Communications (Archive)

Updated: March 2nd, 2021 at 1:52pm

Dear Fieldstone Friends,

We are very grateful to share that we have no active cases of COVID-19 in our communities at this time and between 90-100% of our residents have received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. This is something to truly celebrate!

We continue to follow CDC and DOH infection control guidelines even as we have rolled out the new Safe Start Plan which has allowed us to invite families in for more flexible compassionate care & essential support visits, reopen our salons, and increase small group activities & dining options. How wonderful to be able to provide greater connection for our residents and families!

To schedule a visit with your loved one reach out to your local Fieldstone community.

Updated: February 5th, 2021 at 9:20am

Dear Fieldstone Friends,

We are very excited to share that modifications are being made to the Safe Start Plan for long term care that will provide us with more flexibility around visitation & other aspects that will positively impact resident quality of life.

Throughout the last year we have maintained a vigilant approach to infection control for the safety of our residents & staff. We are so close to the finish line of having our residents vaccinated and we want to do everything we can to ensure their safety in the meantime. Outbreaks continue throughout Washington state, particularly in long term care settings. Our goal is to keep our community infection-free so that we can implement these new changes, and future changes, successfully.

The updated plan goes into effect on February 1 and we will be phasing in the new changes 2 weeks following our 2nd vaccine clinics. Our current visitation policy will remain in place in the meantime. Per the CDC, “It takes time for your body to build protection after any vaccination. COVID-19 vaccines that require 2 shots may not protect you until a week or two after your second shot.”* We want to give ample time for our vaccinated residents to “build protection” before we increase exposure.

Safe Start Plan updates include:

  • Visitation
    • Compassionate Care – the new plan gives us greater latitude for what constitutes a compassionate care visit
      • We need to be able to show that the visits will improve overall well-being
    • Essential Support Person – the new plan further defines the Essential Support Person
      • 1 person only, designated after consultation with the resident that must have, prior to visitor restrictions, been regularly engaged with the resident to provide companionship and/or assist with activities and as an advocate for a resident’s needs, supportive in managing their health, healthcare, long-term care and overall well-being.
  • Communal dining – the new plan allows us to reopen our dining rooms given social distancing of 6 feet, sanitizing between seatings, masking when not eating, and limiting the number of residents in the dining room at one time
  • Salon – The new plan allows us to reopen our salon!
  • Activities – The new plan gives us more flexibility around small group activities

We are feeling so hopeful about these changes and are looking forward to enjoying a joyful & vibrant new year with our residents, staff & families. Please call your Fieldstone community for additional details.

*https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/expect/after.html

Updated: January 8th, 2021 at 1:33pm

Dear Fieldstone Friends,

We currently have active cases of COVID-19 in our Wenatchee Memory Care, Cornel Landing, and Marysville Memory Care communities. We are working closely with local and state health officials to closely monitor the situation.

As of now almost all of our communities have dates for their first COVID-19 vaccine clinic. These are scheduled within the next two weeks. We’re excited to be part of this first round of vaccines. This opportunity will be our strongest method of protecting our residents and staff from the COVID-19 virus.

Click here to learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine:

Understanding how the COVID-19 vaccine works

Fact-checking COVID-19 vaccine myths

Updated: December 18th, 2020 at 3:45pm

Dear Fieldstone Friends,

We currently have no active cases of COVID-19 in any of our communities.

With information about the COVID-19 vaccine dominating the news and social media, we wanted to share some details from the Department of Health (DOH) and DSHS to help you discern fact from fiction.

Updated: December 11th, 2020 at 3:30pm

Dear Fieldstone friends,

We are grateful to report that we are currently COVID-free at our communities. We attribute this in large part to our amazing team and to our approach to any potential exposure. If an employee or a resident has an exposure or a possible exposure, we immediately switch from surgical masks to KN95 or N95 masks. Over the course of several months, we have seen the impact from this. We recently had two staff members at Fieldstone Cooper Point who were exposed and tested positive while off the work schedule, meaning that there was no exposure to anyone in the community.

We are deeply grateful for our Fieldstone team members for how seriously they have responded to the virus and how vigilant they’ve been both at work and at home.

Currently, one of our top priorities is preparing for the anticipated COVID-19 vaccines. The CDC has indicated that the first vaccines will soon be approved by the FDA and limited numbers will be available before the end of the year.

