There has been a lot of press about senior living communities in New York and around the U.S. during COVID – some good, some bad. At Eddy Senior Living, we wanted to take this opportunity to set the record straight, and provide the public with a behind-the-scenes peek at what life inside our senior living communities in the Albany area and Adirondacks really looks like during COVID-19.
Our Seniors are Happy & Engaged
For those seniors who have opted to age in place, COVID has made life very lonely and isolating. That’s a stark contrast to the seniors in our independent living and assisted living communities, where laughter and light chatter echo through the halls, and residents are surrounded by their peers.
One Eddy Staffer remarked on the difference between the two worlds, “My mother-in-law lives alone in a big house. Due to COVID, she doesn’t get out much, except to the grocery store. She’s not able to go play bridge, and her rosary group doesn’t want to get together.”
The staffer motions to a nearby group of seniors who are sharing a few laughs and a little friendly competition over a game of pool. Another group is playing Bingo. “Meanwhile, my mother-in-law is home by herself, eating alone, very isolated.”
Even those seniors who prefer quieter activities have benefitted from our senior living communities during COVID. One resident reads the newspaper in the library, for a change of scenery from her senior apartment, while another enjoys how easy it to get her mail. No need to don a coat, hat or gloves and brave outside germs when your mailbox is inside.
Our Seniors are Healthy & Safe
In addition to keeping seniors socially connected and engaged, we are ensuring the health and safety of our residents and staff by taking extra cleaning and sanitization precautions to meet, or exceed, all CDC guidelines. Our staff is screened regularly for signs and symptoms of COVID-19, and team members wear the necessary personal protective equipment.
While we are currently allowing visitors, we’ve adopted a strict visitor policy to keep residents safe. All visitors must follow the directives set forth by the New York State Department of Health, including screening, face coverings, social distancing and no physical contact with residents. In the event of a case of COVID-19 in the senior living community, our policy is to suspend all visitation for at least 14 days.
For more information, please see our COVID-19 Visitation Policy and Safety Guidelines.
Caring for Seniors in NY During the COVID-19 Health Crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic has not been easy on anyone, but it has had, and continues to have, a particularly pronounced effect on the senior population. Despite that, the seniors in our senior living communities are happy and healthy, and they have continued to live the best life that they could with what they have faced.
The families of our seniors are happy, too. As Dave L., the son of one our memory care residents offers, “The way the place has risen to the challenge of the pandemic is no surprise to me, having been around for a year now. It’s just a demonstration of competence and professionalism as it should be done. Nothing is perfect, tomorrow is not guaranteed, but our mother is operating in the best environment we could have found for her.”
If you are interested in learning more about our independent senior living, assisted living or memory care communities, we invite you to contact us online or call (877) 748-3339 to start the conversation.