June 11, 2020 (Bellevue, Wash.) – Aegis Living, a developer/owner of 32 assisted living and memory care communities in the western United States, has introduced its Outdoor Living Rooms initiative as part of a comprehensive reopening plan in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The company-designed outdoor spaces have been created to allow residents across all Aegis communities to safely see and visit with family and friends. Aegis Living also released the details of its multi-phased approach to reopening safely.
Aegis Living consulted with leading infectious disease experts when creating the Outdoor Living Rooms core design. All Outdoor Living Rooms are equipped with clear dividing walls made of plexiglass that stand approximately 7 feet tall with three panes of glass across, creating a physical barrier to prevent residents and family from physically touching, removing any opportunity for virus exposure.
Outdoor Living Room has room for two seniors to safely visit with family members during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Our community teams have been working around the clock to keep our residents virtually connected to their families during this time,” said Kris Engskov, President of Aegis Living. "With each passing week of residents being physically separated from loved ones, we knew we had to find a better way. Design consulting and support from infectious disease experts and physicians helped us create these new Outdoor Living Rooms to bring families together again – safely."
The Outdoor Living Room experience is tailored for each Aegis Living community and equipped with a sitting area for up to two visitors. While the dividing wall was created to prevent virus droplet transmission, both residents and visitors will be asked to wear masks during visits. All visitors will continue to follow company screening protocols and infection control best practices including proper sanitization and handwashing.
“As a company, reconnecting residents with loved ones is one of the most important challenges we knew we had to overcome,” said Aegis Living CEO Dwayne Clark
5-PHASE REOPENING PLAN IN THE WORKS
The reopening plan addresses areas including dining, activities, visitor protocols, and ancillary services:
- Phase 1: Limited Internal Opening with Physical Distancing
- Phase 2: Limited Ancillary Services
- Phase 3: Limited Visitors
- Phase 4: Expanded Activities and Services
- Phase 5: Expanded Dining and Visitation
The reopening plan aligns company expertise with federal and state directives, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, and guidance from state and local health departments and state licensing agencies. Each phase will be carried out for at least two weeks and the company will host controlled pilots of key activities before programs are implemented across all 32 communities.
Phase I will be initiated on a community-by-community basis and in accordance with state reopening orders and city/county directives. This phase will allow for small-group activities while residents also enjoy one meal per day in the common dining areas. Continued emphasis will be placed on outdoor activities and digital or video chat connections with families. By Phase II, residents may enjoy select spa and other ancillary activities. A community must not have active cases of COVID-19 among staff, residents, or essential visitors for a minimum of 14 days before embarking on Phase I activity. Communities will return to Phase 0 if any symptoms of the virus are detected or a confirmed case of COVID-19 occurs in a community.
CORONAVIRUS MEDICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL FORMED
The company has also formed the Aegis’ Coronavirus Advisory Council, comprised of leading physicians and medical experts. The Council plans to advance Aegis’s practices for keeping residents safe from the virus, while anticipating ways to prepare for the next health challenge. For more information on Aegis Living's coronavirus response, visit: www.aegisliving.com/
AEGIS LIVING: 32 ASSISTED LIVING/MEMORY CARE COMMUNITIES IN THE WEST
Aegis Living is a national leader in senior assisted living and memory care. With more than 22 years of experience, it supports residents along the continuum of care, from light assistance to advanced dementia, an eye for innovation in design, and an employee-centric company culture. The privately held company is headquartered in Bellevue, Wash., and operates 32 communities in California, Nevada, and Washington, with 7 more communities in development.
Related Stories
| May 29, 2012
Reconstruction Awards Entry Information
Download a PDF of the Entry Information at the bottom of this page.
| May 24, 2012
2012 Reconstruction Awards Entry Form
Download a PDF of the Entry Form at the bottom of this page.
| Apr 16, 2012
Batson-Cook breaks ground on senior living center in Brunswick, Ga.
Marks the third Benton House project constructed by Batson-Cook.
| Feb 10, 2012
Atlanta Housing Authority taps Johnson Controls to improve public housing efficiency
Energy-efficiency program to improve 13 senior residential care facilities and save nearly $18 million.
| Feb 8, 2012
Nauset completes addition and renovation for Winchester senior living community
Theater, library, fitness center, and bistro enhance facility.
| Nov 2, 2011
John W. Baumgarten Architect, P.C, wins AIA Long Island Chapter‘s Healthcare Award for Renovation
The two-story lobby features inlaid marble floors and wood-paneled wainscoting that pays homage to the building’s history.
| Mar 17, 2011
Perkins Eastman launches The Green House prototype design package
Design and architecture firm Perkins Eastman is pleased to join The Green House project and NCB Capital Impact in announcing the launch of The Green House Prototype Design Package. The Prototype will help providers develop small home senior living communities with greater efficiency and cost savings—all to the standards of care developed by The Green House project.
| Mar 11, 2011
Renovation energizes retirement community in Massachusetts
The 12-year-old Edgewood Retirement Community in Andover, Mass., underwent a major 40,000-sf expansion and renovation that added 60 patient care beds in the long-term care unit, a new 17,000-sf, 40-bed cognitive impairment unit, and an 80-seat informal dining bistro.
| Mar 11, 2011
Mixed-income retirement community in Maryland based on holistic care
The Green House Residences at Stadium Place in Waverly, Md., is a five-story, 40,600-sf, mixed-income retirement community based on a holistic continuum of care concept developed by Dr. Bill Thomas. Each of the four residential floors houses a self-contained home for 12 residents that includes 12 bedrooms/baths organized around a common living/social area called the “hearth,” which includes a kitchen, living room with fireplace, and dining area.