An update from Sue Coppola, Chief Clinical Officer, and Jenifer Salamino, Chief Operating Officer, regarding updates to visitation, dining, and activities at Sunrise with the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine.
For the latest updates on our COVID-19 response, please visit our We Are Prepared page.
Dear Sunrise Residents & Families:
With the start of a new spring season, we have many reasons to believe that brighter days are ahead of us. One of the biggest reasons to be hopeful is the arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine, which is the single most promising tool to help the world end the COVID-19 pandemic. The vaccine gives us reason to look optimistically toward a future that will finally include many of the invaluable personal connections and activities we all miss so much.
At Sunrise, we remain incredibly grateful that our residents and team members were granted priority access to the vaccine, and we’re happy to report that many thousands have already taken critical steps to protect themselves and others by receiving the vaccine at community clinics. In addition to rewarding team members with a paid ‘Day of Gratitude,” we are proud to share that Sunrise has taken the important step of introducing vaccinations as a required and essential job function for all new and current community team members in the U.S. We expect them all to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 no later than July 31, subject to applicable laws and Sunrise policies. This decision was made carefully with advice from public health officials to promote the safety of everyone in our community. Simply put, increasing vaccination rates is our best path forward to bring back more normalcy into our residents’ day-to-day lives.
These changes in our community are already underway. With nearly 90 percent of our current residents fully vaccinated, we are now able to adopt new guidance from public health officials including the CDC. Residents who are fully vaccinated may enjoy more community activities and welcome visitors when the community is in any phase of Sunrise’s Phased Resumption of Operations plan. Fully vaccinated residents may:
- Spend time in community common areas, including socializing with other residents who are vaccinated.
- Enjoy day trips out of the community without having to follow strict quarantine protocols upon their return.
- Participate in more group activities and dining when more than 80 percent of the residents are vaccinated.
- And, perhaps the most exciting, welcome visits from fully vaccinated loved ones in their suites. Visitors must comply with masking and social-distancing requirements, in accordance with public health guidance.
More information on these plans may be found in the image below, and please remember that local health authorities, laws and regulations may impact and require changes to these operational guidelines.
We know for our residents and families these changes cannot come soon enough, and we look forward to the many more smiles, laughs and even hugs that will soon fill our communities. That said, we know we cannot yet let our guard down in the fight against COVID-19, especially as new variants continue to spread across North America. We will stay vigilant and closely follow public health guidance including continuing to practice infection control protocols such as frequent handwashing, mask wearing and social distancing.
To say this past year has been challenging would be an understatement, but we hope that you – like the dedicated Sunrise team – are excited for the months ahead. We cannot thank you enough for your continued patience, support and trust. It remains our honor to serve you. As always, we encourage you to reach out to your community leadership with questions and feedback.
Wishing you all a happy, healthy spring and nothing but bright days ahead!
Sincerely,
Jenifer Salamino
Chief Operating Officer
Sue Coppola
Chief Clinical Officer