When the coronavirus pandemic began, senior assisted living and memory care owner and operator Aegis Living (Bellevue, Wash.) kept residents connected to family members through phone and videoconferencing. “However, technology can never replace in-person interactions, and these face-to-face meetings are so meaningful for our residents and families,” says Kris Engskov, president of Aegis Living (Bellevue).
By May, Aegis Living set out to find another way to bring families together. Aegis’ in-house design and development teams worked closely with medical experts and infectious disease specialists, determining that an outdoor space would be the safest, most appropriate method to facilitate in-person visits with residents. “In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the reality of social isolation for senior living residents as residents have been unable to see their loved ones since early March, we conceptualized outdoor living rooms,” says Engskov.
The meeting places comprise three 7-foot tall, clear plexiglass walls to create a physical barrier between residents and visiting family members with a cozy sitting area for up to two visitors. While the dividing wall was created to prevent virus droplet transmission, both residents and visitors are asked to wear masks during visits. “Having the living rooms set up outside is a big factor for infection control,” Engskov says. “There’s no direct contact between residents and visitors. We also schedule dedicated time to clean and disinfect all surfaces after each visit.”
The initiative is being rolled out to all 32 Aegis Living communities this summer as part of a broader reopening plan. The rooms are located mainly in courtyards or patios where families can get access to the structure without going into the community. Aegis staff members work with residents to schedule visits with families, and then are on-site to help facilitate the visit, including screening visitors. “Our solutions to ensuring safe family visits will continue to evolve, but we believe outdoor visitation is an area we will see continue to grow in senior living,” Engskov says.
