COVID-19

Here at Parents’ Foundation, the health of our residents and staff has always been a top priority. Now, living through the COVID-19 pandemic, it is even more essential that the house is safe and healthy. In order to achieve our goal of staying COVID free, we have shifted some of the ways we provide care and support to our residents. We routinely check the CDC guidelines, state, and Federal regulations to maintain best practices and compliance. As the regulatory landscape changes, in concert with a greater understanding of COVID-19, our Pandemic Response Team works diligently to implement those guidelines, update policies and protocols, and ensure staff is well trained.

The good news? This has been a period of innovation and new programs have developed as a result of our response to the pandemic.

In order to familiarize yourself with our health and safety practices, below you will find some of the most frequently asked questions about our various COVID-19 protocols. We hope they will answer your most pressing questions and set your mind at ease as you make decisions about your own, or your loved one’s care. As always, if you have additional questions, please reach out to us at any time.

FAQ

What are your cleaning protocols during the COVID-19 Pandemic?

All high touch surfaces are cleaned frequently throughout the day. This includes counters, tables, bathrooms, door knobs, light switches, elevator buttons, seating, doors, etc.
All rooms in the Residential Living Center and apartments in the Supported Apartment Program are cleaned daily, with assistance from residents, as applicable, to teach proper cleaning techniques.
The house is deep cleaned on a regular basis.
Dining areas are cleaned between meal waves, for all three meals, and then deep cleaned between breakfast, lunch and dinner.
When it comes to supplies, we are maintaining an appropriate stock of all care and cleaning supplies required for the house to maintain all cleaning and resident/employee protection requirements.

What are the precautions being taken by staff?

At the beginning of every shift, each staff member has their temperature checked and completes a self-report screening. Any staff members who do not meet the screening criteria to work their shift will be immediately sent home and a determination will be made as to whether COVID-19 testing is required prior to a return to work.

All staff are required to wear masks compliant with the CDC, state and Federal guidelines as well as appropriate PPE, such as gloves, gowns and face shields, as circumstances require, during their time in the house.

Employees who are exposed to, or diagnosed with, COVID-19, either locally or while traveling, will comply with the current regulatory guidelines for quarantine and treatment and must produce negative test results prior to a return to work.

How have resident lives been impacted by COVID-19?

Life for our residents has changed considerably during the pandemic. Although Parents' Foundation is not a locked facility and residents are typically able, and encouraged, to be out in the community to walk, dine, shop, volunteer, work or study, we have needed to restrict those activities to keep the residents safe.

Some of the restrictions include:

Residents have their temperature checked each time they take their medication, or twice a day if their medication is only taken once daily
Visitors are not permitted in the house nor are residents able to go out with loved ones
Trips out of the house are all staff guided and include hiking, neighborhood walks, picnics, trips to the local beach, and other outdoor activities
Residents may not leave on any staff guided outing without wearing a mask
Grocery shopping is now done virtually, which allows for new skills to be built around using online grocery delivery services
Trips home are not permitted
Appointments are now all done virtually, via telehealth, unless being face-to-face is required for blood work or diagnostic testing.

With respect to opportunities, Parents' Foundation now offers:

Additional group activities
Take Out Tuesday lunch, coordinated by the staff, to expose residents to different types of food
FriYay dinner, individual resident take out orders - this supports learning how to calculate the order total, tax and tip and helps local restaurants get back on their feet.
Advanced skill building for safe use of FaceTime, Zoom and other technology that connects residents with family and friends
Greater opportunities for residents to get to know each other and develop friendships