for J&J booster shots as well.

“Our top priority remains staying ahead of the virus and protecting the American people from COVID-19 with safe, effective, and long-lasting vaccines especially in the context of a constantly changing virus and epidemiologic landscape. We will continue to follow the science on a daily basis, and we are prepared to modify this plan should new data emerge that requires it.

“We also want to emphasize the ongoing urgency of vaccinating the unvaccinated in the U.S. and around the world. Nearly all the cases of severe disease, hospitalization, and death continue to occur among those not yet vaccinated at all. We will continue to ramp up efforts to increase vaccinations here at home and to ensure people have accurate information about vaccines from trusted sources. We will also continue to expand our efforts to increase the supply of vaccines for other countries, building further on the more than 600 million doses we have already committed to donate globally.”

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

August 11^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

This week, we want to stress the importance of safety measures to aid in the prevention of getting or spreading COVID-19.

Prior to the COVID-19 vaccines, our main safety measures for prevention of COVID-19 were to wash our hands, social distance 6ft from others, and the wearing of a mask. Now that vaccines are available, we have an additional layer of protection for ourselves and others. We stress the importance of utilizing all of these measures in continuing to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

For those of you who have not yet received the vaccine but would like to, below is some additional information to help you in doing so.

Obtaining the COVID-19 vaccine is much easier than it was before. You no longer must be part of a prioritization group or wait in a long line waiting to receive your vaccine. Currently, vaccination is open to anyone 12 years of age or older and you can now make appointments at your local Walgreens or CVS. You can schedule your appointment by going to the following websites:

https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/vaccination/covid/19/landing

https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine?cid=ps_cvdvcc_bd&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6s2IBhCnARIsAP8RfAhiWJV8l54brJxqiPySA_XGbq1LHdH19xLYOOhURVkXgqp_ZdRjFA4aAn6uEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

You can also go to https://www.vaccines.gov/ to find other vaccine providers near you.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

August 4^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Back in May, we transitioned from sending weekly COVID-19 updates, to updating communication as needed. Today, we have decided to start back our weekly updates until the COVID-19 outbreaks have subsided.

Currently, areas are beginning to see a surge of COVID-19 cases due to the Delta variant. What we know about the Delta variant is that it is infecting both vaccinated and unvaccinated people. According to the CDC, the Delta variant can spread more easily because people are more contagious with this strain of COVID-19 then previous strains.

According to Yale Medicine, people who get infected with the Delta variant can spread it to three or four other people as compared with one or two other people through the original coronavirus. The Delta variant may also be able to escape protection from vaccines and some COVID-19 treatments, though studies are ongoing.

The symptoms of the Delta variant are similar to those seen with the original coronavirus strain and other variants. They include a persistent cough, headache, fever, and sore throat.

On July 27th, the CDC updated its guidance for fully vaccinated people to recommend that everyone wear a mask in indoor public settings and in areas of substantial and high transmission regardless of vaccination status.

If you are interested in reading the study that led to this latest CDC decision and guidance, you can click on the following link. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7031e2.htm?s_cid=mm7031e2_w.

We are continuing with our current infection control and safety practices at our communities as described below until further recommendations are given by the CDC for healthcare settings or regulatory changes are made at the state level. If any changes are made, we will provide an update as we have been doing throughout the pandemic to ensure that you are aware.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

May 26^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We want to inform you that as of today, we will be transitioning from weekly COVID-19 updates, to updates as communication is needed. We are welcoming the return to a more normal life for all. But rest assured that as any changes occur, we will provide you with a new update.

On May 25th, 2021, the CDC reported the following numbers for COVID-19 vaccinations in the United States:

49.5% of the population has had at least one dose.
39.5% of the population is fully vaccinated.
58.6% of the population that is older than 12 years old has had at least one dose.
46.8% of the population that is older than 12 years old has been fully vaccinated.
61.6% of the population that is older than 18 has had at least one dose.
50% of the population that is older than 18 has been fully vaccinated.
85.3% of the population that is older than 65 years old has had at least one dose.
73.9% of the population that is older than 65 years old has been fully vaccinated.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

May 19^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

On May 16th, the CDC updated their guidance for fully vaccinated individuals. The information they gave was that fully vaccinated individuals can resume activities that they did prior to the pandemic. Fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing a mask or social distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules, and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance.

The CDC also said these new guidelines are NOT intended for healthcare settings. The healthcare settings guidelines have not been updated by the CDC since April 27th, 2021.

Currently, the regulatory bodies governing our assisted living and memory care communities are still requiring the wearing of masks. The CDC guidance also currently recommends that healthcare providers continue to follow all current infection prevention and control recommendations.

We are keeping a close eye on the guidance being given by the CDC and each state. We will make sure you are informed regarding any changes that are made.

We continue to encourage you to receive your vaccination.

Thank you to everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.
Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

We will continue to keep all of you in the loop every step of the way. Please continue to connect with your loved ones thru visits, FaceTime, Google Duo, Skype, Facebook Video Chat, Sagely, etc. And please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

May 12^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

This week, the CDC recommended that COVID-19 vaccines be given for everyone 12 years of age and older to help protect against COVID-19.

Right now, the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine is the only vaccine for children as young as 12 years old. Moderna’s vaccine is for ages 18 and older. The Johnson and Johnson vaccinesare also for people aged 18 and older.

We feel like this is important news to share as many of our residents have something in common, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Having yourself, your children, your grandchildren, and great grandchildren vaccinated will help protect your whole family from COVID-19.

A few things to note about COVID-19 vaccines for children and teens:

Studies show that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.
COVID-19 vaccines have been used under the most intensive safety monitoring in U.S. history, including studies in adolescents.
Your child will need a second shot of Pfizer-BioNTech 3 weeks after their first dose.
Your child cannot get COVID-19 from any COVID-19 vaccine, including the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

If you would like tips for how to prepare a child for a vaccination visit, you can visit the following website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/adolescents.html

Thank you to everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

And as promised, we will provide notification, within 24 hours, to our residents, the healthcare power of attorney, and our associatesshould we have anyone in our community test positive for COVID-19. We will provide this communication by phone call and we will also send an email. If you are the healthcare power of attorney, please make sure you notify any other family members that you want to make aware. We greatly appreciate your help with this.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

May 5^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

This Sunday, Watercrest wants to celebrate and take the time to honor all our mothers. We have residents who are mothers. We have associates who are mothers. And we have resident family members who are mothers. We cherish each of you and want you to know how much your influence on your family is appreciated.

Last year was a very challenging year on our mothers. Many mothers had limitations that were placed on being able to spend time with their children. We know precious moments were lost. And time cannot be replaced. But we are thrilled to be in a different place this year. This year, our mothers can receive visitors. Many of our mothers and their children are now vaccinated from the virus that kept us apart last year. We could not be more thankful for the gift of being able to spend this year with our mothers.

We hope each of you find a special way to celebrate and that you are surrounded by love, family, and friends.

As a safety reminder for those of you who will be able to spend time with your loved ones, below are a few links that give you guidance on how to spend time together safely.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/infection-control-after-vaccination.html.

In reviewing the latest CDC guidance as well as each state’s regulated policies, we want to reassure you that Watercrest’s COVID practices are in line with these recommendations and requirements.

Thank you to everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

April 28^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

There were many updates to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website yesterday. We will not be able to fully detail all the updates made by the CDC but will provide the links below so that you may check them out when you have the opportunity to do so.

One of the updates yesterday from the CDC was regarding the new recommendation being made for resuming use of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. On April 13th, 2021, the CDC and the FDA recommended pausing the use of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine after reports of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome among recipients. On April 23rd, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices concluded that the benefits of resuming the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine among persons aged 18 and older outweigh the risks and reaffirmed its interim recommendation for use of the vaccine under the FDA’s Emergency Use Authorization, which includes a new warning for rare clotting events among women aged 18-49 years. To read more on this, view the following link: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7017e4.htm?s_cid=mm7017e4_x

Another update that was given yesterday from the CDC was interim public health recommendations for fully vaccinated people. These recommendations are for people outside of healthcare settings. These recommendations apply to our resident’s families. You can view these recommendations by viewing the following link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html

And the last update from the CDC yesterday that we will mention is regarding updated healthcare infection prevention and control recommendations in response to the COVID-19 vaccination. The following items were updated: SARS-CoV-2 testing recommendations, visitation guidance, and additional guidance for communal activities and dining in healthcare settings. You can view these recommendations by going to the following link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/infection-control-after-vaccination.html. Below are a few of the recommendations:

People visiting one another alone in their rooms can choose to have close contact and not wear source control if both are fully vaccinated.
Visitors should wear source control and physically distance from other healthcare personnel and other residents/visitors that are not part of their group at all other times while in the community.
If a resident or a visitor is not fully vaccinated, the safest approach is for everyone to maintain physical distancing and to wear source control (mask). However, if the resident is fully vaccinated, they can choose to have close contact with their unvaccinated visitor while both continue to wear well-fitting source control.
Residents vaccinated or unvaccinated who have an active SARS-CoV-2 infection or are in isolation because of suspected COVID-19 should not participate in community activities until they have met criteria to discontinue transmission-based precautions.
For group activities, if all residents participating in the activity are fully vaccinated, then they may choose to have close contact and not wear source control during the activity.
For group activities, if unvaccinated residents are present, then all participants in the group activity should wear source control and unvaccinated residents should physically distance from others.
For dining, fully vaccinated residents can dine without the use of source control or physical distancing. However, if unvaccinated residents are in the dining room, all residents should use source control when not eating and unvaccinated residents should continue to remain at least 6 feet from others.
Residents taking social excursions outside the community should be educated about potential risks of public settings, particularly if they have not been fully vaccinated, and should be reminded to avoid crowds and poorly ventilated spaces. They should be encouraged to assist with adherence to all recommended infection prevention and control measures, including source control, physical distancing, and hand hygiene. If residents are visiting friends or families in their homes, they should follow the source control and physical distancing recommendations for visiting with others in private settings as described on the CDC website. These recommendations can be found at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html.

In reviewing the latest CDC guidance as well as each state’s regulated policies, we want to reassure you that Watercrest’s COVID practices are in line with these recommendations and requirements.

Thank you to everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents are being screened daily for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

April 21^st 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

This week, we would like to update you on the recent decision by the CDC and FDA to pause the use of the Johnson and Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. This recommendation was made on April 13th, 2021.

The pause of this vaccine means that it is no longer being recommended to be given. This pause is due to a small number of reports of a rare and severe type of blood clot happening in people who received this vaccine. All reports of this occurrence happened in women between the ages of 18 and 48 and symptoms occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination. As of April 13th, 2021, no cases have been reported among the population who have received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

If you received the Johnson and Johnson Janssen vaccine, please seek medical care urgently if you develop any of the following symptoms:

Severe headache
Backache
New neurologic symptoms
Severe abdominal pain
Shortness of breath
Leg swelling
Tiny red spots on the skin
New or easy bruising

The next question you may be asking yourself due to this recent development is “are COVID-19 vaccines safe?” The CDC answers this question by saying yes. The CDC reiterates that safety of the vaccines is the top priority for the federal government and all reports of health problems following vaccination are taken very seriously and investigated as needed. This situation with the Johnson and Johnson Janssen vaccine shows that the safety systems that are in place are working.

If you are scheduled to get the Johnson and Johnson Janssen vaccine, you should work with your vaccine provider to reschedule your appointment to get another type of COVID-19 vaccine. As mentioned earlier, other options are the Pfizer or the Moderna vaccine. At Watercrest, we strongly encourage you to receive your vaccine.

Thank you to everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents who have not received their full course of the COVID-19 vaccine are having their temperature taken daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening them for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC. Residents leaving the community will be screened upon their return.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

April 7^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We hope you had a wonderful Easter. This time last year, our residents were in quarantine in their apartments and all Easter events were cancelled. It was exciting to see some semblance of normalcy this year with the return of our Easter Extravaganzas and Celebrations.

This month, our Live Exhilarated programming theme is Think Green. The communities are planning a Community Art Show that will feature found items and other recyclables. The communities have received local artist donations of art pieces that will be auctioned off during their Community Art Show with proceeds from these shows going to the Longest Day Event which benefits the Alzheimer’s Association. They are also planting trees for Earth Day.

We are excited for people to be able to interact more fully with one another and for our communities to be able to offer events and programming. When interacting with others, people may want to consider interacting in immunity bubbles. You may be wondering what is an immunity bubble? An immunity bubble is a group of people who get together when they know they have received both doses of the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and have waited the recommended two weeks after the second dose.

According to Dr. Bill Moss at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the risk with immunity bubbles is not zero, but the risk is markedly decreased. He notes that even if people in these immunity bubbles do happen to contract COVID-19 after being fully vaccinated, they are much more likely to only experience asymptomatic or mild cases of the disease.

Please do remember and take into consideration when interacting with others at our community, that not all residents and associates have been vaccinated. That is the reason we continue to require the wearing of masks when outside of your individual apartment unless you are visiting inside of another apartment with a resident that you have verified has been fully vaccinated. We also do request that in addition to wearing a mask in our public spaces within the community, that you maintain 6 ft of social distancing from those who you have not verified to be fully vaccinated.

At Watercrest, we understand that along with vaccination, mask wearing, hand hygiene, and social distancing continue to be important steps in preventing the spread of COVID-19. We want to encourage anyone who has not received their vaccination, to please consider doing so.

Thank you to everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

March 31^st 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

On 3/29/21, the White House held a press briefing with the COVID-19 response team as well as other public health officials. During this press briefing, Dr. Rochelle Wolensky and Dr. Anthony Fauci reviewed current trends in COVID-19 data. You can read the full transcript of the briefing here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2021/03/29/press-briefing-by-white-house-covid-19-response-team-and-public-health-officials-21/

Dr. Wolensky stressed that it is imperative for us to continue to follow public health guidance. This means that people need to continue to wear masks, continue to socially distance, and to get vaccinated. She said, “getting vaccinated does not just save your own life but it saves your family, friends, and neighbors lives too.”