Last week, a CDC advisory council recommended that long term care residents and healthcare workers should be given first priority to receive the vaccine. This is encouraging news for our residents and our team. Ultimately, though, the final prioritization has been left to each state. Washington’s Department of Health has a webpage dedicated to providing updated information about the vaccine and shared this week that “the state has already submitted a list of 17 sites to the CDC outlining where about 32,000 doses could be sent next week. Those doses will be distributed among 13 counties and mostly to hospitals for vaccination of high-risk health care workers.” Long term care staff and residents will also be prioritized, but timing has not yet been released.

All Fieldstone communities are signed up to participate in Walgreen’s vaccine clinic which will take place at our communities, much like our flu clinics. Walgreens is one of the organizations selected by the Department of Health & Human Services to administer the vaccine.

We feel hopeful that a vaccine is on the horizon and we will soon be on a new road to an even more joyful & vibrant community.

Updated: November 25th, 2020 at 2:02pm

Dear Fieldstone friends,

As many of you are aware, Governor Inslee has provided new guidance and restrictions that are in effect for the next month. We, along with many other assisted living providers, have had follow up questions regarding the new order and we continue to work with WHCA (Washington Healthcare Association) to further clarify expectations. If we receive updated information that impacts the following, we will share that with you.

We know that the first thing on everyone’s mind and heart is visitation. Here are the updates per Governor Inslee’s proclamation:

  • Window visitation is allowed and we would highly encourage this choice for the comfort of your loved ones during the winter season.
  • Outdoor visitation is allowed and we are working on setting up cozy, covered spaces where you can catch up with your loved ones. We’ll be in touch soon to invite you to schedule an appointment and to review the other guidelines. Current outdoor visitation guidelines will remain in place which include wearing proper PPE, a maximum of two visitors, and scheduling your visit ahead of time.
  • End of life visitation is allowed in certain circumstances where there is “a sharp decline in health status.” This assessment will be determined by our nursing team, the resident’s provider, and with input from the resident and/or family members/POA (Power of Attorney). Visitation is limited to one person (selected by the resident or POA) at a time.
  • Compassionate visits for psycho-social needs are not a part of the new guidance that has been provided and these will be put on hold for the time being.

As we near the holidays, it’s important to note that the risk assessment and quarantine guidelines for resident outings remain the same. Due to the criteria on the risk assessment, outside of medical appointments, most all other outings will require a 14 day quarantine on return to the community. In fact, the proclamation prohibits the general public from gathering inside with anyone outside of their immediate household unless certain quarantine or testing criteria have been met.

We know this weighs heavy on all our hearts as we consider changes to traditions we hold dear. These continue to be difficult days, but at the same time, there is hope. We have seen so much care, encouragement & support from all of those who are a part of our community and we are feeling optimistic as we see promising vaccines in the news and as our community is signed up with a partnering pharmacy, ready to receive a vaccine once it hits the market. During this season of hope, we look forward to the day when we can all be together.

Thank you for being part of the incredible group of loved ones here at Fieldstone – our residents, our staff & our families. Our wish throughout the coming weeks is that between the visitation options, as well as the wonderful holiday atmosphere we’ll be creating at the community, that everyone will enjoy the holiday season even though it will be different.

Updated: November 6th, 2020 at 4:05pm

Dear Fieldstone friends,

Throughout our 12 Fieldstone communities, we are largely COVID free. We currently have 3 staff members who have tested positive for COVID – one at Fieldstone Memory Care Spokane, one at Fieldstone Memory Care Olympia, and one at Fieldstone OrchardWest.

We have all been eagerly awaiting guidelines for what visitation options will look like through the winter months. Oregon has released a plan that allows for limited indoor visitation as long as there are no new cases of COVID-19 in a facility and the county positivity rate is 10% or below. Washington is still working on a plan.

Last week, WHCA (Washington Healthcare Association), a group that advocates on behalf of senior living communities, sent out an update. Here is the information they provided:

“WHCA is working closely with DSHS, DOH, the Ombuds office, LeadingAge Washington, and the local health jurisdictions to make necessary updates to the Safe Start for Long Term Care plan. The focus is updating visitation in order to accommodate the changing weather. This workgroup must come to consensus, with a deadline of mid-November to get recommendations to the Governor’s office. For now, the current Safe Start for Long Term Care plan remains in effect.”

