Weekly Update May 14, 2021
May 14, 2021
To: Solheim Employees, Residents, Family Members and Stakeholders
From: Sam Oden, CEO of Solheim Senior Community
I’m sure many have heard the recent exciting general CDC guidance regarding masks—I think I speak for everyone when I say this was wonderful news that has been a long time in coming. Having said that, please note that Solheim Senior Community is a special licensed community, and, as a result, we are accountable to many different regulatory agencies and we are required to comply with many different sets of special rules and regulations that govern the types of facilities that exist on our campus—and we have not yet received any updated guidance from those agencies regarding how we should implement this new general CDC guidance on our campus. As a result, we will await official guidance from those agencies before we change any of our current COVID-19 related policies.
As a reminder of what our current guidelines are (and will continue to be until further notice): For visitations throughout campus—including in our Health Center, Residential and Assisted Living campus, and Halvorson Memory Care Neighborhood—we ask for your continuing partnership and diligence in following these important rules…
All visitors must still continue to check in when they arrive on campus (including temperature and screening questions) and sign our COVID-19 waiver;
We ask that all visitors still continue to wear masks, practice social distancing, and schedule your visit with Kathy Rust at KathyR@solheimsenior.org;
All residents (regardless of vaccination status) may have “in-room” visits;
Any personal “in-room” visits in our Health Center should be scheduled either in common areas or when a roommate (if any) is out of the room; and
We still continue to encourage outdoor visits or visits in our common areas, as much as possible.
Another reminder: The Sunroom and Sensory Garden will both be closed starting next week for renovations. We expect to re-open the Sunroom the following week, but we anticipate that the Sensory Garden will need to remain closed to both staff and residents for several weeks, as we work to enhance that outdoor space. Thank you in advance for your patience as we work hard to complete these exciting construction projects!
The weather was perfect today as residents enjoyed a trip to beautiful Descanso Gardens. On the other hand, I was dunked many times by numerous happy members of the Solheim staff here on campus, as we rounded out our annual celebration of National Nursing Home Week with one final themed lunch… and a dunk tank. At least the sun was out to keep me warm! Each employee received a special Solheim T-shirt, which they can proudly wear around campus on “casual days” in the future.
Finally, I am happy to announce that Rosie Galy (who originally joined Solheim last Summer as our RN Supervisor for the morning shift) has recently been promoted to Assistant Director of Nursing. Please congratulate her if you see her around campus!
As of today’s writing, I am very happy to report that we have no new confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 anywhere on campus.
If you have any specific questions, please direct them to Tina Antypas at 323 257-7518 X225 or tantypas@solheimsenior.org.