Dr. Fauci mimicked Dr. Wolensky’s urgence to continue to hang in there with safety measures as we get more and more people vaccinated. He called it a race between the vaccine and what is going on with the dynamic of the outbreak. He said, “we can win this by just hanging in there a bit longer.”

At Watercrest, we also want to encourage everyone to remain vigilant. We cannot let our guard down and begin relaxing too much on safety measures. We will continue to require the wearing of masks while anyone is in our communities. We understand that along with vaccination, mask wearing, hand hygiene, and social distancing continue to be important steps in preventing the spread of COVID-19. We want to encourage anyone who has not received their vaccination, to please consider doing so.

Thank you to everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

March 24^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Today’s update is regarding information the CDC provided on March 23rd, 2021 regarding how to protect yourself and others once you have been fully vaccinated from COVID-19.

People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. And people are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after a single dose vaccine such as Johnson and Johnson’s Janssen vaccine. Otherwise, you are not fully vaccinated.

The CDC has made a list of what has changed and what has not changed if you have been fully vaccinated.

What has changed if you have been fully vaccinated:

You can gather indoors with fully vaccinated people without wearing a mask.
You can gather indoors with unvaccinated people from one other household without masks unless any of those people or anyone they live with has an increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
If you have been around someone who has COVID-19, you do not need to stay away from others or get tested unless you have symptoms (unless you live in a group setting). In this case, it is still recommended to stay away from others for 14 days and to get tested, even if you do not have symptoms.

What has not changed if you have been fully vaccinated:

You should still take steps to protect yourself and others in many situations, like wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet apart from others, and avoiding crowds and poorly ventilated spaces. Take precautions whenever you are in public, gathering with unvaccinated people from more than one other household, and visiting with an unvaccinated person who is at increased risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19 or who lives with a person at increased risk.
You should still avoid medium or large sized gatherings.
You should still delay domestic and international travel. If you do travel, you still need to follow CDC requirements.
You should still watch for symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you have been around someone who is sick. If you have symptoms of COVID-19, you should get tested and stay home and away from others.

What is known and what the CDC is still learning:

We know that COVID-19 vaccines are effective at preventing COVID-19 disease, especially severe illness, and death. However, we are still learning how effective it is against variants of the virus. Early data shows the vaccines may work against some variants but could be less effective against others.
We know that prevention steps help stop the spread of COVID-19, and that these steps are still important, even as vaccines are being distributed. However, we are still learning how well the vaccine keeps people from spreading the disease. Early data shows that the vaccines may help keep people from spreading COVID-19, but we are learning more as more people get vaccinated.
We are still learning how long COVID-19 vaccines can protect people.

The CDC ensures us that they will continue to update the public as they know more information. In the meantime, they recommend that even people who have had their vaccines should continue to take basic prevention steps when recommended.

Please remember that the above CDC guidance is given for the general public and is not specific to senior living. Some recommendations may vary depending on a person’s age and risk status. One item important to note is we do still require residents to wear masks when outside of their apartment or when visiting with unvaccinated residents.

If you have any questions, we are happy to help.

Thank you to everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information athttps://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

March 17^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Today’s update is to make you aware of potential COVID-19 scams. Unfortunately, there are people out there who take advantage of people’s fears and anxiety and capitalize during times of crisis. Because of this, we want to give you some of the warning signs of scams and offer some additional tips.

Signs of potential scams include:

Being asked to pay for the vaccine
Charging a fee to gain early access to a vaccine or to add a person’s name to a vaccine waiting list
Offers made by marketers to sell or ship doses of vaccine for payment
Receiving ads for vaccines through social media platforms
Claims of U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for a vaccine or treatment of which you have never heard of

Here are some tips:

You cannot pay to put your name on a list to get the vaccine.
You cannot pay to get early access to the vaccine.
Nobody legitimate will call you about the vaccine and ask for your social security, bank account, or credit card number.
Do not engage with any sales ads that may be related to the vaccine.
Keep an eye out for unsolicited emails or texts about the vaccine, especially with offers of rewards or payment.
Do not share any personal, financial, or health information with any unfamiliar people.
Criminals will typically ask for payment that is untraceable and almost immediate. These might include prepaid gift cards from Amazon or other sites, bitcoin, or any cryptocurrency, peer to peer cash transfer apps like Venmo or Paypal, and wire transfers.
If someone calls and says they are from Medicare and are asking for your personal information, you should hang up.

The best advice for people that are interested in getting the COVID-19 vaccine is to be proactive in making calls to your health provider, public health department, and other trusted sources to sign up for your shot. Here at Watercrest, we held COVID-19 vaccination clinics for our residents and associates. We are awaiting further information regarding future vaccination clinics that can be offered. We will update you as soon as we have more details to provide.

Anyone who suspects that they have been the victim of a COVID-19 vaccine fraud should reach out to any of the following:

The FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at 1-800-HHS-TIPS
The Federal Trade Commission at Reportfraud.ftc.gov
The AARP Fraud Watch Network at 1-877-908-3360

Thank you to everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

March 10^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued on Monday, March 8th, 2021 their first set of guidelines on how fully vaccinated people can visit safely with others. Today, we are going to let you know what some of those guidelines are as well as inform you about some recent policy changes, we have made here at Watercrest.

The recommendations from the CDC are for how and when a fully vaccinated individual can visit with other people who are fully vaccinated and with other people who are not vaccinated. The CDC will be updating these recommendations as more people are vaccinated, as COVID rates in the community changes, and as additional scientific evidence becomes available.

Although these recommendations are not specific for healthcare settings or long-term care settings including assisted living, there is some information that we can glean from it, while we await their guidance for our setting.

The following recommendations apply to non-healthcare settings.

Fully vaccinated people can:

Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
Visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
Refrain from quarantine and testing following a known exposure if asymptomatic

For now, fully vaccinated people should continue to:

Take precautions in public like wearing a well-fitted mask and physical distancing
Wear masks, practice physical distancing, and adhere to other prevention measures when visiting with unvaccinated people who are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease or who have an unvaccinated household member who is at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease
Wear masks, maintain physical distance, and practice other prevention measures when visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple households
Avoid medium and large sized in person gatherings
Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
Follow CDC and health department travel requirements and recommendations

Now let us discuss some of the changes that we have made as a company for our fully vaccinated residents.

Fully vaccinated residents will not be required to be COVID tested unless they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19
Fully vaccinated residents will not be required to quarantine unless they are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19
Only non-vaccinated residents will be required to quarantine if there is a positive case of COVID at the community
Fully vaccinated residents will be able to eat in the dining room at the same table as other fully vaccinated residents
Fully vaccinated residents will be able to participate in off-site programming
Fully vaccinated residents will be able to socialize in one another’s apartment if both residents are fully vaccinated
All residents will continue to be required to wear masks when outside of their apartment and are asked to social distance at 6ft from others who have not been vaccinated
Fully vaccinated residents will no longer have to be screened daily for COVID

Please understand that these changes we have made are subject to change based on further state regulation and/or further guidance from the CDC.

At this time, Florida, South Carolina, and Georgia have not made any changes to their visitation guidelines. We must continue to follow those state regulated guidelines but will update you if any new orders are given.

Please reach out to the Executive Director of your community if you have any questions about the above information.

Thank you to everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

March 3^rd 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Last week, we provided you some information on the Johnson and Johnson’s single dose COVID-19 vaccine. Since then, on February 27th, 2021, the Food and Drug Administration has issued an Emergency Use Authorization for this Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. This vaccine is the third vaccine clear for use in the U.S.

This new vaccine works differently then the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine is a viral vector vaccine.

Information given from the CDC website explains viral vector vaccines in the following way. Many vaccines use a weakened or inactivated form of the target pathogen to trigger an immune response. The viral vector vaccine uses a different virus as a vector instead, which delivers important instructions to our cells. For COVID-19 vaccines, a modified virus delivers a gene that instructs our cells to make a SARS-CoV-2 antigen called the spike protein. This antigen triggers production of antibodies and a resulting immune response. The virus used in a viral vector vaccine poses no threat of causing illness in humans because it has been modified or, in some cases, because the type of virus used as the vector cannot cause disease in humans.

Here are some general facts given about the mRNA vaccines and the viral vector vaccine from the CDC:

mRNA Vaccines:

Cannot give someone COVID-19.
The mRNA vaccines do not use the live virus that causes COVID-19.
They do not affect or interact with our DNA in any way.
mRNA never enters the nucleus of the cell, which is where our DNA is kept.
The cell breaks down and gets rid of the mRNA soon after it is finished using the instructions.

Viral Vector Vaccines:

Cannot give someone COVID-19 or other infections.
They do not affect or interact with our DNA in any way.
The genetic material delivered by the viral vector does not integrate into a person’s DNA.

To learn more about either of these types of vaccines, please visit cdc.gov.

Thank you to everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

Residents who have not received their full course of the COVID-19 vaccine are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening them for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

February 25^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

On Wednesday, February 24th, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found that Johnson and Johnson’s single dose COVID-19 vaccine was 66.1% effective in preventing moderate to severe virus disease and appeared safe.

This is the first step toward a possible FDA authorization of the vaccine. This authorization could occur as early as this weekend. If cleared, this shot will be the third one cleared for use in the U.S.

The information released by Johnson and Johnson along with the FDA suggested that this particular vaccine might also help reduce asymptomatic spread of the coronavirus. However, more analysis is needed to confirm this.

A committee of outside medical specialists will meet on Friday to evaluate the analyses by the FDA and Johnson and Johnson. The advisory committee is expected to recommend that the FDA authorize this vaccine, and the agency is expected to make its decision soon after.

Two benefits of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is that it only requires one shot/dose and does not require ultracold temperatures, meaning that sites without expensive freezers can start vaccinations.

The downside to the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is its percentage of effectiveness. Johnson and Johnson said that their preliminary analysis suggests that the vaccine is only 66.1% effective in preventing moderate to severe virus disease. And the vaccine was only found to be 42.3% protective in people 60 and over who had certain medical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.

The Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines recorded higher effectiveness rates in their late-stage trials than the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

The most common side effects of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine were headache, fatigue, muscle ache and injection-site pain. Most side effects were not severe and there were no severe allergic reactions known as anaphylactic reactions as there were in the rare occurrences of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

The hope is that with the approval of a third vaccine, this will help ease some of the frustration that is being caused by people not being able to sign up for vaccinations due to there not being enough available doses.

We will keep you up to date on the approval of this third vaccine.

Thank you to everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

February 17^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Today we are going to discuss some recent guidance given by the CDC on how to improve how your mask protects you.

As we know, the wearing of a mask is critical in the prevention of getting and spreading COVID-19. Different masks provide different levels of protection so we want to provide you with information that will help you in wearing the best mask that can provide you with the best level of protection.

There are two important ways to make sure your mask works to the best of its ability. The first way is to make sure your mask fits snugly against your face. Gaps can let in air with respiratory droplets. And the second way is to pick a mask with layers to keep your respiratory droplets in and others out. A mask with layers will stop more respiratory droplets from getting inside your mask or escaping from your mask if you are sick.

Here are some Do’s and Do Not’s of mask wearing that the CDC provided.

Do:

Choose a mask with a nose wire. This nose wire prevents air from leaking out of the top of your mask. Make sure the wire is bent over your nose to fit close to your face.
Use a mask fitter or brace. A mask fitter or brace over a disposable mask or a cloth mask can help prevent air from leaking around the edges of the mask.
Check that your mask fits snugly over your nose, mouth, and chin. Check for gaps by cupping your hands around the outside edges of the mask. Make sure there is no air flowing from the area near your eyes or from the sides of the mask. If the mask is a good fit, you will feel warm air come through the front of the mask and may be able to see the mask material move in and out with each breath.
Add layers of material. There are 2 ways to add layers. You can use a cloth mask that has multiple layers of fabric. Or you can wear one disposable mask underneath a cloth mask. But make sure you can see and breathe easily.
Knot and Tuck ear loops of a 3-ply mask. Knot the ear loops where they join the edge of the mask. Fold and tuck the unneeded material under the edges.

Do Not:

Do not combine two disposable masks. Disposable masks are not designed to fit tightly and wearing more than one will not improve the fit.
Do not combine a N95 or KN95 mask with any other mask. Only use one at a time.

Mask wearing, hand washing, social distancing, and last but not least, vaccination are all strategies that will help us continue to protect our residents, associates, and families from COVID-19.

Thank you to everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

February 9^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

COVID-19 vaccination clinics are continuing to run smoothly. Residents and associates have been tolerating their second dose of the vaccine very well. The communities have really enjoyed seeing how excited the residents and associates are to receive their vaccine.

We are also excited to say that our list of residents and associates receiving their first dose of the vaccine has also grown. We know there has been apprehension on some people’s part to be one of the first to get the vaccine. Now that our residents and associates have had a chance to see their peers receive the vaccine and do well, it is giving them peace of mind to feel comfortable in their decision to get the vaccine as well. We hope this list will continue to grow and are continuing to encourage all people that are able, to receive the vaccine.

We also received encouraging news from Guardian Pharmacy which is our preferred pharmacy provider in our communities. They have learned that the CDC expects to move into Phase 2 of the COVID-19 vaccine distribution process on February 15, 2021. This means that each of the Guardian pharmacy locations will have the ability to place orders for the vaccine and could begin to receive shipments as early as February 22, 2021. They did remind us that the vaccine supply continues to remain limited and so they will not begin scheduling clinic dates until they have the vaccine in hand, but they are hoping to have more information in the coming weeks on this. Once they have confirmed the delivery of doses, they will begin scheduling clinic dates. This information is extremely helpful as there have been many questions as to how we will be able to assist with vaccination needs after the three scheduled vaccination clinics thru Walgreens or CVS have been completed.

Thank you to everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

If you have any questions about upcoming clinics at our communities, please reach out directly to your community.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

February 3^rd 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Today, Watercrest would like to thank our pharmacy partners at CVS and Walgreens who have come out to provide COVID-19 vaccination clinics at our communities.

These clinics have run smoothly and have allowed our residents to receive their vaccine in the comfort of their own home and our associates the ability to conveniently receive their vaccine at their place of work.