Though we are still waiting for direction in Washington, we want to do everything we can to safely keep our residents and families closely connected. Please reach out to your Fieldstone community to learn more about compassionate care visits for end of life or psychosocial needs. In addition, virtual visits are always available and outdoor visits as weather permits.*

Though we realize that Washington’s indoor visitation guidance may end up varying in some ways from Oregon’s, we are using the OR guidelines to draft our Washington plans so that we can respond as quickly as possible once we have the go-ahead.

We are grateful for our Fieldstone family – for our residents, families, and staff who are all contributing to keeping our communities safe & healthy. Please continue to mask up, social distance, and wash hands frequently. We know that these steps make a difference in keeping our communities free of COVID-19. As an added bonus, this will also help keep other illnesses, such as the flu, from spreading.

*Please note that if there are active COVID cases some visitation may be postponed due to guidance from the local health department.

Updated: October 16th, 2020 at 2:02pm

Dear Fieldstone friends,

We currently have one individual staff member test positive for COVID-19 in our Issaquah, Spokane and OrchardWest communities. All other staff and residents have been tested and their results were negative. We are still working daily on infection control by sanitizing, masking up and social distancing.

We are currently looking at different visitation options for the cooler weather season. We expect input from state and local health authorities in the future to help us formulate our plans and ensure the safety or residents, their loved ones, and our staff members.

With colder weather looming in, flu season is also among us. Please consider getting your flu shot this year as an added way to stay healthy.

Updated: September 25th, 2020 at 3:00pm

Dear Fieldstone Friends,

We currently have 1 active case of COVID-19 in our Wenatchee community. We have no active case in any other Fieldstone Community.

Outdoor and window visits are now taking place in all locations where air quality is back to normal. For more information about visitations please call your Fieldstone community directly.

Updated: September 18th, 2020 at 3:10pm

Dear Fieldstone Family,

We currently have no active cases of COVID-19 in any Fieldstone community. We have rescheduled outdoor and window visits until air quality improves for the health of our residents, their loved ones, and our staff.

Air quality is improving in some areas however, we encourage you to keep a close eye on the AQI in your area. Through this website.

For more details about how to address smoke fatigue and health concerns please take a look at this infographic.

Updated: September 11th, 2020 at 3:53pm

Dear Fieldstone Friends,

We currently have 1 active case of COVID-19 at Spokane Memory Care. We have no other active cases of Covid-19 in any other Fieldstone community.

Our virtual, window, and outdoor visits are still taking place at a few communities where air quality has not been affected by wildfires. Reach out to the community your loved one is at for more details about outdoor visit availability and scheduling. Our staff are excited to help you schedule a meeting.

Counties around Washington and Oregon are feeling the impact of wildfires in the form of dense smokey air. If you are in an area with unhealthy air quality, we encourage you to stay indoors as much as possible. Please consider reading through this infographic for some helpful tips on managing breathing issues and fatigue caused by wildfires.

Updated: August 21st, 2020 at 1:39pm

Dear Fieldstone Family,

We currently have 4 positive cases of COVID-19 in our Fieldstone Spokane community, 3 of whom are residents and 1 who is a staff member. We have 2 staff members at Fieldstone Issaquah who have also tested positive for COVID-19.

We are grateful to our team members for their efforts to keep the virus out of our communities and prevent further spread. We are working closely with county and state health officials to closely monitor the situation.

We would like to take this opportunity to share some new resources from the CDC. Please see below to learn more about the symptoms of COVID-19 and what you can do to prevent infection.

How to Protect Yourself and Others

Symptoms of Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Updated: August 14th, 2020 at 3:20pm

Dear Fieldstone Family,

We are working on rolling out Washington’s Safe Start for Long Term Care Phase 1 visitation plan which includes the following options, all of which need to be scheduled ahead of time and may be subject to review depending on circumstances and input from local health jurisdictions. Visitation varies by community. Please call your community to learn more.

  • Compassionate care visits for end-of-life or psycho-social needs
  • Window visits
  • Outdoor visits – This will begin once community visitation plans are approved.

