A letter from Country Meadows President & CEO, Michael Leader
March 12, 2020
I recognize this is an anxious time with the uncertainty in the news about the coronavirus (COVID-19). But, here’s what is certain: our commitment to keeping residents and co-workers safe. While we can’t predict the evolution of the virus, we can continue to conduct safe practices with our staff and campuses and encourage residents and visitors to do the same.
Though heightened awareness of this virus is new, our comprehensive protocols and attentive approach to killing germs and reducing the spread of illness have remained constant and consistent. We have taken more preemptive actions in recent weeks like closing our salad bars and continental breakfast buffets and suspending traditional practices in our spiritual life activities and resident hospital visitations by chaplains. And while we typically welcome all families and guests, at this time we are suspending all non-essential visits to all campuses. We understand unique situations, and essential visits to loved ones on hospice and facing end-of-life conditions will be allowed as long as visitors do not have flu symptoms and have not traveled to a CDC level 2 or 3 country or been exposed to a person who is sick. These visitors will need to complete a screening when entering any of our buildings. These are necessary steps, I believe, for your safety and well-being.
Our management team actively monitors updates and guidance from the state health departments and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We have (at least) daily meetings with a special clinical taskforce at our Home Office and frequent communication with each campus’ clinical and management team. Our direct-care staff is trained and charged with monitoring and reporting any resident symptoms, followed immediately by a whole host of protocols if any are detected.
You may ask me: is this a safe place to be versus living in a private residence? Given our proactive measures and continual vigilance, my answer is yes. Then you may ask: would I want my parents to live here? Again, my answer is yes. And in fact, they did. Each of our residents and co-workers’ health matters to me and our company.
I hope this provides peace of mind and earns your confidence that we are committed day by day, hour by hour to protecting our residents and co-workers. Thank you for your trust in our proactive efforts and watchfulness. And thank you for choosing Country Meadows.
Michael Leader, President & CEO
For updated information please visit our COVID-19 Alerts page