In stark contrast, many Americans are waiting in car lines for 6+ hours hoping to get their vaccine. And some, after waiting those 6 hours, are turned away and being told there is no vaccine left. There have been complaints about these drive thru vaccinations as being chaotic, disorganized, uncomfortable, and a long wait for people who have medical issues and do not need to be sitting in a car line for such a long period of time.

Some seniors do not know when or how they will get their first dose of the vaccine. The process has not been made easy for them.

We feel very blessed that we have been able to offer to our residents and associates a smooth and easy way for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, therefore giving peace of mind not just to our residents and associates but to their families as well.

Our clinics are still on-going. And participation of residents receiving the vaccination has been outstanding. Thank you to everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

If you have any questions about upcoming clinics at our communities, please reach out directly to your community.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

January 27^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We are excited to announce that all of our communities have now held their first COVID-19 vaccination clinic. Second dose clinics will be starting soon. Please reach out directly to your community if you are unsure of your second dose clinic date.

We want to take this time to remind everyone that once you get your second dose, it takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity after the vaccination. This means it is still possible for a person to be infected with COVID-19 leading up to the last dose or right after the last dose and get sick. As a general rule, the vaccine is considered effective about two to three weeks after the second dose.

Some people have asked if the COVID-19 vaccine will result in a false positive COVID-19 test. The answer to this is no. The COVID-19 vaccination will not cause a false positive viral test. Per CDC guidance, the immunity response from a COVID-19 vaccine could possibly result in a positive antibody test, which indicates a previous infection and potential protection against the virus. But it will not cause a false positive viral test.

Another question that has been asked is if masks will still be required once you have received both doses of the vaccine. The answer at this time is yes. Although both vaccines have been shown to be more than 90% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19, there is not enough information yet about whether or not it prevents you from spreading the virus to other people. That is why experts are still advising that everyone wear a mask, and that includes anyone who has received the vaccine.

We are monitoring and keeping a close eye on any guidance given by the states related to any regulatory changes that may occur or be applicable post vaccination. At this time, we are not aware of any changes.

At Watercrest, we want to encourage each of you who received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, to make sure you follow up with the second dose at the interval time recommended. Our community clinic dates are currently set up to support the correct interval time required by the type of vaccine that is being given. We are thankful and appreciate our partnership with Walgreens and CVS Pharmacy during this time.

Thank you to everyone who has made the decision to help us get one step closer to herd immunity by getting the vaccine. We appreciate you!

If you have any questions about upcoming clinics at our communities, please reach out directly to your community.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus/

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

January 20^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Today we would like to talk about the importance of getting both doses of the COVID vaccine.

Whether you received the Pfizer vaccine or the Moderna vaccine, both are meant to achieve immunity only after having received both doses.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a statement on January 4th regarding dosing schedules for COVID-19 vaccines.

In their statement, they reminded the public about the importance of receiving COVID-19 vaccines according to how they have been authorized by the FDA in order to safely receive the level of protection observed in the large, randomized trials supporting their effectiveness.

There have been discussions and news reports about reducing the number of doses, extending the length of time between doses, changing the dose (half-dose), or mixing and matching vaccines in order to immunize more people. The FDA says that these things must be evaluated in clinical trials and that there is not enough available evidence to show that making any of these changes would be safe. They further stated that without appropriate data supporting such changes in vaccine administration, we run a significant risk of placing public health at risk and undermining the historic vaccination efforts to protect the population from COVID-19.

For those people who received the Pfizer vaccine, the interval between the two doses is 21 days. For those people who received the Moderna vaccine, the interval between the two doses is 28 days.

There is not enough data to show the effectiveness of only having one dose of the vaccine to protect you from COVID-19. In the trials that occurred, 92 to 98% of the participants received both doses at the correct intervals between doses. Those participants who did not receive two vaccine doses at the 3 or 4 week interval was generally only followed for a short period of time, such that definitive conclusions about the depth or duration of protection after a single dose of vaccine cannot be made.

The FDA lastly stated that until vaccine manufacturers have data and science supporting a change to the vaccine administration, the FDA will continue to strongly recommend that health care providers follow the FDA-authorized dosing schedule for each COVID-19 vaccine.

If you have any questions about upcoming clinics at our communities, please reach out directly to your community.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus/

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

January 14^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We have great news! All Watercrest communities now have their COVID-19 vaccination clinic dates and even some communities have already held their first clinic. All communities will have received their first round of vaccinations by the end of this month.

We are hearing a lot of great feedback from our teams and communities that have already held their first clinic. The clinics have run smoothly. The pharmacists and techs that are administering the vaccine doses have been great with helping our residents and associates to feel comfortable and relaxed. Those who have been vaccinated have had very few and minor side effects. Families are reporting relief that their mom or dad has now had their first dose of the vaccine. And our residents have been willing and eager to receive the vaccine.

At Watercrest Newnan, one family member said, “We are so thankful to Watercrest for taking care of our parents. We are so incredibly relieved that we are starting the vaccine with hopes of being able to see and visit our parents again very soon.” Another family member said, “We are praying that this is the beginning of normalcy in this virus storm.” And at Watercrest Winter Park, one of our residents said, “thank you for giving us the opportunity to be first in line for this vaccine.”

At Watercrest, we are also feeling a sense of relief and praying for normalcy to begin now that the vaccine is here. We want to encourage everyone to do their research in regards to receiving the vaccine. We are speaking to and encouraging our associates and residents to participate in getting vaccinated. This extra tool that we have been given this year to help us battle COVID-19 only helps if we have the majority of people we know to take it. You can read about the benefits of getting the COVID-19 vaccine at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/vaccine-benefits.html.

If you have any questions about the vaccination clinic dates, please reach out directly to your community.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus/

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

January 6^th 2021

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Welcome to 2021! We had hoped this would be a year free from COVID-19 but as you all know, that is not the case.

Here at Watercrest, we are ready for this new year. Together, we learned so much last year and are prepared to continue to handle this pandemic. And this year, we are equipped with a new tool to help us fight this battle with COVID-19. And that is the vaccine.

We have made progress this week in hearing from our pharmacy partners (CVS and Walgreens) regarding clinic dates. We now have dates for 9 out of our 13 communities. Most of these dates were obtained this week so we are hopeful that we will have the rest of the dates before the end of the week.

We want to encourage everyone to do their research in regards to receiving the vaccine. We are speaking to and encouraging our associates and residents to participate in getting vaccinated. This extra tool that we have been given this year to help us battle COVID-19 only helps if we have the majority of people we know to take it. You can read about the benefits of getting the COVID-19 vaccine at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/vaccine-benefits.html.

Also, as an update to what we mentioned last week, there is an emerging variant of COVID-19 that has now been identified in two of the three states that we operate in. Georgia and Florida both have at least one case of this new variant of COVID present in their state.

The United Kingdom variant of concern is named (VOC) 202012/01 (a.k.a.B.1.1.7). Preliminary epidemiologic indicators suggest that this variant is associated with increased transmissibility (i.e., more efficient and rapid transmission). However, currently there is no evidence to suggest that the variant has any impact on the severity of the disease or vaccine efficacy.

Scientists are currently working to learn more about these variants in order to better understand how easily they may be transmitted and whether the currently authorized vaccines will protect people against them. Currently there is not evidence that these variants cause more severe illness or increased risk of death.

Additional information about this variant and others is rapidly emerging. The CDC is working in collaboration with other public health agencies and is monitoring the situation closely. They will continue to communicate new information as it becomes available. You can visit their website for additional information. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/whats-new-all.html

We want to encourage anyone reading this and all the people we know to continue taking the required steps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. These important steps include wearing a mask, staying at least 6 feet apart from others who do not live with you, and avoiding crowds. The more people you are in contact with, the more likely you are to be exposed to COVID-19. And last but not least, being vaccinated.

Here is a poem written by one of our talented residents at Watercrest Saint Lucie West named Patricia McLoughlin:

COVID-19

The scourge of mankind
Has terrified the whole world
But now, help is near.

For now, we await
Shots of life felt round the world
Vaccines are coming.

They are now ready
To save a suffering world
From pain beyond pain.

The vaccines, now here!
For distribution to us
So the world can heal.

Thank you Mrs. McLoughlin!

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirusM/

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

December 30^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We hope you enjoyed your Christmas and holiday and were able to safely spend time with those you love.

Today, we will give you a quick update on vaccination clinic dates as well as some information regarding an emerging variant of COVID-19.

Both of our communities in South Carolina have received their vaccination clinic dates. Please reach out directly to your community for any questions regarding these clinics.

Yesterday, we received word that the Florida Governor’s office has stated that the Assisted Living Facility program has been activated and federal partners (CVS and Walgreens) have been given the go ahead to begin scheduling their clinic dates. One of our Florida communities did receive their call with their dates yesterday. However, the other communities have not yet received their call. Once they have received this call and have been given their dates, they will begin notifying residents, families, and associates.

Our Georgia community is also waiting on their call from their pharmacy partner to receive their clinic dates. Once they have received this call and have been given their dates, they will begin notifying residents, families, and associates.

In other news, the CDC posted several updates yesterday regarding emerging variants of SARS-CoV2. Several variants emerged in the fall. One in the United Kingdom. One in South Africa. And one in Nigeria.

Some of the potential consequences of emerging variants are:

Ability to spread more quickly in people
Ability to cause either milder or more severe disease in people
Ability to evade detection by specific diagnostic tests
Decreased susceptibility to therapeutic agents
Ability to evade natural or vaccine-induced immunity

The United Kingdom variant of concern is named (VOC) 202012/01 (a.k.a.B.1.1.7). This variant has now been identified in the United States. Preliminary epidemiologic indicators suggest that this variant is associated with increased transmissibility (i.e., more efficient and rapid transmission). However, currently there is no evidence to suggest that the variant has any impact on the severity of the disease or vaccine efficacy.

Additional information about these variants is rapidly emerging. The CDC is working in collaboration with other public health agencies and is monitoring the situation closely. They will continue to communicate new information as it becomes available. You can visit their website for additional information. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/whats-new-all.html

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

December 24^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Today we would like to share a message with you from our servant leader, CEO, and part owner, Marc Vorkapich.

“As a Watercrest family, there is such a wonderful spirit of giving that lives in our hearts every day, transforming our buildings into loving communities. As we look forward to celebrating with our families and friends, may your Christmas be blessed with the wonderful love of God’s greatest gift!”

John 3:16-17 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

We hope that you spend the day surrounded by those you love, and we wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas and a Happy Holidays!

Here are a few helpful reminders to hopefully keep you well and safe during this holiday season:

If you will not be celebrating virtually or with members of your own household, you should:

Always wear a mask that covers both your mouth and nose and only pull down your mask when actively eating and/or drinking. Surgical masks offer the most protection.
Maintain social distance of 6 feet from those that do not live in your household, especially while eating and/or drinking.
Frequently wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds and/or use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
Avoid handshakes and hugs with others not from your household.
Make sure the space you are in is well ventilated. Outdoor spaces are best.
Avoid singing and shouting or speaking loudly to be heard.
Limit contact with commonly touched surfaces or shared items.
Use touchless garbage cans and wear gloves when removing garbage.
Treat pets as you would other human family members. Do not let pets interact with people outside of their household.

Since our update last week, we do want to notify you that the Moderna vaccine has also been authorized for Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA and is recommended by the CDC for use in the US for a limited population.

Our first community was contacted on 12/23/20 about their vaccination clinic dates. We hope that all of our communities will have their clinic dates soon. As soon as we receive those dates, we will let you know.

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Some other helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859M

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

December 16^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We have updated our website to include information related to the COVID-19 vaccine. You can review this information at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/covid-19/.

Last week, on December 11th, the FDA did approve the Pfizer vaccine with an Emergency Use Authorization. The FDA will be reviewing the Moderna vaccine on December 17th.

Long-term care pharmacy partners for the vaccines have been holding conference calls that our communities have been attending in order to stay in the most up to date loop on next steps.

Our communities are still awaiting their call from CVS or Walgreens for their vaccination clinic dates. We expect those calls to occur any day now and we will promptly update you as soon as we have those dates in hand.

As mentioned last week, The FDA has posted the meeting briefing document from Pfizer that details their trial information of their COVID-19 vaccine. You can access this information by clicking on the following link: https://www.fda.gov/media/144245/download

The FDA posted today their meeting briefing document from Moderna that details their trial information of their COVID-19 vaccine. You can access this information by clicking on the following link: https://www.fda.gov/media/144452/download

As we know more information on the approval of the Moderna vaccine and clinic vaccination dates, we will update you. In the meantime, we recommend if you are on the fence about whether you should be vaccinated, that you begin your research. Some helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

December 16^th 2020

Watercrest Senior Living Communities Included in Priority Distribution for Covid-19 Vaccine

Watercrest Senior Living Communities will be included in Phase 1a for Covid-19 vaccine distribution: Phase 1a includes health care personnel and long term care facility residents.

According to CDC, because the supply of COVID-19 vaccine in the United States is expected to be limited at first, CDC recommends that initial supplies of COVID-19 vaccine be allocated to healthcare personnel and long-term care facility residents.

Healthcare personnel include all paid and unpaid people who serve in healthcare settings and have potential for direct or indirect exposure to patients or infectious materials.

Residents of long-term care facilities are defined as adults who live in facilities that provide a variety of services, including medical and personal care, to people who are unable to live independently.

Depending on CDC guidelines, state regulatory measures and availability, residents and staff may receive the vaccine from Pfizer or Moderna (upon approval). Two doses will be administered, appropriately spaced according to manufacturer guidelines.

Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

8 Things to Know about the U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Program

Per https://cdc.gov ; updated Dec. 13, 2020

Now that there is an authorized and recommended vaccine to prevent COVID-19 in the United States, here are 8 things you need to know about the new COVID-19 Vaccination Program and COVID-19 vaccines.

The safety of COVID-19 vaccines is a top priority.

The U.S. vaccine safety system ensures that all vaccines are as safe as possible.

CDC has developed a new tool, v-safe, as an additional layer of safety monitoring to increase our ability to rapidly detect any safety issues with COVID-19 vaccines. V-safe is a new smartphone-based, after-vaccination health checker for people who receive COVID-19 vaccines.

COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you from getting COVID-19. Two doses are needed.