Other requirements of the long term care Phase 1 that are important to know:

  • Healthcare visits are allowed only from essential providers
  • Non-medically necessary trips out of the community need to be avoided if possible; the state is requiring a 14 day quarantine if out of the community
  • Communal dining is not recommended except for those requiring assistance
  • Restrict group activities

Many people are wondering when we’ll be able to move into the next phase. There are several factors including the following:

  • The state-determined phase that our county is in
  • The number of positive cases per 100,000 residents in our county (to move into long term care phase 2, our county must have less than 75 cases per 100,000 residents for a 2 week period)
  • Hospital capacity in our county as determined by the local health jurisdiction

Updated: August 3rd, 2020 at 5:00pm

Dear Fieldstone friends,

We are grateful to report that we have no new cases of COVID-19 at our Yakima memory care community. After testing the entire community this week, we received positive results for 2 residents, both of whom tested positive during our initial testing process about a month ago. We have also had one employee test positive at our Portland community.

We are so thankful to the team members who volunteered to support our Yakima memory care community from other Fieldstone communities around Washington state. Their willingness to step in during a time of need exemplifies the values and the culture in our communities. These staff members were quarantined for 14 days before returning to their home community.

Gov. Inslee recently announced a rollback of some activities to slow COVID-19 exposure. Read the full update on restrictions here: https://medium.com/wagovernor/inslee-announces-rollbacks-to-some-activities-to-slow-covid-19-exposure-19003e510127

Updated: July 17th, 1:00pm, 2020

Dear Fieldstone Residents, Families, & Partners,

We currently have 13 active cases of COVID-19 in one wing of our Yakima Memory Care community. We are working closely with county and state health officials to closely monitor the situation. Additionally, our staff are doing a fantastic job caring for residents and remaining vigilant in utilizing the most stringent infection control procedures. We are regularly testing our community until we no longer have active cases.

We have no active cases of COVID-19 in any of our other communities. If you have additional questions about our policies surrounding COVID-19 please reach out to the community in your area.

For current updates on your state’s COVID-19 policies click the following links:

Washington

Oregon

Updated: July 2nd, 2:30pm, 2020

Dear Fieldstone Residents, Families, & Partners,

We currently have 5 active cases of COVID-19 in our Yakima Memory Care community and we are working closely with State and local health officials to ensure the safety of residents and staff members. We continue to be vigilant with infection control measures, monitoring staff & residents and sanitizing the community multiple times per day.

We have transitioned from surgical face masks to N95s and face shields as well as surgical gowns.

If you have additional questions about our policies surrounding COVID-19 please reach out to the community in your area.

As many counties begin to reopen we are seeing an increase in cases of COVID-19 in certain areas. Please remember to wear your facemask when in public, practice social distancing, and continue frequently washing your hands. Maintaining these practices will keep our families, friends, and community members safe and healthy. We are all in this together!

Updated: June 25th 12:00pm, 2020

Dear Fieldstone Residents, Families, & Partners,

We’re excited to share that our window visits have been a hit! If you haven’t had the opportunity to try one, call us today and we’ll get you scheduled for time to visit with your loved one.

As you are aware, we are masking up every day inside our communities, with staff either in surgical masks or N95s depending on the situation. Now it’s time to make sure we’re all masking up outside the communities, as well!

Beginning Friday, it is mandatory to mask up in Washington state when in public indoors, as well as outdoors if six feet of social distancing can’t be maintained, with some exceptions. If you’re in public without a mask, if enforced, you could be subject to a misdemeanor. In Yakima County there is an additional regulation – business owners must refuse service to any customer who is not wearing a mask.

In several Oregon counties, including Washington county, it is also now required to wear masks in public places and indoor businesses. Each county will be deciding how to enforce this.

Consider masks the newest fashion statement. GQ & Vogue have both come up with lists highlighting a variety of mask vendors. You can find every color and about every design you can think of. Grab a few that reflect things you love and let’s mask up to open up. If you’re not excited about ordering a mask, grab a bandana or piece of fabric and tie it around your face & nose.

We hope to see you soon for a window visit!

Updated: June 19th 5:00pm, 2020

Dear Fieldstone Residents, Families & Partners,

We are thankful that we currently have no active cases of COVID-19 in any of our Fieldstone communities. Our team members continue to do an excellent job with infection control procedures and health of our residents continues to be our top priority.

We understand the toll that quarantine has taken on our residents, their loved ones, and our teams. We have all had to make difficult changes that we didn’t anticipate. And we know everyone is anxious to return to a new normal.

