Update from Northaven Senior Living regarding Coronavirus/COVID-19
Effective March 23, 2020
Request for disposable masks and hand sanitizer
Hello everyone.
Thank you so much for your encouraging words during this time of response to COVID-19.
Many of you have asked if there is anything you can to from “out there” to help Northaven Assisted Living. As you have probably heard there is a shortage of Personal Protective Equipment/PPE in our hospitals and clinics. This shortage is also true for nursing homes, assisted living communities and adult family homes. Even if our national resources are able to come through to provide masks and gowns the area hospitals will be prioritized to receive the initial influx of supplies.
We have been trying to order supplies from all of our usual suppliers for 6 weeks but we are coming up short.
So, we are putting the word out to all of you and anyone else you care to forward this to that we are in need of masks.
Of course, N-95 masks would be the best but at this point we would gratefully receive any type of disposable masks you may have access to.
Perhaps your dentist would be willing to donate at this time? We could also use donations of hand sanitizer if you are anyone you know might be sitting on a stockpile of it. We are actually fine for toilet paper, though! J
Please forward this post and we’ll see what kind of response we get!
Donations may be dropped off outside of the front door of Northaven Assisted Living at 531 NE 112th St; Seattle, WA 98125.
Please give us a call before you come to drop off so we will know to expect you.
The Northaven Leadership Team has made the decision to close the dining rooms in both Independent Living and Assisted Living effective Monday morning, March 16. This action is being taken to be in compliance with new state and federal guidelines regarding long-term care communities. These guidelines were announced this weekend. At this time, we anticipate the dining room closures will last for a minimum of two weeks.
Information will be distributed to all residents on Sunday evening regarding this change. Our Food Service department is working very hard to formulate a plan to allow for the most seamless process possible. As you can imagine, the logistics will be complicated so it may take us a few days to get our new routine running smoothly. Please bear with us. You can anticipate that the menu options will be scaled down during this period of closure. Please rest assured we will be doing our best to be sure everyone is well fed… maybe even with a few fun surprises thrown in along the way.
Overall, the residents are approaching this period of quiet and isolation with great courage and cooperation. We anticipate as the days and weeks progress that some residents will show signs of stress and loneliness. Our entire team will be making a special effort to be sure residents are checked on regularly. Please consider making extra phone calls, sending humorous or inspiring e-mails greeting cards and letters in the mail during this time. You are welcome to drop off a Starbucks treat or some books, magazine, snacks, coloring books/pencils or anything else you think might brighten the day of your loved one. We are receiving items you drop off immediately outside the front door so you don’t have to come into the building.
That’s all for now. We wish you all the very best and send our wishes for good health.
Effective March 13, 2020
We truly appreciate how cooperative and supportive Northaven residents and their families have been during this time of dealing with the COVID-19 spread in the Seattle area and beyond. All of our employees are doing an outstanding job with adjustments to their daily schedules and extra sanitizing of all of our common areas. The leadership team continues to meet on a daily basis to review the latest information from King County Health, State of Washington Department of Health and the CDC. New information is being incorporated into new measures as needed with the ultimate goal of mitigating risk to Northaven residents and staff. It is most definitely not “business as usual” and probably won’t be for several weeks.
Probably the most dramatic new measure we have taken this week is to close both Independent Living and Assisted Living buildings to outside visitors unless a visit is medically necessary. If visitors are allowed in for a medically necessary visit, they are being screened according to health department criteria. In addition, all employees are being screened before they begin their work day using the same criteria.
At this point in time, we have not closed our dining rooms. Any resident who wishes to have a tray or take-out meal delivered to their apartment is encouraged to do so. Hand sanitizing upon entry to each dining room is becoming the mandatory practice. We are asking residents living in Assisted Living to refrain from coming to the Independent Living dining room and common areas, and the reverse is true for Independent Living residents visiting Assisted Living. If circumstances change, we may need to make a decision to close both dining rooms, and this could be done in a moments’ notice if needed. If that decision is made, meals will be served/delivered to residents in their apartments.
Our Northaven Medical Van service is operating on a very limited basis, only providing transportation to urgent appointments. There are also several other changes related to Life Enrichment activities that vary between the two programs.
If you would like to be added to a group e-mail to receive all written bulletins being provided to the residents, please call the front desk and provide the receptionist with your name and e-mail.
Northaven Independent Living Front Desk: 206-365-3020
Northaven Assisted Living Front Desk: 206-362-8077
We will also be providing ongoing updates on the Northaven website as needed.
Please be thinking about how you can best support your loved one during this time of separation from you. Extra phone calls, e-mails and cards in the mail go a long way to brighten the day. We will move through this together, and we have confidence in our team of employees, our residents, our families and community resources. If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know.
Thanks again for your cooperation and support during this unprecedented situation.