You need 2 doses of the currently available COVID-19 vaccine. A second shot 3 weeks after your first shot is needed to get the most protection the vaccine has to offer against this serious disease.

Right now, CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccine be offered to healthcare personnel and residents of long-term care facilities.

Because the current supply of COVID-19 vaccine in the United States is limited, CDC recommends that initial supplies of COVID-19 vaccine be offered to healthcare personnel and long-term care facility residents.

There is currently a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccine in the United States, but supply will increase in the weeks and months to come.

The goal is for everyone to be able to easily get vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as large enough quantities are available. Once vaccine is widely available, the plan is to have several thousand vaccination providers offering COVID-19 vaccines in doctors’ offices, retail pharmacies, hospitals, and federally qualified health centers.

After COVID-19 vaccination, you may have some side effects. This is a normal sign that your body is building protection.

The side effects from COVID-19 vaccination may feel like flu and might even affect your ability to do daily activities, but they should go away in a few days.

Making COVID-19 Vaccination Recommendations

CDC makes vaccination recommendations, including those for COVID-19 vaccines, based on input from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

Cost is not an obstacle to getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

Vaccine doses purchased with U.S. taxpayer dollars will be given to the American people at no cost. However, vaccination providers may be able to charge administration fees for giving the shot. Vaccination providers can get this fee reimbursed by the patient’s public or private insurance company or, for uninsured patients, by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Provider Relief Fund.

The first COVID-19 vaccine is being used under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Many other vaccines are still being developed and tested.

If more COVID-19 vaccines are authorized or approved by FDA, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will quickly hold public meetings to review all available data about each vaccine and make recommendations for their use in the United States. All ACIP-recommended vaccines will be included in the U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Program.

CDC continues to work at all levels with partners, including healthcare associations, on a flexible COVID-19 vaccination program that can accommodate different vaccines and adapt to different scenarios. State, tribal, local, and territorial health departments have developed distribution plans to make sure all recommended vaccines are available to their communities.

COVID-19 vaccines are one of many important tools to help us stop this pandemic.

It’s important for everyone to continue using all the tools available to help stop this pandemic as we learn more about how COVID-19 vaccines work in real-world conditions. Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others, stay at least 6 feet away from others, avoid crowds, and wash your hands often.

CDC will continue to update this website as vaccine recommendations and supply change.

December 9^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

On December 10th, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be meeting with its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) to discuss the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. They will be meeting again on December 17th to discuss the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. These meetings are open to the public and they will be livestreaming them on the FDA’s social media channels.

During these meetings, Pfizer and Moderna will present their trial data on their COVID-19 vaccines to the VRBPAC and answer any questions they may have. The VRBPAC will then advise the FDA on whether they should approve the vaccines with an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). The FDA is not obligated to follow, and their decision may come at any point after the VRBPAC has provided their opinion.

If the vaccines are approved, our communities should be hearing from the pharmacy provider (CVS or Walgreens) that will be setting up their vaccination clinics. In the meantime, CVS and Walgreens have been holding webinars to prepare everyone ahead of the clinics. We have obtained the consent form that is required for the vaccinations and will begin asking for signatures from those who intend to be vaccinated or from the Healthcare Power of Attorney of those who intend to be vaccinated.

The FDA has posted the meeting briefing document from Pfizer that details their trial information of their COVID-19 vaccine. You can access this information by clicking on the following link: https://www.fda.gov/media/144245/download

As we know more information on the approvals of these vaccines and clinic vaccination dates, we will update you. In the meantime, we recommend if you are on the fence about whether you should be vaccinated, that you begin your research. Some helpful resources are:

Mayo Clinic https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/in-depth/coronavirus-vaccine/art-20484859

Cleveland Clinic https://my.clevelandclinic.org/landing/covid-19-vaccine

John Hopkins https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/vaccines/vaccines-faq

FDA https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/covid-19-vaccines

CDC https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/index.html

CVS https://www.cvs.com/content/coronavirus

Walgreens https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp?ban=covidfy21_vaccine_vaccinehere_brandstory_12.09.20

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

December 3^rd 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) had a meeting on 12/1/20 to discuss their recommendations for the COVID-19 vaccine.

With a vote of 13 to 1, the ACIP recommended that initial vaccinations should be offered to healthcare personnel and residents of long-term care facilities. This initial phase of vaccinations is referred to as Phase 1a.

Although not yet authorized by the FDA, we are hearing that one or more vaccines may be available for use in December. Initial doses of the vaccine will be limited, and it is expected that there will be a constrained supply environment for a few months and so there is a need to make the best use of the available vaccine.

Data from the phase I and phase II of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine trials of adults aged 18-55 years of age show that side effects/symptoms from the vaccine are more common after the second dose than with the first dose. Both vaccines do require two doses. The three most common side effects are fever, headache, and myalgia.

We are monitoring daily the news related to the upcoming vaccine as well as other information that is being given. As we receive more information, we will let you know. We are doing everything we can to make sure our communities are prepared for their vaccination clinics. We have not yet been told any information regarding the date the vaccine will be available or the date of the vaccination clinics but as soon as we know, we will notify you. Please feel free to reach out directly to your community for any specific questions you may have.

We also want you to begin thinking about the Christmas holidays. With the conclusion of Thanksgiving and the rise in COVID cases across the United States, we need to continue to be vigilant in our practices to keep our residents and associates safe from illness. Our recommendation for the holidays is that you hold zoom call get togethers, have outside gatherings with only members of your immediate family, and to try to postpone any unnecessary travel or meetings with others during this time. However, we do understand it may be difficult to do or not the choice you want to make at Christmas. If you do plan to get together at Christmas time, we want to recommend a few precautionary steps.

Always wear a mask
Stay 6ft apart from one another
Wash your hands frequently
Get tested 1 to 3 days before your time together
Get tested 3 to 5 days after your time together
Reduce any non-essential activities for a full 7 days after your time together
If you do not get tested, consider reducing your non-essential activities for 10 days after your time together

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

November 25^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

As we head into Thanksgiving tomorrow, we want to take the time to let you know what Watercrest is thankful for.

2020 has been a challenging year but there is still a lot to be thankful for.

We are thankful for our amazing associates who have shown up to work each and every day in the midst of a global pandemic. They have put their lives and their family’s lives at potential risk in order to care for others. It takes a special heart and a special person to put the needs above others in front of their own. Thank you to our associates. You have been our heroes of 2020. You are true servant leaders.

Watercrest is also truly thankful for our residents. You have dealt with the challenges of 2020 with patience and grace. Much of your community life was changed. Your ability to leave the community, your ability to receive visits, your ability to receive meals in the dining room, your ability to participate in normal group engagements, your ability to go on outings outside of your community, and the list could go on and on. But you have hung in there with us thru it all. It has been an honor to serve you this year and to keep you safe from this pandemic.

Watercrest is thankful for our families. The families of our residents and the families of our associates. You have shared your loved ones with us and trusted us to take good care of them. You have had to deal with ever changing guidance given from the CDC and local authorities and trusted us to do the right thing at all times. We want you to know that we consider you our family as well. And we appreciate your patience and support during this year.

And last but not least, Watercrest is thankful to our professional partners. You have partnered with us during a time with so much unknown. You have helped us source personal protective equipment, you have helped us with staffing, you have helped us with safe delivery of medications, you have sent your associates to assist our residents if they were in need of therapy or hospice services. The list of ways in which you have helped us is long. Thank you for your collaboration and never-ending support.

At Watercrest, we have a lot to be thankful for this year.

We hope you enjoy your Thanksgiving tomorrow and find thanks in your many blessings as well. Have a safe and happy holiday!

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

November 18^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

With the holidays upon us, we want to share some helpful guidance from the CDC on how to minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19 during the holiday season.

The CDC does not recommend attending in-person holiday gatherings if you are an older adult, a person with certain medical conditions who is at an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19, or live or work with someone at increased risk of severe illness.

Because many of you reading this update either work with older adults, are an older adult, or are a family member of an older adult, we want to make sure that if you do choose to attend an in-person holiday gathering, you implement as many strategies possible to reduce your risk of illness.

If you are willing to avoid in-person holiday gatherings, some suggestions for lower risk activities are having a small dinner with only people who live in your household, preparing traditional family recipes for family and delivering them in a way that does not involve contact with others, having a virtual dinner and sharing recipes with friends and families, shopping online rather than in person on the day after Thanksgiving, and watching sports events, parades, and movies from home.

If you do intend to attend an in-person holiday gathering with people outside of your household, the following suggestions will lower your risk:

Having small outdoor gatherings instead of indoor gatherings with family and friends
If an indoor gathering must occur, make sure the area is well ventilated and has continuous circulation of air
Limit the number of attendees as much as possible
Guests from different households should avoid direct contact such as handshakes and hugs and maintain 6 feet apart from one another
Require that everyone wear masks that cover both their mouth and nose except when eating and drinking
Avoid singing our shouting, especially when indoors
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds and if soap and water is not readily available, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol
Limit contact with commonly touched surfaces
Clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces between use when feasible with EPA approved disinfectants
Utilize a touchless garbage can if available
Have a plan for where to store your mask while eating and drinking
Limit people going in and out of the areas where food is being prepared or handled
Have one person who is wearing a mask serve all of the food so multiple people are not handling utensils
Use single-use options or identify one person to serve sharable items such as salad dressings, food containers, plates and utensils, and condiments

As the CDC says, no one measure is enough to prevent the spread of COVID-19. You must utilize multiple safety measures in order to prevent the spread. Please do your part in helping us maintain a safe environment for our residents to live and our associates to work.

We wish you a happy holiday season!

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

November 11^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We are excited to announce the launch of our newest Watercrest Signature Program called Artful Expressions. To learn a little more about this program and other Watercrest Signature Programs, you can visit our website at https://watercrestseniorliving.com/signature-offerings/.

We started our launch of Artful Expressions with a training for all of our Executive Directors, Assistant Executive Directors, Community Program Directors and Memory Care Directors last week. And now the communities will begin offering introductions and demos to Artful Expression sessions this month and start obtaining RSVPs for residents who desire to attend full session offerings starting in December.

Artful Expression are four to eight-week creative art sessions that explore a variety of fine art mediums, performance art, and creative writing programs that are aimed at finding a person’s inner artist. These sessions will be offered to our independent and assisted living residents, as well as our memory care residents.

We believe this program enhances and increases our resident’s mood by helping them to feel a sense of accomplishment thru the completion of their work and a sense of pride in the beauty of the work itself.

We look forward to being able to share with you pictures of resident engagement from these sessions as well as pictures of the resident’s finished product. Our communities could not be more excited about this program.

We want to reassure you as well, that we will be following all of our COVID-19 safety standards during these sessions. Residents must wear masks to attend and participate in the sessions (excluding memory care residents if they are unable to wear a mask). And all residents must maintain 6ft of social distancing from one another during the sessions. Please know and understand that these sessions will need to be rescheduled or will have to occur in the resident’s individual rooms if we have a positive case of COVID-19 to occur.

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

November 4^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

On October 22nd, we made everyone aware of the CDC’s announcement of a partnership between them and CVS and Walgreens to offer on-site COVID-19 vaccination services to seniors in long term care communities once the vaccine becomes available. Today, we want to give you an update on the COVID-19 vaccine trials.

The Trump Administration created Operation Warp Speed with the goal to be able to deliver 300 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine by January 2021 by compressing what is normally a 73-month process of creating a safe and effective vaccine into 14 months.

There are currently 44 vaccines in clinical trials with several coming close to completion. Pfizer and Moderna are the two companies who are currently most advanced in the trial process.

The FDA has indicated that it would consider vaccines for emergency use authorization (EUA) once data is available for a two-month period after the vaccines have been administered. Considering this timeline, the FDA could be considering EUA release of one or more COVID-19 vaccines by mid-November or early December.

We are hopeful that a safe and effective vaccine will be available soon. We have confirmed that all of our communities have signed up to receive the vaccination services offered by the CDC in conjunction with CVS and Walgreens.

We will continue to keep you updated as we know more.

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

October 29^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Today we would like to discuss positive COVID-19 test results. A positive test result prior to October, had the greatest impact on our residents at that time. The positive test result meant that all residents were required to remain in their rooms and the dining room and programming was restricted until the community met certain criteria to return to modified programming and modified dining.

As of October, all of our states are now allowing visitors inside of the community. This has been something we have waited a really long time for and were thrilled when we found out indoor visits would be able to resume, even if under certain restraints. With that being said, now when we receive a positive test result, that result impacts our families as well as our residents. That positive result in most of our states, except for Florida, means that visitation must be restricted until the community meets specific criteria that then allows us to resume visitation.

We know that the news of a positive test result comes with a lot of apprehension for what that may mean for our residents, associates, and families. But we also know, it comes with a lot of sadness for our residents and families because your visitation with your loved one is being interrupted while we make sure that our community is clear of COVID-19.

We want you to know that it makes us sad for everyone involved. It makes us sad for the person who tested positive. It makes us sad for the residents who now have to quarantine to their rooms. And it makes us sad for both the residents and the family members because we want you all to be able to visit.

We ask that you be patient with us during these times. We are doing everything we can to maintain safety and wellness in our communities. We are following each state’s guidelines. And in some cases, going above and beyond the guidelines by continuing with our testing protocol. We are consistently urging our families, residents and associates to be diligent when it comes to maintaining safety protocols, even when not inside of our communities. We encourage mask wearing, frequent hand washing, and social distancing. All of you are very important to us and we want to keep everyone safe and well.

A community may or may not experience a positive COVID-19 test result. A positive test result could be a false positive. A positive test result can come from a third-party provider. A positive test result can come from an associate. A positive test result can come from a resident. And now, a positive test result from a family member who has visited would also impact our communities. A positive test result can happen. But we are dedicated to identifying it, stopping the spread, and following all protocols necessary in order to clear our community from having further positive cases.

We encourage kindness, grace, patience, collaboration, and communication from all parties during these unprecedented times. We thank you for choosing Watercrest to care for you or your loved one and feel honored in doing so.