To safely take steps in this direction, each community has worked diligently on creating and rolling out window visitation plans that allow residents to see and speak with their loved ones while still keeping each individual safe.

Each community building is unique and window visiting looks different for each one, but the most important pieces are the same – residents and family members can see one another, they can speak through a cell phone, or an Alexa speaker, and there is a glass barrier between them. Windows, cellphones and any other surfaces are sanitized thoroughly between visits.

To set up a window visit with your loved one, please call the community ahead of time as all visits must be scheduled in advance.

Looking forward to seeing you!

Communities and phone numbers can be found here.

An example of a window visit set-up at one of our communities:

Updated: June 5th 1:00pm, 2020

Dear Fieldstone Residents, Families & Partners,

As some counties move into phase two and others remain in phase one staying up-to-date can be challenging. Here is a map that lists which phase each county in Washington is currently in.

For information on the phase status of Oregon counties follow this link.

We currently have no active cases of COVID-19 in any of our Fieldstone communities.

Updated: May 29th 4:50, 2020

Dear Fieldstone Residents, Families & Partners,

We’re pleased to announce that our Issaquah community has had no new cases in the last 14 days and the outbreak there is considered “inactive” per King County Public Health, allowing us to take new residents who have gone through our thorough screening process. In addition, we have no cases of COVID-19 in any of our other Fieldstone communities.

Around Washington state, several counties are moving on to phase two of Gov. Inslee’s phased plan to reopen Washington, while others continue moving through phase one. You can find details about what each phase means here:

Source

In Oregon, several counties have been approved to move into “phase one.” Read more about Oregon’s approach to reopening the state here.

With Summer around the corner, many myths about the effects of heat and weather on COVID-19 have surfaced. However, researchers concluded that “upcoming changes in weather alone will not be enough to fully contain the transmission of COVID-19.” Read the full article here to see how you should stay safe this summer.

Updated: May 22nd 12:06, 2020

Dear Fieldstone Residents, Families & Partners,

As we are in the beginning stages of Governors Inslee and Brown’s reopening plans we are starting to see a few more businesses resuming operations, with an emphasis on infection control.

Per the governors’ proclamations, visitation is still not allowed within our Fieldstone communities in order to keep our residents in a healthy and secure environment. Our team is putting lots of energy into keeping residents safely engaged with a variety of life enrichment activities.

As of now, we have 4 active cases in Fieldstone Memory Care Issaquah, 1 in Fieldstone Memory Care Kennewick, and 1 in Fieldstone Memory Care Yakima. We continue to follow all CDC and DOH recommendations regarding infection control and are very proud of the hard work and continued compassion shown by the Fieldstone team.

We want to wish you all a meaningful Memorial Day weekend!

Updated: May 8th, 2020

Dear Fieldstone Residents, Families & Partners,

As we move into the 8th week of the Stay Home Stay Safe order, we want to remind you to prioritize your mental health. Here is a workbook with several tools you can use to check-in with yourself, practice managing stress, and build resilience.

Additionally, Gov Inslee revealed his “Safe Start” phased plan to reopening Washington’s economy. According to Gov. Inslee, this phased plan allows more business than previously permitted to reopen under the condition that they follow strict practices that reduce and prevent the transmission of Covid-19. “This phased approach to re-opening our economy will allow us to move forward with a careful and thoughtful balance of our state’s health and economic needs,” Inslee said. “However, if infection rates and hospitalizations for COVID-related issues go up, I would not hesitate to scale these efforts back down to protect public health and save lives.”

Each phase will be at least three weeks and will be guided by data and metrics that will determine when we can move forward to the next phase.

Read more on the Start Safe plan here.

Gov. Brown has disclosed phase 1 of her 3 phase plan to reopening Oregon State. To begin phased reopening, counties must submit a proposal to Brown in which they specify that they meet the requirements to open. Gov. Brown began accepting proposals on Friday and some many rural Oregon counties with low COVID – 19 cases have already begun the proposal process. Learn more about Gov. Brown’s phased reopening plan here.

Updated: April 24th, 2020, 3:30 p.m.

Dear Fieldstone Residents, Families & Partners,

On many days, you have provided an uplifting note or kind word that has made a tremendous difference to our team. Thank you! We want you to know that we are here to continue to support you and to keep you updated about how things are going in our community.

