State of the Campus | Sept. 21

FOR LOW VISION AUDIO SYNOPSIS DIAL x19756

Beatitudes Campus Residents,

We thank you for your continued patience and conscientiousness, as we cautiously continue to weigh the risks and benefits of reopening the campus one stage at a time.  Our success in ensuring the overall safety of the community can be largely attributed to your careful adherence to the measures put in place.  We are hopeful that with continued collective diligence, we can safely expand opportunities for residents both on and off campus. 

Two weeks ago, we were pleased to welcome visitors back to Beatitudes in a limited capacity, and we have been warmed by the sight of loved ones connecting on campus once again. This Monday the 21^st, with the continued, relative stabilization of local COVID-19 figures in mind, we are very happy to announce several significant re-openings for residents of Beatitudes Campus Independent Living:

• First, all delivery services (Amazon, Fed Ex, UPS, grocery delivery services, pharmacy deliveries, flowers, etc.) may be delivered directly to your door by delivery service providers beginning Monday, September 28^th.  Instacart will not be permitted to deliver to residents' doors at this time.
  • To date, staff have observed strict adherence to social distancing, mask, and social distancing guidelines when interacting with these delivery personnel, but we will depend on your help to report any delivery service professionals on campus who are not abiding by campus COVID-19 policies.
• Next, after careful consideration, Beatitudes Campus will permit residents to leave campus to visit with family and friends in private gatherings of up to 10 people beginning today, September 21^st. 
  • We ask all residents to continue to follow the CDC's recommendations closely by ensuring all persons gathering wear masks at all times, maintain social distancing of six feet, and practice thorough hand sanitation during all gatherings.
  • Please take the CDC's further advisement into account by limiting your gatherings to the smallest numbers possible and gather in spacious, well-ventilated areas.  Outdoor visits are preferable.
• Based on recent research from the CDC linking restaurant dining to increased COVID-19 spread, dining off-campus at restaurants (both indoors and outdoors) will remain prohibited at this time.
• All public gatherings (worship services, rallies, etc.,) will also remain prohibited at this time.  
• On-campus friendly visits will continue to be limited to one visitation period of up to two people per week.

While we are looking forward to affording more social opportunities to residents off-campus, it will be more important than ever for Independent Living residents to communicate with one another and take responsibility for knowing the social patterns of the residents they choose to commune with.  For example, before playing bridge with friends, advocate for your health by directly inquiring about the degree to which the other players may have been exposed.  Before joining friends in their apartment, ask whether they have visited with anyone off campus in the past two weeks and whether all safety measures were practiced. 

Beatitudes Campus continues to be fully committed to the wellbeing of residents and recognizes the sacrifices you have made over the past six months for your own health and the safety of our community.  While these new off-campus opportunities may be retracted if COVID-19 figures become more threatening, in the present moment we are looking forward with cautious optimism, knowing that each of our decisions affect the collective safety of the community.

Author Info: Michelle Just

Michelle Just is the President & CEO of Beatitudes Campus, a team member since August 2000.