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We will continue to keep all of you in the loop every step of the way. Please continue to connect with your loved ones thru FaceTime, Google Duo, Skype, Facebook Video Chat, Sagely, etc. And please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

October 21^st 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We want to make you aware that on October 16th, the CDC announced that they are partnering with CVS and Walgreens to offer on-site COVID-19 vaccination services to seniors in long term care communities once the vaccine becomes available and is recommended for them.

This partnership provides end to end management of the COVID-19 vaccination process, including cold chain management, on-site vaccinations, and fulfillment of reporting requirements, to facilitate safe vaccination of the senior population.

This partnership also allows for all of our associates to be vaccinated. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Defense has said that no American being vaccinated for COVID-19 will have to pay out of pocket.

For our communities to participate in this program, each community has to sign up to opt in for this service. All of our communities are to be signed up by October 23rd. They will notify our Regional Director of Operations once they have signed up.

Once we know more about when the COVID-19 vaccine is available and when CVS or Walgreens will be on-site to administer these vaccinations, we will let you all know.

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

October 14^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We are incredibly excited to share with each of you that all of the states we are operating in are now allowing inside visitation. It has been a long road so we are elated that each of you will now be able to enjoy a visit with your loved one while inside of your beautiful home.

Each state is a little different regarding their indoor visitation policies so please reach out directly to your community regarding specific details for inside visitation. But a few common themes are that visitors are required to schedule their visit, check in at the concierge desk and be screened, wash hands or use hand sanitizer before and after visits, wear a mask during the visit, and maintain social distancing of 6ft during the visit.

As our communities continue to open up in different ways, we again want to remind everyone to please make decisions that will be in the best interest of our residents, associates, and families. We want to maintain everyone’s health and wellness and we need your help in doing so. The three best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are frequent hand washing, the wearing of a mask, and social distancing of 6ft from others. Thank you for your continued cooperation in keeping our residents, associates, and families safe.

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

All visitors are required to wear masks and be screened for symptoms of Covid-19 and have their temperature checked upon arrival at the community. All visitors must comply with visitation policies and procedures.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

October 7^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Today we would like to take the time to use this update to answer a few commonly asked questions. Hopefully you will find the information helpful.

Why do I have to wear a mask when I am not in my apartment?

We ask that all of our residents’ wear masks when outside of their apartment. The use of a mask not only increases protection to the person who is wearing it but also the other people around them. We know that the wearing of a mask is one of the main and most important ways we can currently protect ourselves and others from the spread of COVID-19. Masks can reduce contaminated droplets from being expelled into the air and/or contaminated droplets from being inhaled. We do require that in order to participate in small group programming, you must wear a mask during the program.

Why can’t I sit at the same table as my friend during meals and programming?

Right now, there are three main things that are helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19. These three things are wearing a mask, washing your hands, and social distancing. The CDC defines social distancing as the means of keeping a safe space between yourself and other people who are not from your household. To practice social or physical distancing, stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people who are not from your household in both indoor and outdoor spaces. Because of social distancing being a main driver in the prevention of the spread of COVID-19 and because our tables do not provide 6ft of distance between residents, we have had to make the requirement that only residents who are living in the same apartment may share a table together. One thing that you can do to make it easier to socialize during these activities is to position yourself in the direction of facing your friend who is seated at another table. That way you can still see one another and carry on a conversation during the program or meal while still maintaining 6ft of distance.

Why hasn’t our salon been open for services?

Prior to last week, all of the states in which we operate in had mandated that only essential workers be allowed into our communities. The states did not consider salon services to be essential services or workers so we were not allowed to have them come in. However, as of last week, all of our operating states are now allowing salons back into our communities. We are excited that we can once again allow these services to occur.

Why do we no longer have anytime dining?

Because of the need to social distance while in the dining room, we have had to provide a schedule that will allow all residents to receive meals in the dining room if they so choose while still maintaining 6ft distance. This means we can only have so many residents in the dining room at one time which is why we have had to schedule meal times to make sure we can accommodate all that desire the dining room experience.

Where are your requirements coming from? Are these just Watercrest rules?

Most of our requirements are coming directly from each state and their mandates. A few items such as testing of associates are requirements that we have chosen to set forth as a company and are not required by the state. Other guidance that we follow is guidance given by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). In many cases, we do not have the flexibility of changing a requirement as it is something that is a mandate from the state that we are operating in.

Can I see my physician that is outside of the community?

We do encourage you to utilize telehealth for appointments if you are able but if you must attend a physician’s visit that is outside of the community, we do understand. After any appointment outside of the community, we currently require that you quarantine for 72 hours so that we can observe you during this time for signs/symptoms of COVID-19. After 72 hours with no signs/symptoms of illness, you are able to return to your normal routine at the community.

Why isn’t the van being used at this time?

Most states we are operating in did not allow for us to take residents out of the community for programming, etc. Now rules are beginning to change. For example, in Florida, we can now use our van for scenic rides and medical appointments if we can maintain 6ft of distance between residents. In Georgia and South Carolina, we can provide individual transportation to an MD appointment if it is a required appointment that you are unable to utilize telehealth services for and you have no other means of transportation for the appointment. Please reach out directly to your community for more information and availability.

When will things get back to normal?

This is a great question. And one we don’t quite know the answer to. Our greatest hope is that once a vaccine becomes available, that many measures we have been required to put in place will be able to be relaxed. But it is hard to say until the vaccine gets here and we know how much protection it provides and for how long. We are so ready for each and every one of you to be able to experience some sense of normalcy.

We hope that the above information helps answer some of the questions you may have had.

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

September 30^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We want to start out this update by strongly encouraging all of our residents, families, and associates to remain vigilant in protecting themselves and others from being exposed to Covid-19. States are starting to open up in various ways. Some states are no longer mandating masks to the general public. We want to remind everyone that the three main things that have assisted with the reduction of spread of the virus has been the wearing of masks, social distancing, and frequent hand-washing. We want to encourage everyone to keep these three things up. For now, we are continuing to require the wearing of masks for associates while they are working in our community. And we are still requiring our residents to wear masks when outside of their own apartment. We will continue to require 6ft of social distancing.

Another thing to note, we are continuing to test our associates every two weeks. There are some states that previously required it and that are now no longer requiring it. However, we started our testing strategy before it was a mandate and we will continue with it until further notice. When there is an associate who tests positive, we will make you aware and we will continue to follow our previous protocols.

Please help us all work together to keep our residents, associates, and families safe.

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

September 23^rd 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Happy Wednesday! Exciting news to share for our Georgia community. Their state is now allowing indoor visitation at assisted living communities. We have written our policy and procedure for visitation to meet the Georgia guidelines, so indoor visitation should be under way. If you would like to schedule a visit with your loved one at Watercrest Newnan, please contact the community directly.

At all of our communities, we are celebrating health and wellness this month with our annual Wellness Expo. It looks a little different this year than in the previous year due to Covid restrictions but we hope you enjoy the information that you are given from this event.

Our Wellness Expo focuses on information related to our Live Exhilarated program and the seven facets of wholeness. These seven facets include Get Active, Be Curious, Get Connected, Be Uplifted, Get Creative, Be Social, and Be Adventurous. Each day, our community has programming on their calendar that relates to one of these facets. You can view the community programming calendar by visiting your community’s website and clicking on the link that says “View This Month’s Assisted Living Calendar” or “View This Month’s Memory Care Calendar.” If you would like more information on these seven facets of wholeness, please reach out to your Community Program Director or your community’s Memory Care Director.

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

September 17^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Today we would like to discuss the upcoming flu season and what we are doing as a company to ensure that our residents and associates receive their vaccinations.

The CDC recommends annual flu vaccination for anyone over 6 months of age. September and October are good months to go ahead and begin vaccinating for the flu. With that being said, we have asked that each of our communities arrange for a flu clinic to be held before the end of October so that all of our residents and associates have the opportunity to receive the flu vaccine if they desire. We strongly encourage that everyone be vaccinated. If you have not heard from your community regarding the flu clinic date and time, please reach out to your community directly for details.

Please rest assured that precautions we currently have in place for reducing the risk of Covid-19 will also be in place during the flu clinics. Residents, associates, and those who are giving the vaccinations will be required to wear masks, maintain 6 feet of distance while waiting for the vaccine, and sanitizing of surfaces between each resident with EPA products approved for use against Covid-19.

Symptoms of the Flu and Covid-19 are similar in many ways. Some of the common symptoms shared between the two are fever or feeling feverish/chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue (tiredness), sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle pain or body aches, headache, and some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults. Other signs and symptoms of Covid-19 that are different from the flu, may include change in or loss of taste or smell.

According to the CDC, you can become sick simultaneously with both the Flu and Covid-19. They are unsure of how common this occurrence is but have said it is possible. A diagnostic test can help you determine what illness you are suffering from.

A flu vaccine will not protect you from Covid-19 but it can reduce the risk of flu illness. A flu vaccine also will not increase your chances of getting Covid-19.

If you have any other questions regarding flu season and Covid-19, you can visit https://www.cdc.gov/flu/season/faq-flu-season-2020-2021.htm for more information.

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

September 10^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We hope everyone enjoyed their Labor Day this week. We want to give a very special thank you to our associates who are making a difference in the lives of our residents each and every day. Thank you to those that go above and beyond to serve and honor our mothers and fathers. We sincerely hope you felt celebrated on Monday.

This week, we should be in full swing at our Florida communities with indoor visitation. We are thrilled for you to be able to begin enjoying time once again inside of the community. If you have not been contacted by your community regarding the process for scheduling visitation, please reach out to them for details.

In South Carolina, families should have started their first outdoor visits. We know how happy each of you are to finally be able to see your loved one outside of a window visit. We will continue to keep our eye on the Department of Health and Environmental Control guidance for South Carolina and will alert you of any changes that you need to be made aware of. If you have not been contacted by your community regarding the process for scheduling outside visitation, please reach out to them for details.

For our Georgia residents and families, we have not heard of any current changes outside of the allowance we have already been given for outside visitation. We have reached out to the Georgia Department of Health to make sure there have not been any changes. We will continue to watch for any announcements for this.

For all communities, please know that if we have positive cases of Covid-19, we will have to restrict visitation until we are Covid free.

And for all visitation, you will be required to participate in a visitor screening upon arrival that includes a temperature check, wear a mask during your visit, practice hand hygiene, and maintain social distancing of 6 feet. All visits need to be scheduled thru the community concierge.

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

September 2^nd 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We have exciting news to share! South Carolina and Florida made changes to their visitation rules yesterday. South Carolina will now be allowing outside visitation. We have submitted our visitation plan to DHEC and our two communities in South Carolina will be working to start scheduling outdoor visits as of Thursday. All residents and families should be receiving emails with the visitation plan. If you do not receive, please contact your community directly.

In Florida, we will now be allowed to begin indoor visitation along with our current outdoor visitation. We are working on our plan and you should receive this information by the end of today. If you do not receive, please contact your community directly.

For our Georgia residents and families, I have not heard of any current changes outside of the allowance we have already been given for outside visitation. I have reached out to the Georgia Department of Health to make sure there have not been any changes. We will continue to watch for any announcements for this.

For all communities, please know that if we have positive cases of Covid-19, we will have to restrict visitation until we have been Covid free for 14 days.

We hope you are as excited as we are about these changes to visitation. We know you are all ready to be able to see your loved ones and we are so excited for you to be able to do so!

Thank you to everyone for bearing with us during this challenging time.

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

And as promised, we will provide notification, within 24 hours, to our residents, the healthcare power of attorney, and our associatesshould we have anyone in our community test positive for COVID-19. We will provide this communication by phone call and we will also send an email. If you are the healthcare power of attorney, please make sure you notify any other family members that you want to make aware. We greatly appreciate your help with this.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

August 27^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We would like to take the time this week to discuss quarantine versus isolation. Many people wonder what the difference is between the two. And many changes have been made to quarantine and isolation guidelines since all of this began in March. Today, we will discuss both of these items.

Quarantine separates and restricts the movement of people who were exposed to a contagious disease or might have been exposed to a contagious disease to see if they become sick.

Isolation separates sick people with a contagious disease from people who are not sick.

We quarantine residents when they are new to move in to our community or when they have left our community for an extended period such as a hospital admission or a stay with family and then return to the community. With quarantine, you are required to be separated from others for a total of 14 days.

We isolate residents who are sick with symptoms of COVID-19 or if they have tested positive for COVID-19. Isolation lasts for at least 10 days from the time the resident’s symptoms first appeared and they have been at least 24 hours without a fever without fever reducing medications and symptoms have improved. If the resident never had symptoms, they will remain in isolation for 10 days from the time of their positive test.

If a resident is in isolation, anyone entering the resident’s room will have to wear full personal protective equipment, meaning gloves, mask, goggles, and gown. A dedicated associate will be specifically assigned to that resident and will not provide any care to non-positive residents. The resident is restricted to their room.

If a resident is quarantining, associates will wear their mask when entering the resident’s room. The resident will be restricted to their room during this time.

We encourage residents to try and utilize telehealth services for medical appointments however we know this is not always possible. If a resident requires dialysis, a specialist appointment or some other medically necessary appointment, the resident will need to remain in their room under observation for 72 hours once returning from their appointment before being able to resume modified dining or modified programming options.

We have put these guidelines in place for several reasons. First and foremost, to protect you and your loved ones. But secondarily, we have put them in place in order to be compliant with CDC guidelines and state regulatory requirements. Please know that we understand these guidelines can create a hardship on you and/or your loved one and if there is anything, we can do to help make anything easier on you, please let us know.

Please continue to reach out to your state governors as well as your state regulatory board that governs over assisted living and urge them to come up with a plan for safe visitation and to begin allowing this. We will continue to reach out as well. We are ready for you to each be reunited with the ones you love.

Thank you to everyone for bearing with us during this challenging time.

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting indoor visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

The people in the above exceptions will be required to wash their hands upon entering the community, complete a COVID-19 screening tool, have their temperature taken, and will be required to wear a mask during their time inside of our community.All community associates are currently required to wear masks during their shift and to wear gloves while providing direct care to residents. If there are respiratory symptoms of unknown cause or a suspected or confirmed case of COVID-19, associates are required to wear a mask, face shield, gown, and gloves.

Please understand that there is a current shortage nationwide of personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, gowns, and face shields. The states are working vigorously to assist all healthcare providers with obtaining the personal protective equipment that they need.