Today, we would like to remind you of the steps we are taking, per recommendations from the CDC and other state agencies, to stop the spread of infection:

  • Providing in-room dining for all residents and 1-on-1 activities
  • Requiring all staff & essential providers to wear masks when in the building
  • Requesting that all residents wear masks when they are out of their apartments
  • Educating staff on the important of self-isolating and monitoring symptoms even when not at work
  • Reminding residents to self-isolate and only leave the community for absolutely essential activities, such as critical doctor appointments that cannot wait or cannot be conducted via telemedicine
  • Screening staff daily when arriving at work
  • Monitoring residents for symptoms at least twice daily
  • Sanitizing the community multiple times per day

Those are ways we are trying to keep our community physically healthy. But we realize that we are all concerned with staying mentally healthy, as well. This is truly an unprecedented time and our need to connect as humans is very real. We need one another. And though Skype, FaceTime and Zoom aren’t as good as sitting beside a loved one, they can still help us truly connect – we can look in each other’s eyes, visit about the things on our minds, and see how the other is doing. It is absolutely our pleasure to continue to help you engage with your loved ones however we can. Please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Thank you for being part of our Fieldstone family.

Updated: April 13th, 2020

For 6 weeks our communities have been free of COVID-19 and we continue to be grateful that most of our communities remain that way. This weekend, though, we were given the difficult news that our Issaquah memory care community has two residents who have tested positive. Our hearts are with these dear residents and their families.

The local health department has affirmed that we have all necessary protocol in place. As we have from the start, we are continuing with our diligent infection control measures and with daily monitoring of our residents & staff.

We continue to have no cases of COVID-19 in our other communities. And we have had no staff or provider crossover between Issaquah and our other Fieldstone communities for over 3 weeks.

The safety & wellness of each resident and staff member is our highest priority.

Updated: April 10th, 2020, 4:48 p.m.

Dear Fieldstone Community,

The CDC now recommends everyone wear face coverings in public places. This article answers several questions you might have about face mask usage: the proper fit, putting it on and taking it off correctly, and how to keep it clean.

Want to make your own face mask? The CDC now has a guide for the proper way to sew a mask. Check it out here.

We continue to have no COVID-19 cases in any Fieldstone community.

Updated: April 7th, 2020, 4:25 p.m.

Dear Fieldstone community, There are many myths circling social media about COVID-19. Take a look at this article by the Seattle Times to learn some important facts about the virus. We continue to have no COVID-19 cases in any Fieldstone community.

Updated: April 2nd, 2020, 4:19 p.m.

Dear Fieldstone community,

April is here and we want to thank you for doing your part to keep your community safe by staying home, frequently washing your hands, and disinfecting your space. Here is a useful infographic to remind us of the important things we can do to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.

Updated: March 27, 2020, 3:57 p.m.

Dear Fieldstone Residents, Family & Partners,

In this difficult time, many of us are experiencing a range of emotions from loneliness to anxiety to grief and disbelief. Daily we are processing major changes and most of us have been disconnected, at least in part, from our support systems. So how do we move forward in the most healthy way possible?

The Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission has provided some helpful tools pertaining to social distancing and mental health, including how to acknowledge and manage anxiety and depression in this time of isolation. The Commission encourages everyone to “pay attention to these emotions and take action” in the following ways:

  • Avoid watching, reading, or listening to news reports that cause you to feel anxious or distressed. A near-constant stream of news reports is not calming. Seek out information from reliable sources like [your] State Department of Health or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just a couple times a day. Fact check what you see on social media. Spread good information.
  • Stay connected with others and maintain your social networks. Go for a walk and wave to your neighbors from six feet away. Ask them if they are well and if they need anything.
  • Introduce structure into your day. Structure and routine may be helpful for people with mental health vulnerabilities, especially during times of uncertainty. Even if you are working from home or if your life looks completely different right now, try to maintain familiar routines in daily life as much as possible. Maybe we’ll feel better if we shower, get dressed, and eat breakfast.

The Commission also recommends the following resources to help support your mental health or that of a loved one:

If you are in a crisis, don’t hesitate to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or text MHFA to 741741 to talk to a Crisis Text Line counselor.

