Dear Residents, Families and Employees:

The COVID transmission rate in Pennsylvania has declined to 20 – 24.99%. For Bucks County, the transmission rate remains high and the 7-day metric for positivity as of today is 16.8%, which is a decline of 3.79% since January 28th.

Since my last communication to you on January 28th, we have had 2 more positive cases, both of which are Health Center residents. In all cases, we have done contact tracing and contacted anyone who was exposed. We will continue to do rapid testing at various intervals in the Health Center. For those residents in the Health Center that are or have been positive, they were moved to our designated Red Zone, which is specifically for any resident with active COVID-19. The Health Center Enhanced Living team is reducing the size and frequency of programming. For example, the group sizes will be 2 or 3, and the duration of the program will be shorter to allow for the team to do activities with as many residents as possible (excluding any resident with COVID, or symptomatic). We continue to do frequent sanitizing and cleaning.

Given the decrease in cases at WEL Doylestown in Independent Living and Personal Care, as well as the decrease in the positivity rating across the state and in Bucks County, I have made the decision to reopen in person dining in both Personal Care and Independent Living as of Monday, February 7th. This means that for Personal Care, breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be served in the Personal Care Dining Room during the normal times, and the Bistro will once again be open for lunch and dinner, as well as the Bar will re-open. Our programming for Personal Care and Independent Living will go back to normal as well. The primary reason that I am waiting until February 7th is to allow us to get our staffing and food supply in order switch back.

Even though we are returning to previous operations for Dining and Programming for Independent Living and Personal Care, all residents must continue to wear masks, that can either be a respirator or medical masks (looks like a surgical mask) whenever they are in any common area of the community. The only exception is when eating and drinking.

For the Health Center, we are waiting until we get through the outbreak and have been 14-days without a new case before we re-opening dining and go back to larger groups of residents for programming.

As you are aware, visiting is allowed. However, given the current situation with COVID, please consider not visiting for now. If you choose to visit, please remember the following:

  • Visitors who have a positive COVID-19 test, symptoms of COVID-19 or currently meet the criteria for quarantine (exposed, potentially positive) should not enter the community, and have isolated for 10 days (day 0 is the first day of symptoms or the date of the day of the positive viral test for asymptomatic persons).
  • Hand hygiene is required.
  • The number of visitors per resident is two at any given time for all areas.
  • Wear a medical or respirator facemask during the entire visit (resident and visitor) that covers the nose and mouth.
  • Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer before and after visit.
  • Six feet distance between people is required.
  • Stay in resident’s apartment during visit.
  • For the Health Center, while the Dining Room is closed, we are offering that area as a place to visit outside of the resident room.
  • Sign in and provide contact information, and sign out upon departure
  • Adhere to screening protocols.
  • Non-vaccinated visitors are encouraged to conduct video visits.
  • All visitors are strongly encouraged to have their COVID-19 primary vaccine series and be up to date with all CDC recommended COVID-19 vaccines.
  • Room visits are permitted in the Health Center IF both roommates are vaccinated and neither resident is immunocompromised (regardless of vaccination).

I truly appreciate your understanding and patience as we continue to work through the on-going obstacles we are faced with regarding the Pandemic. For any questions, you may contact me at ldukert@wesleyenhancedliving.org or 267-895-1132. Internally, my extension is 502.

Respectfully,

Lynne Dukert

Executive Director