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

And as promised, we will provide notification, within 24 hours, to our residents, the healthcare power of attorney, and our associatesshould we have anyone in our community test positive for COVID-19. We will provide this communication by phone call and we will also send an email. If you are the healthcare power of attorney, please make sure you notify any other family members that you want to make aware. We greatly appreciate your help with this.We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

August 19^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Today, we would like to inform you about our plans at each community for voting. These plans vary depending on what state you are in and whether or not the resident is in Assisted Living or in Memory Care.

We want you to know we understand the importance of voting and although we will not be providing outings to the polls (due to safety guidelines) as we have been able to do in previous years, we have other ways in which we can support our residents right to vote.

Assisted living residents in all states may vote by way of mailing in ballots.

Information on how to do this in Florida can be found at: https://dos.myflorida.com/elections/for-voters/voting/vote-by-mail/

Information on how to do this in Georgia can be found at: https://sos.ga.gov/admin/files/2012_Absentee_Voting_A_Guide_for_Registered_Voters.pdf

And information on how to do this in South Carolina can be found at: https://info.scvotes.sc.gov/eng/voterinquiry/VoterInformationRequest.aspx?PageMode=AbsenteeRequest

Community Program Directors can assist residents with any of their voting needs.

For our memory care residents, a diagnosis of dementia alone does not legally preclude someone from voting. However, in some states, a person who has been legally declared incompetent or incapacitated may be barred from voting.

In Florida, the state constitution states that one is not qualified to vote if adjudicated, in this or any other state, to be mentally incompetent, until the disability has been removed. Guardianship statues state that the right to vote can be removed if a person is determined to be incapacitated, but right may not be delegated to a guardian. Persons must be evaluated for voting disqualification at guardianship proceedings.

In Georgia, the state constitution states that a person adjudicated mentally incompetent cannot register, remain registered, or vote unless the disability has been removed. A person must be adjudicated mentally incompetent before the right to vote is removed. Guardianship statutes state that the appointment of a guardian is not a determination regarding the right of the ward to vote.

In South Carolina, the General Assembly shall establish disqualifications for voting by reason of mental incompetence and may provide for the removal of such disqualifications. A person is disqualified from registering or voting if mentally incompetent as adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction. There are not guardianship statues in South Carolina.

Please reach out to your Executive Director of your community should you have any questions about the above information.

As a company, we are continuing to gather information from each state’s Governor, the CDC, and the local health departments in order to make decisions regarding when to resume visitation. Social distancing is still a vital measure in protection and prevention of contracting COVID-19. We will continue to practice and ensure that strict protocols regarding hygiene are followed. At this time, we have not made any changes related to visitation but are monitoring and evaluating this daily. We will let you know as soon as we make any changes in regards to this.

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting indoor visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

And as promised, we will provide notification, within 24 hours, to our residents, the healthcare power of attorney, and our associatesshould we have anyone in our community test positive for COVID-19. We will provide this communication by phone call and we will also send an email. If you are the healthcare power of attorney, please make sure you notify any other family members that you want to make aware. We greatly appreciate your help with this.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

August 12^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We want to inform all of you about some recent changes to the CDC guidelines related to when a healthcare worker may return to work following an infection from COVID-19.

Previously the CDC had recommended a test-based strategy in deciding when to allow an associate to return to work. They have since changed this to a symptom-based strategy. To comply with the symptom-based strategy, an associate with mild to moderate illness who are not severely immunocompromised may return to work after 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared and at least 24 hours have passed since last fever without the use of fever-reducing medications and symptoms have improved.

Associates who are not severely immunocompromised and were asymptomatic throughout their infection may return to work when at least 10 days have passed since the date of their first positive viral diagnostic test.

For associates with severe to critical illness or who are severely immunocompromised, there should be at least 10 days and up to 20 days since the first symptoms appeared. At least 24 hours have passed since last fever without the use of fever reducing medications. Symptoms have improved. And they should consider consultation with infection control experts.

We are also utilizing this same test-based strategy to determine when residents can come out of isolation after they have tested positive for COVID-19.

Please reach out to your Executive Director of your community should you have any questions about the above information.

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting indoor visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

And as promised, we will provide notification, within 24 hours, to our residents, the healthcare power of attorney, and our associatesshould we have anyone in our community test positive for COVID-19. We will provide this communication by phone call and we will also send an email. If you are the healthcare power of attorney, please make sure you notify any other family members that you want to make aware. We greatly appreciate your help with this.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

August 6^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We have thoroughly enjoyed watching all of the pictures roll in this week of outdoor visitations that have been allowed to happen at our Florida and Georgia communities. It has filled our hearts with joy to see families reunited. Make sure to take a peek at your community’s Facebook page to see any pictures of these visits.

As a reminder, here are a few guidelines that must be adhered to in order to have safe outdoor visitation:

Family members must be seated 6 feet away from our resident in order to adhere to social distancing guidelines.
Each visitor will need to complete a screening form and receive a temperature check.
Both family member and resident must wear a mask during the duration of the visit and there must be no physical contact.
Visits will be limited to 15 minutes. Our residents will be able to receive one visit per week/biweekly depending on the size of the community in order to allow for all residents to have an opportunity to visit with their loved ones.
Visitors will be limited to two people.
And all visits will be supervised by an associate. Our associates will sanitize the area used in between each visit. We do suggest that families bring their own chairs if able to minimize the area that will need to be sanitized between visits. Days and times will vary per community so please contact your community concierge for details and to schedule your visit.

Please keep in mind that should we have a positive case of COVID, we will need to cancel outdoor visitation until the community is once again testing negative.

For our residents and family members in South Carolina, we have received communication from the state that we are not allowed to begin outdoor visitation. We must remain compliant with this, however we are eagerly and persistently keeping our eye on this mandate and hoping for this to change. We will immediately notify you if any changes are made and are ready with a plan to be able to begin outside visitation as soon as we hear it is allowed.

Here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting indoor visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

And as promised, we will provide notification, within 24 hours, to our residents, the healthcare power of attorney, and our associatesshould we have anyone in our community test positive for COVID-19. We will provide this communication by phone call and we will also send an email. If you are the healthcare power of attorney, please make sure you notify any other family members that you want to make aware. We greatly appreciate your help with this.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

July 29^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Last week, we were able to start outside visitation at our Watercrest community in Newnan, Georgia. The visits went very well and we were thrilled that our residents and families were able to spend some quality time together in person.

Starting August 3rd, we will begin outside visitation at our Florida communities. Here are a few details regarding those visits:

Family members must be seated 6 feet away from our resident in order to adhere to social distancing guidelines.
Each visitor will need to complete a screening form and receive a temperature check.
Both family member and resident must wear a mask during the duration of the visit and there must be no physical contact.
Visits will be limited to 15 minutes. Our residents will be able to receive one visit per week/biweekly depending on the size of the community in order to allow for all residents to have an opportunity to visit with their loved ones.
Visitors will be limited to two people.
And all visits will be supervised by an associate. Our associates will sanitize the area used in between each visit. We do suggest that families bring their own chairs if able to minimize the area that will need to be sanitized between visits. Days and times will vary per community so please contact your community concierge for details and to schedule your visit.

We know our residents will be thrilled to start these visits. And we are excited to be able to do so. Please keep in mind that should we have a positive case of COVID, we will need to cancel outdoor visitation until the community is once again testing negative.

As a reminder, here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

July 22^nd 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

In today’s weekly update, we would like to talk about different ways you can stay engaged with your loved ones. We know that everyone’s heart is aching to see, touch, smell, hear and spend face to face time with their loved ones. And we know the governor’s orders in the states of Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina has extended their no visitation orders. This has been extremely difficult. So today, we would like to share with you some different ways in which you can stay engaged with your loved one during this difficult time.

First, we would like to recommend window visits if this is convenient for you. This allows you to see your loved one even though you cannot touch them. With a window visit, you can talk to your loved one thru your cell phone while still being able to see their smiling face. If you would like to schedule a window visit, please reach out to your community today. Even if your loved one does not live on a ground level floor, we can arrange for them to come to a ground level window.

For some, window visits may create other challenges and may not be the best way to spend time with your loved one. If this is the case, we have several iPads and tablets in our communities and would be happy to help set up your loved one on a video call with you so that you can see each other on the screen. If you or your loved one is not experienced with technology, we are happy to help you thru this. Please give us a call and we will assist.

For others, a simple phone call may do the trick. Sometimes as children or grandchildren, we are not sure what to talk about. Here are a few conversation starters. Ask them if they have had any nicknames and if so, what they were and why they were started? Ask them what things they enjoyed doing with their family when they were young? Ask them what they like to do with their friends that brightens their day? Ask them about how they met their spouse and what made them fall in love? Ask them what their favorite holiday traditions are? Ask them where their favorite vacation spot was? Ask them if they could go anywhere right now, where would they go? Ask them what their favorite meal is and when was the last time they had it? Ask them what is the funniest thing they have ever done? These are just a few conversation starters to get you started. We are happy to provide you with others if you need them.

And last but not least, who does not enjoy reading the written word. Maybe it is an email or a letter. We can easily set up your loved one with an email address if you like. And the two of you can write back and forth to one another about your day. Send a care package to your loved one with some of their favorite things to let them know you are thinking about them. Make a video and send to us. We are happy to make sure your loved one sees it.

Most importantly, please know if there is anything, we can do to help you better engage with your loved one during this challenging time, we want to do it. Let us know and we are happy to help!

In the meantime, we will continue to hope and pray that the worst is behind us and that your loved ones will be able to be hugging you again very soon.

As a reminder, here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

July 15^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Today we want to give you a few COVID updates from the CDC. We have found the page titled Coronavirus Disease 2019 What’s New on the CDC website to be very helpful in keeping up with any changes or recommendations. If you are interested in taking a look at this, the website is https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/whats-new-all.html.

A recent update that the CDC gave was on Tuesday, July 14th and it was regarding the recommendation for Americans to wear masks. They stated that published on July 14th by the Journal of the American Medical Association, there was science indicating and affirming that the use of cloth face coverings is a critical tool in the fight against COVID-19. There were a few studies that were discussed and the findings add to the evidence that cloth face coverings provide source control, meaning that they prevent the person wearing the mask from spreading COVID-19 to others.

Different areas around the country are making mask wearing mandatory. We are encouraging all of our associates to wear masks when outside of their home to help prevent the spread of COVID. We want to make sure that when we come to work, we are not putting our residents and co-workers at risk. Mandatory mask wearing while working within our communities has been required since early on in this battle against COVID-19.

One other recent update for health care providers was a change on July 9th, 2020 regarding the use of eye protection in addition to a facemask. For health care providers working in places located in communities with
moderate to sustained SARS-CoV-2 transmission, the use of eye protection is to ensure that the health care provider’s eyes, nose, and mouth are all protected during care encounters. In our communities, if we have any residents that have tested positive for COVID, our associates are required to wear gowns, face mask, goggles or a face shield, and gloves when interacting with or providing care to that resident.

In other news, during the month of June, our communities competed against one another in who could develop the most creative new program for our residents. Market Street East Lake developed a “Home Sweet Home” program to help their residents embrace their home at their community. Market Street Viera developed “Grateful Gardeners” and had the residents bring a garden from start to finish ending with a celebration of their harvest. Watercrest Naples developed a “New Resident Introduction” program where new residents were connected with a current associate and spent time learning about one another and how to use technology as a way to connect and engage. Watercrest Newnan developed “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Variety Show” where residents starred in a variety of segments thru their in-house Channel 2. Palm Bay Memory Care developed “Butterflying” where the residents learned about butterflies and were able to watch caterpillars grow into full grown butterflies. And Watercrest Saint Lucie West developed “Something’s Fishy at Watercrest” where the residents made fish art, learned about fish, and then actually went fishing. They then finished up their program with their Chef preparing a “Fish Broil” for the residents. And who was the winner you might ask??? Watercrest Saint Lucie West! Congratulations!

As a reminder, here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

July 8^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We hope you all enjoyed your Fourth of July! And we hope you enjoyed seeing some of the social distanced festivities that were offered at our communities. We have had a fun filled week. Some of the fun that we have had has included planting, tending, and harvesting our gardens. A sock hop and soda shop dance. Celebration of National Fried Chicken Day and National Flip Flop Day. Around the Phonography-listening to old vinyl records. Al’s family banner to celebrate his 90th birthday. Classic toy gifts provided by one of our loving family members for our resident enjoyment. Icebox cake made by two resident chefs. The return of Aprons and Appetizers. The residents love cooking during this engagement opportunity. Homemade pies and soups. And last but not least, Al Fresco dining to help the residents get some fresh air.

In other news and updates, we want to let our residents, families, and visitors know that the governor of Florida has extended his emergency order which includes no visitation in senior living for another 60 days. Watercrest will continue to comply with the state emergency orders and we ask for all of your support. We know this is difficult news to hear and we want you to know that our hearts, thoughts and prayers are with you.

In South Carolina, there have been no updates to the no visitation order. We will continue to monitor for any new orders or updates. Watercrest will continue to comply with the state emergency orders and again ask for your support. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers are also with you.

In Georgia, an update was provided that outdoor visitation is now being allowed as long as social distancing is in place and there is a process being followed. Please remember that outdoor visitation has to be pulled back when there are any positive cases of COVID-19 at the community. Once the community is clear of any positive cases, outdoor visitation may resume. We are so happy for our Georgia residents and families that this is now being allowed. Please reach out to your Executive Director regarding outside visitation details/plans.

As a reminder, here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

July 1^st 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

In anticipation of the Fourth of July and the many celebrations that come along with it, we want to take the time to encourage everyone to celebrate safely. There are three helpful tips to remember to help protect you from Covid-19. First, whenever you are around people outside of those in your household make sure you wash your hands frequently. Second, remember to stand six feet apart from others. And third, wear a mask. These three things will go a long way in the protection of yourself and others.

Some other things you can do to protect yourself is to socialize outdoors as opposed to indoors. Avoid crowds. Do not travel to areas that are experiencing coronavirus outbreaks. Only visit businesses where they are requiring the use of masks and practicing social distancing. And again, remember to frequently wash your hands and do not touch your face. Carry hand sanitizer with you if you are going out. And in regards to wearing masks, make sure you are wearing a proper mask that covers both your mouth and nose.