COVID-19 Specific Resources:

Updated: March 24, 2020, 10:40 a.m.

Dear Fieldstone Residents, Family, and Partners.

Yesterday evening Gov. Inslee issued a “stay at home, stay safe” order imploring Washingtonians to stay in as much as possible. This came as a result of many citizens not following social distance recommendations and gathering in large numbers at beaches and parks.

Similarly, in Oregon Gov. Brown issued a “stay at home” order prohibiting non-essential social gatherings. Both orders can now be enforced by law.

Gov. Inslee and Gov. Brown restated that non-essential businesses must close their doors. We want to remind you that because of the essential nature of the care we provide, Fieldstone staff continue working their regular schedules to ensure the safety and well-being of our residents.

We continue to have no COVID-19 cases in any Fieldstone community.

For more information on the new stay at home orders:

Oregon Update

Washington Update

Updated: March 18, 2020, 2:43 p.m.

Updated: March 17, 2020, 5:19 p.m.

Dear Fieldstone Family,

Governor Inslee’s amended proclamation prohibits ALL visitors to assisted living facilities, which includes all Fieldstone communities. This proclamation does not apply in end-of-life situations.

We want to help connect you with your loved ones, and we’ll continue to facilitate interaction however we can. Please contact your community, and we’ll help you set you up phone calls or Skype sessions with your loved one.

Updated: March 17, 2020, 3:30 p.m.

Dear Residents, Families & Partners,

What happens in the next few weeks depends on what each of us does today.

We are all in this together and can each do our part to help stop the spread of COVID-19, protecting our most vulnerable friends, family & neighbors.

Social distancing – standing 6 feet apart, not gathering in large groups, and leaving home only for absolutely essential reasons – makes a difference. In fact, outside of infection control, it is the most proactive thing we can do to flatten the curve of the disease and keep ourselves and our loved ones healthy.

At Fieldstone, our mission is all about working together to create joyful & vibrant communities. And we continue with that mission in the midst of what is a difficult time for so many.

We want to thank you again for your partnership. We will get through this time together.

Updated: March 13, 2020

Dear Residents, Families & Partners,

We feel so fortunate to have you all as part of the Fieldstone family. We continue to report that we have no cases of COVID-19 in any Fieldstone community. Your commitment to work with us to prevent the spread of illness has made a real difference. We’re a team and we can only keep our communities safe & healthy by working together.

Up until now we have asked that all non-essential visits be limited for the health and safety of our residents and we continue to do so.

Some of us have less risk of getting seriously ill from COVID-19, but ALL of us are invested in keeping the most vulnerable members of our community, our friends, neighbors & loved ones, as healthy as possible. We continue to ask each and every person to practice good infection control measures like those outlined below in the CDC’s guidelines.

As we work on keeping everyone healthy, we are also working on keeping everyone’s spirits up. Many families have connected with loved ones via Skype, phone, or even snail mail. In addition, communities have gotten creative with streaming live music and religious services, variety shows by staff, planting seedlings to prepare for spring planting, s’mores roasting on the patio, and much more.

We are grateful for the tremendous dedication from our community staff members. They have worked hard to implement new protocol, participate in new training, maintain an engaging environment & continue to provide loving and compassionate care. We are deeply thankful for each person on the Fieldstone team.

Though we have some challenging days ahead, we will continue to come together to navigate the changes as they come. Most recently we are all absorbing the news of school closures in Washington & Oregon. In Washington, superintendents have been tasked with providing paid childcare for healthcare workers. We are waiting to hear how Oregon will come alongside and support, and we will continue to provide updates as we learn more.

We appreciate your continued partnership. If you have questions, please reach out to the Executive Director at your community.

THE CDC’S INFECTION CONTROL GUIDELINES:

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick
  • Cover your cough or sneeze into a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose & mouth
  • Clean & disinfect frequently touched objects & surfaces
  • Stay home when you’re sick, except to get medical care
  • Wash your hands often (& thoroughly) for at least 20 seconds

Updated: March 11, 2020

Dear Fieldstone Residents, Families & Partners

We continue to have no COVID-19 cases in any Fieldstone community.

Today the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared COVID-19 a pandemic. We don’t say this to frighten anyone, but to underscore the critical importance of effective infection control.

