SMART PLANNING
Senior Living During and Post COVID-19
By Brittany Anas for Aging at Altitude
O
ver the past few months, the coronavirus has reshaped nearly all aspects of American life. But the pandemic has had an especially significant effect on senior living, as those who are ages 65 and older are at elevated risk for severe illness from COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Here, in and around Boulder County, leaders at senior living communities have not just adopted additional safety and cleaning procedures as they prioritize their residents’ physical health, but they have also come up with creative new ways to keep seniors engaged in this newfound era of social distancing. For instance, at Balfour Senior Living in Louisville, “window visits,” when allowed by public health officials, 6
AGING AT ALTITUDE
have been arranged between residents and their family members and additional tablets were purchased so residents can stay virtually connected to family via video chats. “While this doesn’t replace the hug of a loved one, it certainly has helped keep families and residents engaged,” says Jeanette Allen, vice president of health and wellness at Balfour Senior Living in Louisville. And, at Avenida Lakewood, a luxury active adult 55 and up rental community, residents have been participating in exercise classes from their balconies, with instructors leading the classes in the courtyard. The community has also been hosting “mobile hallway happy hours” so residents can stay in their apartments, yet still feel like they’re a part of a special occasion, says Alice Tutunjian, managing director, marketing with Avenida.
At Hover Senior Living Community, therapy has been exceptionally creative: Alpacas, goats and dogs have done window visits; there’s been music therapy in the form of window concerts; and elders have been planting flowers and herbs in outdoor gardens and raised garden beds through a plant therapy program, explains Kelley Frederick, director of marketing for Katherine & Charles Hover Green House Neighborhood Homes. In addition to flexible and creative programming, leaders have been laser focused on following CDC guidelines and focused on preventing COVID-19. “We continue to act with an abundance of caution, reinforcing our policies and procedures for contagious illnesses,” says Marcia Klassen, the executive director of Brookdale Meridian Boulder.
“These include reinforcing washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, staying home when sick, moving to in-room dining options and leveraging iPads and InTouch for families to connect with their loved ones.” Ahead, senior living leaders share more on how they’re responding to COVID-19 and relay their expectations for how the pandemic will affect retirement communities in the future.
How the pandemic affects occupancy Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected occupancy at local senior living communities. At the start of the pandemic, Balfour’s Louisville campus saw a decline in leads due to the fear of living in a congregate living center, Allen says. The senior living community paused move-
DAILY CAMERA