We hope everyone is able to enjoy the day that celebrates our country’s independence but we want to keep our residents and associates safe and healthy. So please celebrate cautiously.

As a reminder, here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

June 24^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We hope all of our fathers felt honored and appreciated this past Sunday. Our communities offered a lot of different engagements for our fathers to participate in. There were cookouts, car shows, window visits, root beer float socials, beer and soup social, traveling beer and peanut carts to the resident rooms, a sock hop, and a bar-b-q and rib dinner. Thank you to all of our precious fathers out there!

We do not have any changes this week to review. So instead, we would like to take the time to thank each and every one of you for your commitment to maintaining the health and safety of our communities. To our family members and residents who are eager to see one another, we want you to know that we are eager to reunite you as well. We know how challenging this time has been. And we cannot thank you enough for your patience, commitment and support.

To our community directors and our front-line associates, we also thank you for your commitment to your residents and family members. Each and every day, you show up and give 100% of yourself to your residents and teams. Your servant leadership is in full view right now. The way we have seen you sacrifice your own health and safety as well as your families in order to come to work every day and give the best care you possibly can to our residents under these risky circumstances, is truly commendable. We thank you!

We are so proud of the cooperation and collaboration between our residents, families, and community teams. This level of team work has allowed us to keep the health and safety of everyone at the forefront of what we do. We could have never done this alone. It takes the full support of everyone. And we are so very thankful and blessed to have all of your support.

As a reminder, here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

June 17^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

This week was our first week of modified programming. Modified programming means we are offering three resident engagement programs a day for groups of 10 and under. The feedback has been rolling in and it has been interesting. We have had some residents eager to attend the small groups and others more cautious and preferring to stay in their room and do individual engagement. Our Community Program Directors are trying to encourage the small engagement socializations but are also making sure to accommodate those residents who prefer to remain in the safety of their apartment. For example, one community is offering an exercise program outside for their residents to participate in but are also offering this same class by video that runs at the same time as the live class so residents can enjoy in their own rooms if preferred.

Some of the programs that have been offered are bingo groups by floor, arts and crafts, exercise, educational offerings, puzzles, Wii bowling and other games. But the Community Program Directors are most excited about their upcoming Father’s Day plans. They are offering small grill outs, small group movies, small group sock hops, and small group fishing to celebrate all of the amazing dads out there. We cannot wait to share photos from these events.

With our modified programming, we are following CDC recommendations for organizations who serve higher-risk populations and limiting our gatherings to no more than 10 people. We are taking all of the necessary precautions. Residents participating in these small groups are required to wear a mask. And cleaning with EPA approved products are taking place before and after each program. We are also making sure that residents maintain 6 feet of distance apart from one another.

In addition to our modified group programs, we will continue to offer individual engagement opportunities for all residents thru out the day. The community now has door hangers that residents can complete requesting any items they would like for individual engagement opportunities.

We know everyone is excited and eager to return to normalcy. With resuming modified dining services and now resuming modified group programming, we hope this will help our residents begin to feel a sense of normalcy in their day. Please know however that we will continue to monitor CDC guidance related to community dining and group programming and will comply with guidelines set forth.

As a reminder from last week, all of our communities have completed their baseline testing on all residents and associates and have received their results. Thank you to all of the community teams for your hard work in getting everyone tested. For communities with all negative results, we will only be doing 14-day retesting of associates. Should a resident or associate receive a positive COVID test in the future, we will provide retesting for residents and associates. Please keep in mind, this testing strategy is ever evolving and could change as well so stay tuned for any updates. We hope you will be understanding of this new requirement and know that we have made this decision with the health and safety of our residents and associates at the top of our mind.

We are following Return to Work Guidelines based on CDC changes and recommendations. These changes to the guidelines can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/return-to-work.html

As a reminder, here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We are continuing to monitor CDC as well as national, state, and local regulatory recommendations. We participate in weekly conference calls to ensure that we have the most up to date information in regards to the COVID-19.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

June 10^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

This week is the second week with our modified dining services in place. We have heard great reviews and residents are excited to be returning to the dining room. Please review our communication from last week regarding our procedures related to modified dining.

Next week we will be starting modified programming. Since the beginning of COVID-19, we have discontinued all group programming and have only been holding individual programming offerings. However, starting June 15th, we will begin modified programming and engagement offerings.

The CDC recommends for organizations who serve higher-risk populations, that you limit gatherings to no more than 10 people. We will be resuming programming with groups no larger than 10 people at a time. We will be offering these group programs 3 times a day to give our residents opportunities to begin socializing again. We will be taking all of the necessary precautions. Residents participating in these small groups will be required to wear a mask. And cleaning with EPA approved products will take place before and after each program. We will also make sure that residents maintain 6 feet of distance apart from one another.

We are following Return to Work Guidelines based on CDC changes and recommendations. These changes to the guidelines can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/return-to-work.html

As a reminder, here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

June 4^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

This week, we started our modified dining services at most of our communities. We have heard great feedback and hope that the residents are enjoying coming back to the dining room.

Because our modified dining services are so new, I want to reshare the new practices and standards that we have implemented.

The CDC has outlined that assisted living communities may now allow residents to have meals in a shared dining room, as long as the community adheres to proper social distancing. Also, it is only permissible for residents who are not positive for COVID-19, are not a person of interest regarding COVID-19, and have no signs or symptoms of COVID-19. With this guidance, along with additional instructions that we have created, we will be resuming dining services in a modified format.

The modified dining services include the following:

We have seating times for residents. No more than 1 or 2 residents at the same table together (there can be two if the two residents live in the same apartment together). We will be able to seat roughly 16 residents at a time while maintaining 6ft apart for social distancing.
We have designated an area for entering the dining room and a separate area for exiting the dining room.
We have a hostess available to seat the residents at their appropriate table. While waiting to be seated, residents who live in different apartments must maintain 6ft from one another. Residents should continue to wear their mask while outside of their apartment but can remove their mask once seated in the dining room. Residents must replace their mask once they have finished eating and are ready to exit the dining room.
We are using and disposing of paper menus.
We do not have a centerpiece on the dining room table.
There are no pre-set dining items on the table. Rolled silverware is brought to the resident at the time of their seating.
Associates/servers are wearing gloves and masks and also practicing social distancing.
We are providing banquet style dining where your salad, soup, meal and dessert arrives at the same time. This limits the amount of interaction with the servers. We are limiting the amount of interaction between the servers and the residents since the residents will not be wearing their masks while dining.
In the beginning, directors will assist at meal times to ensure everything goes smoothly.
And last but not least, we are sanitizing the dining room before and after each seating.

We know everyone is excited and eager to return to normalcy. With resuming modified dining services, we hope this will be our first step in doing so for our residents. Please know however that we will continue to monitor CDC guidance related to community dining and will comply with guidelines set forth.

In other news, all of our communities have completed their baseline testing on all residents and associates and have received their results. Thank you to all of the community teams for your hard work in getting everyone tested. For communities with all negative results, we will only be doing 14-day retesting of associates. Should a resident or associate receive a positive COVID test in the future, we will provide retesting for residents and associates. Please keep in mind, this testing strategy is ever evolving and could change as well so stay tuned for any updates. We hope you will be understanding of this new requirement and know that we have made this decision with the health and safety of our residents and associates at the top of our mind.

As a reminder, we have updated our Return to Work Guidelines based on CDC changes and recommendations. These changes to the guidelines can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/return-to-work.html.

As a company, we are continuing to gather information from each state’s Governor, the CDC, and the local health departments in order to make decisions regarding when to resume group programming and when to resume visitation. Social distancing is still a vital measure in protection and prevention of contracting COVID-19. We will continue to practice and ensure that strict protocols regarding hygiene are followed. At this time, we have not made any changes related to visitation or group programming but are monitoring and evaluating this daily. We will let you know as soon as we make any changes in regards to this.

As a reminder, here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We have discontinued all group engagements and outings at this time. Residents are being encouraged to participate in individual activities.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

May 27^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

I hope everyone had a blessed Memorial Day! Thank you to all who have served or given their life for our country to ensure our freedom. We have the highest appreciation for you and hope you felt honored on Memorial Day.

We have some important updates below in regards to dining and testing so please make sure to read thoroughly and make note of the changes.

Starting the week of June 1st, we will begin our modified dining services. These modified services will include the following:

We will have seating times for residents. No more than 1 or 2 residents at the same table together (there can be two if the two residents live in the same apartment together). We will be able to seat roughly 16 residents at a time while maintaining 6ft apart for social distancing.
We will designate an area for entering the dining room and a separate area for exiting the dining room.
We will have a hostess available to seat the residents at their appropriate table. While waiting to be seated, residents who live in different apartments must maintain 6ft from one another. Residents should continue to wear their mask while outside of their apartment but can remove their mask once seated in the dining room. Residents must replace their mask once they have finished eating and are ready to exit the dining room.
We will use and dispose of paper menus.
We will not have a centerpiece on the dining room table.
There will not be any pre-set dining items on the table. Rolled silverware will be brought to the resident at the time of their seating.
Associates/servers will wear gloves and masks and also practice social distancing.
We will do banquet style dining where your salad, soup, meal and dessert will arrive at the same time. This will limit the amount of interaction with the servers. We are limiting the amount of interaction between the servers and the residents since the residents will not be wearing their masks while dining.
In the beginning, directors will assist at meal times to ensure everything goes smoothly.
And last but not least, we will be sanitizing the dining room before and after each seating.

In other news, as we mentioned last week, we have made changes to our testing strategy based on CDC guidance. By the end of this week, all of our communities will have received initial testing of all residents and associates. At this time, we have decided to change our testing guidance to be more in line with what CMS requires for nursing homes. As mentioned, we will have completed all baseline testing of residents and associates by the end of this week. Any communities that have a single positive test result will complete 14-day retesting of all individuals (associates and residents) until the entire community is testing negative. Unless a community has a positive result, we will only be doing 14-day retesting of associates. However, this strategy is ever evolving and could change as well so stay tuned for any updates. We hope you will be understanding of this new requirement and know that we have made this decision with the health and safety of our residents and associates at the top of our mind.

As a reminder, here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We have discontinued all group engagements and outings at this time. Residents are being encouraged to participate in individual activities.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

May 18^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We want to bring everyone up to speed on a few items we have implemented recently. First, we want you to know that we have reached out to all of our home health and hospice providers and have asked them to send us dedicated staff to our communities in order to reduce the exposure of our residents to possible COVID-19.

Second, we are working on getting any residents who are on nebulizers switched to an inhaler if it is safe to do so and not contraindicated. Nebulizers generate aerosol particles that can carry bacteria and viruses into the deep lung. Due to the fact that nebulizer therapy in patients with COVID-19 infection has the potential to transmit potentially viable COVID-19 to susceptible bystander hosts, we are working to change this treatment to an inhaler in all residents since residents can be asymptomatic and we may not know they are infected with COVID-19.

And last but not least, we are making changes to our testing strategy. If you have been following CDC guidance, then you are aware that initially, their guidance was not to test asymptomatic individuals. As time has gone on, priority for testing has changed. And most recently, on May 11th, the White House has come out and said that they believe all nursing home residents and associates should be tested for COVID-19. This is not yet a government mandate, but instead a strong recommendation. And this guideline did not specifically say assisted living, however we feel if this is a best practice and guideline being given for nursing homes, then we want to follow suit. With that being said, we have set up testing services with Capstone Healthcare.

The test we will be utilizing is a PCR test which is what is recommended for diagnosing of COVID-19. Next week, we will be testing all residents and associates at any of our communities that have not yet had testing. We will then be doing repeat testing every 14 days until guidelines point us in a different direction. We will not allow associates to return to work without having proof of the required testing. Results typically have a quick turn around and we will notify each individual regarding their results as well as notify residents, associates, and healthcare power of attorneys of any positive test results within the community. You will be hearing more this week from your community regarding consent to test. We hope you will be understanding of this new requirement and know that we have made this decision with the health and safety of our residents and associates at the top of our mind.

As a company, we are continuing to gather information from each state’s Governor, the CDC, and the local health departments in order to make decisions regarding when to resume group programming and when we will open up our dining rooms for meals. Social distancing is still a vital measure in protection and prevention of contracting COVID-19. We will continue to practice and ensure that strict protocols regarding hygiene are followed. At this time, we have not made any changes related to visitation, communal dining, and group programming but are monitoring and evaluating this daily. We will let you know as soon as we make any changes in regards to this.

As a reminder, here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We have restricted community dining in our assisted living and are providing all residents with meal service to their rooms. In memory care, we are spreading our residents out to create social distancing during meal time.

We have discontinued all group engagements and outings at this time. Residents are being encouraged to participate in individual activities.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

May 13^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

This past week was a big week. We celebrated Nurses Week as well as Mother’s Day. Our communities celebrated these events in many different ways but some of those ways included a Mother’s Day Parade, treats and mimosas, pampering, and a Mother’s Day Tea. Some other fun things that happened this week was a game of Hungry Hippos, the making of derby hats, sand art, and some words of encouragement from St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church. Also, one of our resident’s was able to watch her son on CNBC news speaking about Coronavirus and Pharmaceuticals. She was one proud Mom! Thank you to all of the mothers and nurses that we have living or working with us. We appreciate you!

Last week, the National Guard and Florida Department of Health randomly selected one of our communities to offer testing to our residents and associates. We were grateful for this partnership and opportunity. The testing took place last Friday and went smoothly. We are extremely appreciative of the support that is being given by outside resources to our communities. We have had companies and organizations donate supplies and offer words of encouragement. We could not be more thankful.

Also last week, in Florida, it was announced on May 8th that Governor DeSantis has issued an Executive Order extending the statewide visitation prohibition for another 60 days. Currently visitation prohibition orders are still in place in South Carolina and Georgia as well. We will continue to comply with these guidelines.