In addition, yesterday, Governor Inslee issued an emergency proclamation providing minimum expectations for assisted living and skilled nursing facilities to continue to safely operate. His proclamation is in line with our current visitation and screening policies with a few additional requirements.

Up until now we have asked that all non-essential visits be limited for the health and safety of our residents and we continue to do so.

Here are some key mandates from the Governor’s proclamation:

Visitation

  1. Each resident may have a maximum of only one visitor each day. The visitor must be an adult.
    1. Some exceptions are being made for residents in “end of life situations.” If you have questions about this, please call the Executive Director at your community.
  2. Each visitor to the facility must sign in, show their I.D. and be screened upon entry for symptoms.
  3. Visitors must follow the facility’s efforts to minimize spread of illness, which includes social distancing of at least six feet, and may include wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) where appropriate.

Employees

  1. Employees coming on shift must be screened for COVID-19 symptoms including cough, shortness of breath & fever.

Fieldstone visitor & employee screening was implemented prior to the governor’s proclamation and we will continue these efforts.

We ask for your help in doing everything YOU can to keep our communities infection free by limiting all non-essential visits and refraining from leaving the community or taking your loved one outside of the community. Knowing that seniors have been designated as high-risk for the virus, we feel great responsibility to make decisions that will create the safest environment possible for each and every resident entrusted to our community. Please contact the Executive Director at your or your loved one’s community to discuss other ways of connecting such as phone, email, Skype, or LifeLoop.

Thank you!

At this time, we don’t have any cases of COVID-19 in any Fieldstone community.

Updated: March 9, 2020

Dear Fieldstone Residents, Families & Partners,

We wanted to provide a quick update to let you know that, at this time, we do not have any cases of COVID-19 at any Fieldstone community. We are continuing our proactive approach to infection control outlined below.

Thank you for your patience during this time and for your ongoing commitment to help us keep our communities safe and healthy.

Updated: March 5, 2020

Dear Fieldstone Residents, Families & Partners,

We understand that many of you have questions regarding the new coronavirus, COVID-19, and how it may impact us here at Fieldstone. The health and safety of our residents and staff is our greatest concern, and that is why we are taking proactive steps and a cautious approach to this virus.

At this time, we don’t have any cases of COVID-19 in any Fieldstone community. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have recommended a variety of steps that we have implemented to help reduce the potential for the virus to enter our building.

We also need your help in keeping COVID-19 out of our communities. Knowing that seniors have been designated as high-risk for the virus, we feel great responsibility in doing everything we can to create a safe environment. For the safety of our residents and because we believe it is the most reasonable, prudent & proactive approach, we are restricting all non-essential visits.

We understand that connecting with family members is incredibly important, and we want you to connect. We’ll do whatever we can to help you touch base via telephone, email, text, or through Skype, Facebook or LifeLoop. We are here to help you keep your connections strong during this time.

Though strongly discouraged, if you do enter the community, all visitors and providers are required to check in and complete a screening tool. This helps us assess if an individual is displaying identified COVID-19 symptoms or has recently traveled from one of the CDC’s high-risk locations.

Our approach to infection control includes:

  • Following CDC recommendations and training staff on prevention steps. We are staying up-to-date as they change their recommendations.
  • Staying in close contact with the local and state health department and following their guidance.
  • Consulting with a national infection control specialist who focuses on long term care communities. This input is helping to shape our decisions with the most up-to-date, data-driven information.
  • Following a thorough sanitizing protocol multiple times per day.
  • Coordinating with other providers and vendors to reduce the amount of traffic in and out of the community.
  • Focusing on life enrichment activities that engage residents in smaller groups. Larger group events and meetings have been cancelled for the time being.

We will continue to provide updates so that you have the comfort of knowing what is going on in our communities and how your loved ones are doing. If you have questions in the interim, please reach out to the Executive Director at your community.

Thank you for joining with us in maintaining safe & healthy communities!

Each of us plays an important part in helping to stop the spread of disease. Here are the CDC's key guidelines:

  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick
  • Cover your cough or sneeze into a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose & mouth
  • Clean & disinfect frequently touched objects & services
  • Stay home when you’re sick, except to get medical care
  • Wash your hands often (& thoroughly) for at least 20 seconds

Other helpful resources:

King County Public Health has recommended that “even if you are not ill, avoid visiting hospitals, long term care facilities or nursing homes to the extent possible.”

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