Residents of The Carrington at Lincolnwood can rest assured their safety and security come first, especially during these unique times of uncertainty. Even with the national COVID-19 vaccination program underway, bumps in the road—due to supply chain roadblocks and distribution detours—require all staff at The Carrington to be vigilant in staying informed about the next steps necessary to keep all residents healthy.
Communication is Essential
Fluctuating COVID protocols make communication essential. Over these past months, the management team at The Carrington has maintained constant contact with public health partners such as the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Under their guidance, The Carrington has been able to relax restrictions at times—always with utmost care and caution.
Along with battling a serious pandemic, these health care partners are sensitive to the important role that quality of life plays for residents of senior living communities. They cherish peace of mind and the feeling of security. So, the professionals and The Carrington management and staff work together to make sure important health care communication, as well as general COVID-19 preventions, is discussed and filtered down to The Carrington residents as well.
Safety and Security Precautions are in Place
Under the direction of the IDPH, with interim guidelines from the CDC, The Carrington adheres to the following best practice recommendations to keep residents safe and secure. Many of these guidelines have been and continue to be regularly evaluated and modified through the course of the pandemic. The Carrington takes these precautions seriously.
The Carrington—
- Employs an on-site nursing staff 24 hours per day and support staff that includes certified nursing assistants, technicians, therapists, dietary assistants and more. Great care is taken to regularly evaluate the ratio of residents to health care staff to make sure all are properly taken care of.
- Staff wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when required. Inventory control of these items, along with essential cleaning and disinfection supplies, are closely monitored as to keep these critical supplies at acceptable levels.
- Has implemented a continuous air and surface disinfection system (called airPHX) to eliminate bacteria, viruses and other harmful organisms throughout the community—on surfaces and in the air. This system is unique to The Carrington as a progressive senior living community and truly sets it apart from others.
- Trains all staff in proper hand hygiene. Everyone entering the community must wear facemasks and use hand sanitizer upon entry, and all residents must wear a cloth face covering or facemask when outside of their rooms and when staff enter their rooms.
- Has developed—in accordance with guidelines provided by its professional public health partners—a written universal screening policy stating where, when, how and by whom screening for COVID-19 is to be performed and recorded. This screening (checking temperatures, symptoms, prolonged contact with a person with COVID-19) includes all staff, visitors, vendors and other persons entering the community. Residents are screened daily for elevated body temperature and symptoms of COVID-19, and pulse oxygen levels are screened regularly as listed by the CDC.
- Has a written COVID-19 testing plan and response strategy in place based on contingencies provided by the CDC.
- Modifies all services and programs in order to adhere to social distancing protocols. Over the past year, this has included a restructuring of dining services to keep residents safe while maintaining convenience and resident-centered service. Activities programming, including fitness and special events, has reached new levels of innovation during the pandemic. Residents agree they continue to be fulfilled and challenged even though activity-related amenities have changed.
The Security of a Safe Living Environment
So, what do all these precautions and protocols mean to residents of The Carrington? Generally speaking, everyone values a safe living environment, and when it comes to senior living, peace of mind means everything. This has been ever so true over the past year.
To get more specific, we enlisted the help of residents and their family members to gauge their satisfaction with all aspects of life at The Carrington. The survey results were then compared to those of other senior living communities around the country. The Carrington consistently met or exceeded industry averages. Here are five results showing residents’ feelings of safety and security during COVID times.
Overall positive response to COVID-19 at my community:
- The Carrington 96%
- Industry Average 90%
Informative and timely communication during COVID-19:
- The Carrington 96%
- Industry Average 86%
Community has taken important measures to keep me COVID-safe:
- The Carrington 97%
Team members care about my safety and well-being:
- The Carrington 98%
Community management cares about me:
- The Carrington 94%
- Industry Average 83%
When the time is right, we would love to show you The Carrington’s safe and secure lifestyle. Contact us online or call (847) 744-9469 to arrange a private in-person or virtual tour. Follow us on Facebook, too!