As a company, we are continuing to gather information from each state’s Governor, the CDC, and the local health departments in order to make decisions regarding when to resume group programming and when we will open up our dining rooms for meals. Social distancing is still a vital measure in protection and prevention of contracting COVID-19. We will continue to practice and ensure that strict protocols regarding hygiene are followed. At this time, we have not made any changes related to visitation, communal dining, and group programming but are monitoring and evaluating this daily. We will let you know as soon as we make any changes in regards to this.

As a reminder, here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We have discontinued all group engagements and outings at this time. Residents are being encouraged to participate in individual activities.

And as promised, we will provide immediate notification to our residents, the healthcare power of attorney, and our associates should we have anyone in our community test positive for COVID-19. We will provide this communication by phone call and we will also send an email. If you are the healthcare power of attorney, please make sure you notify any other family members that you want to make aware. We greatly appreciate your help with this.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

May 6^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

This week, we updated our Return to Work Guidelines based on CDC changes and recommendations. These changes to the guidelines can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/return-to-work.html.

As a company, we are continuing to gather information from each state’s Governor, the CDC, and the local health departments in order to make decisions regarding when to resume group programming and when we will open up our dining rooms for meals. Social distancing is still a vital measure in protection and prevention of contracting COVID-19. We will continue to practice and ensure that strict protocols regarding hygiene are followed. At this time, we have not made any changes related to visitation, communal dining, and group programming but are monitoring and evaluating this daily. We will let you know as soon as we make any changes in regards to this.

We had so many things to share with you this past week on social media. We hope you enjoyed seeing pictures of our continued celebration of our healthcare heroes and our residents and associates with birthdays. We had a lot more window visitors from friends and families which always brings a smile to our faces. We had a farm bring animals for the residents to visit, we had a resident make dresses for African children, we pampered residents by doing their hair, nails, and beards, we designed spring t-shirts, we held Spiro 100 fitness classes, made flower arrangements, held a Breakfast at Tiffany’s brunch and had a Ice Cream Social all while keeping social distancing measures in place. It has been a joy to watch the bonding that is occurring between our residents and associates. This challenging time meant to distance everyone has brought them closer together.

As a reminder, here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are required to wear masks when they are not inside of their apartment.

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are screening for the symptoms of COVID-19 as listed by the CDC.

We have discontinued all group engagements and outings at this time. Residents are being encouraged to participate in individual activities.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

April 28^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We want to make you aware of a few changes that we have implemented this week. The CDC recently updated their list of symptoms to watch for related to COVID-19. These now include the following:

Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

Or at least two of these symptoms:

Fever
Chills
Repeated shaking with chills
Muscle pain
Headache
Sore throat
New loss of taste or smell

Because of this update, we will now be adding these symptoms to our screening tool that we complete upon anyone entering the community.

We will continue to take temperatures and monitor oxygen saturation levels.

The CDC is now recommending that residents in assisted living communities wear masks when they are outside of their apartments. Because of this recommendation, we have purchased additional masks that should arrive to the communities this week and we will disperse to each of our residents so they will have one to wear if they must leave their apartment.

I also want to add some additional information regarding notification to families, residents, and associates when we have someone test positive for COVID-19. As promised, we will provide immediate notification to our residents, the healthcare power of attorney, and our associates. We will provide this communication by phone call and we will also send an email. If you are the healthcare power of attorney, please make sure you notify any other family members that you want to make aware. We greatly appreciate your help with this.

We hope that you are enjoying the different pictures and stories that we are posting on social media. This past week, we celebrated resident birthdays, visited and thanked our local fire and rescue departments, celebrated our associates with “Heroes Work Here” sign, had a “Honks for Hugs” parade, participated in the Corona Sunshine Art Project, among many other things. We hope that we are keeping everyone’s spirits lifted!

As a reminder, here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are watching for symptoms of cough and/or shortness of breath.

We have discontinued all group engagements and outings at this time. Residents are being encouraged to participate in individual activities.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

April 21^st 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

Last week, the President unveiled guidelines for Opening Up America Again. This plan is a three phased approach based on the advice of public health experts. And each state’s Governor has the discretion to decide how to implement this plan.

For more in-depth details about the three phased plan, go to www.whitehouse.gov/openingamerica/. One important item to note is that visits to senior living communities continues to be prohibited until phase three of the plan.

As a company, we will be gathering information from each state’s Governor, the CDC, and the local health departments in order to make decisions regarding when to resume group programming and when we will open up our dining rooms for meals. Social distancing is still a vital measure in protection and prevention of contracting COVID-19. We will continue to practice and ensure that strict protocols regarding hygiene are followed.

As a reminder, here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are watching for symptoms of cough and/or shortness of breath.

We have discontinued all group engagements and outings at this time. Residents are being encouraged to participate in individual activities.

We are also making sure that our environment remains clean during this time by cleaning all high-touch surfaces multiple times a day with EPA approved products used to fight against SARS-CoV 2, the novel coronavirus that causes the disease COVID-19.

We will notify families if any of our residents or associates have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact your community’s Executive Director.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

April 13^th 2020

Dear Residents,
Families, and Visitors:

We want to take the time to thank you for your patience during this difficult situation that COVID-19 has created. We know that some of the restrictions we have had to put in place to keep our residents safe have been challenging. But we want to let you know how appreciative we are of your cooperation in helping us keep everyone safe and healthy.

We want to continue to help in any way possible to keep you connected to your loved ones. We are encouraging and supporting the use of FaceTime, Google Duo, Skype, Facebook Video Chat, Sagely, etc to help you stay in contact. Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We want you to know that we are still taking the time to enjoy the beautiful weather, planting flowers, painting, celebrating birthdays, and loving our window visitors from families and friends.

Last week was Spirit Week at our communities and we enjoyed finding creative ways to energize everyone’s “spirit” while still maintaining social distancing guidelines. I hope you enjoyed some of the fun pictures we have posted on social media.

As a reminder, here are the measures we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are watching for symptoms of cough and/or shortness of breath.

We have discontinued all group engagements and outings at this time. Residents are being encouraged to participate in individual activities.

We will notify families if any of our residents or associates have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact your community’s Executive Director.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

April 2^nd 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We want to give you a quick update and make sure you are aware of our continued measures that we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

All residents are having their temperature taken at least two times daily as well as monitoring their oxygen saturation and we are watching for symptoms of cough and/or shortness of breath.

We have discontinued all group engagements and outings at this time. Residents are being encouraged to participate in individual activities.

We know that during this strict no visitation time, that it is difficult on families, residents and loved ones. We are encouraging and supporting the use of FaceTime, Google Duo, Skype, Facebook Video Chat, Sagely, etc to help you stay in contact. Please feel free to contact our community at any time with questions or concerns. We want to do anything we can to help you feel more at ease during this time.

We will notify families if any of our residents or associates have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact your community’s Executive Director.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

March 23^rd 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We want to make you aware of the measures that we have put in place to care for our residents in a safe and healthy environment.

We are currently restricting visitors to our community with the following exceptions:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end of life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

We have restricted community dining in our assisted living and are encouraging all residents to receive meal service in their rooms. In memory care, we are spreading our residents out to create social distancing during meal time.

We have discontinued large group engagements and outings at this time. Residents are being encouraged to participate in activities in small groups while distancing themselves or individual activities.

We will notify families if any of our residents or staff have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact your community’s Executive Director.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

March 16^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We understand that some may be concerned about the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and how it may impact your loved ones in our communities. Ensuring residents are cared for in a safe and healthy environment is our greatest concern. At this time, we do not have any cases of COVID-19 in our communities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the state’s Surgeon General have recommended a variety of steps that we are implementing to help reduce the potential for the virus to enter our buildings. We are tightening the temporary restrictions for all individuals entering our communities. For the next 30 days, all individuals will be prohibited from entering our communities with the following limited exceptions.

The following limited exceptions will apply:

Family members and friends during end-of-life situations
Hospice or palliative care workers caring for residents in end-of-life situations
Any individual providing necessary health care to a resident
Community associates
Community residents
Representatives of the state and federal government seeking entry as part of their official duties
Law enforcement officers and any emergency medical personnel

Further, any of these individuals seeking entry into the community under a limited exception will not be allowed if they meet any of the screening criteria below:

Any person infected with COVID-19 who has not had two consecutive negative test results separated by 24 hours
Any person showing, presenting signs or symptoms of, disclosing the presence of a respiratory infection, including cough, fever, shortness of breath, or sore throat
Any person who has been in contact with any person known to be infected with COVID-19 or a close contact of someone known to be infected with COVID-19 within the past 14 days
Any person who traveled through any airport within the past 14 days
Any person who traveled on a cruise ship within the last 14 days

We will also be discouraging residents from leaving our community. Residents returning to the community will be screened for the above criteria before being allowed to re-enter.

Understanding the importance of keeping in contact with your loved ones during this time, we highly encourage and support the use of FaceTime, Google Duo, Skype, Facebook Video Chat, etc to help you stay in contact.

We will notify families if any of our residents or staff have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact your community’s Executive Director.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

March 12^th 2020

Dear Residents, Families, and Visitors:

We understand that some may be concerned about the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and how it may impact your loved ones in our communities. Ensuring residents are cared for in a safe and healthy environment is our greatest concern. At this time, we do not have any cases of COVID-19 in our communities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the state’s Surgeon General have recommended a variety of steps that we are implementing to help reduce the potential for the virus to enter our buildings. Below are some examples of how you can help protect the residents, as well as prevent the spread of the virus throughout the community.

In an effort to protect our residents and staff from COVID-19, we are asking that families and visitors not enter/visit the community if the following pertains to you:

If you are experiencing any symptoms of respiratory illness. Symptoms include: cough, fever, sore throat, runny nose, and/or shortness of breath
Any person who has been in close contact with a person infected with COVID-19 is prohibited from visiting the community for 14 days from their last interaction with the infected individual
Any person infected with COVID-19 is prohibited from visiting the community until they have had two consecutive negative test results separated by at least 24 hours
Any person who has traveled internationally or on a cruise ship is prohibited from visiting the community for 14 days after returning to the US
Pet visits are temporarily suspended as a preventative measure

Upon arrival at our community, please check-in with the Concierge Desk who will request that you answer a brief questionnaire, and if needed we will take your temperature and provide you with proper Coronavirus education. The Concierge Desk will be open during visiting hours from 7am to 7pm, seven days a week, and we appreciate limiting your visit to these designated hours. If you wish to arrive outside the regular visiting hours, please call the Executive Director to advise of your visit and we will schedule a screening upon your arrival.

We will notify families if any of our residents or staff have been diagnosed with COVID-19. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact your community’s Executive Director.

We thank you for your cooperation and for allowing us To Welcome, To Care, and To Serve our residents.

Additional Resources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/
Frequently Asked Questions https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/faq.html
Florida Department of Health https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control https://www.scdhec.gov/infectious-diseases/viruses/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19
Georgia Department of Health https://dph.georgia.gov/covid-19-long-term-care-facilities

Covid-19

Letters to Residents, Families, and Visitors

February 24th 2022

February 16th 2022

February 10th 2022

February 2nd 2022

January 27th 2022

January 19th 2022

January 12th 2022

January 5th 2022

December 29th 2021

December 22nd 2021

December 15th 2021

December 8th 2021

December 1st 2021

November 24th 2021

November 17th 2021

November 10th 2021

November 3rd 2021

October 27th 2021

October 21st 2021

October 13th 2021

October 6th 2021

September 29th 2021

September 23rd 2021

September 16th 2021

September 9th 2021

August 25th 2021

August 18th 2021

August 11th 2021

August 4th 2021

May 26th 2021

May 19th 2021

May 12th 2021

May 5th 2021

April 28th 2021

April 21st 2021

April 7th 2021

March 31st 2021

March 24th 2021

March 17th 2021

March 10th 2021

March 3rd 2021

February 25th 2021

February 17th 2021

February 9th 2021

February 3rd 2021

January 27th 2021

January 20th 2021

January 14th 2021

January 6th 2021

December 30th 2020

December 24th 2020

December 16th 2020

December 16th 2020

December 9th 2020

December 3rd 2020

November 25th 2020

November 18th 2020

November 11th 2020

November 4th 2020

October 29th 2020

October 21st 2020

October 14th 2020

October 7th 2020

September 30th 2020

September 23rd 2020

September 17th 2020

September 10th 2020

September 2nd 2020

August 27th 2020

August 19th 2020

August 12th 2020

August 6th 2020

July 29th 2020

July 22nd 2020

July 15th 2020

July 8th 2020

July 1st 2020

June 24th 2020

February 24^th 2022

February 16^th 2022

February 10^th 2022

February 2^nd 2022

January 27^th 2022

January 19^th 2022

January 12^th 2022

January 5^th 2022

December 29^th 2021

December 22^nd 2021

December 15^th 2021

December 8^th 2021

December 1^st 2021

November 24^th 2021

November 17^th 2021

November 10^th 2021

November 3^rd 2021

October 27^th 2021

October 21^st 2021

October 13^th 2021

October 6^th 2021

September 29^th 2021

September 23^rd 2021

September 16^th 2021

September 9^th 2021

August 25^th 2021

August 18^th 2021

August 11^th 2021

August 4^th 2021

May 26^th 2021

May 19^th 2021

May 12^th 2021

May 5^th 2021

April 28^th 2021

April 21^st 2021

April 7^th 2021

March 31^st 2021

March 24^th 2021

March 17^th 2021

March 10^th 2021

March 3^rd 2021

February 25^th 2021

February 17^th 2021

February 9^th 2021

February 3^rd 2021

January 27^th 2021

January 20^th 2021

January 14^th 2021

January 6^th 2021

December 30^th 2020

December 24^th 2020

December 16^th 2020

December 16^th 2020

December 9^th 2020

December 3^rd 2020

November 25^th 2020

November 18^th 2020

November 11^th 2020

November 4^th 2020

October 29^th 2020

October 21^st 2020

October 14^th 2020

October 7^th 2020

September 30^th 2020

September 23^rd 2020

September 17^th 2020

September 10^th 2020

September 2^nd 2020

August 27^th 2020

August 19^th 2020

August 12^th 2020

August 6^th 2020

July 29^th 2020

July 22^nd 2020

July 15^th 2020

July 8^th 2020

July 1^st 2020

June 24^th 2020

June 17^th 2020

June 10^th 2020