How Shepherd Premier Senior Living is Proactively Handling COVID-19 to Protect Our Current & Future Residents

March 9, 2020 Update

Updated Visitor Policy!

Shepherd is very encouraged by the new CDC guidelines announced yesterday; as soon as IDPH, Lake and McHenry Counties update their official guidance we will immediately move forward accordingly.  Until then, we are required to follow our current visitor policy which is outlined for you below.

As we approach the year mark of this pandemic we would like to thank you all for your patience, understanding and trust as we’ve navigated this tough time together. The greatest challenge we have faced this past year has been keeping you from seeing your loved ones.  It is with the happiest of hearts we move into the next CMS phase!

Here is what that means for us:

  • Outdoor visits with face coverings and 6 feet of distance are allowed by appointment – weather permitting
  • Indoor family visitation behind a plexiglass partition will now be allowed by appointment during the hours of 8am-8pm.  We are required by IDPH to abide by the following visitor guidelines:
    • Your visit must be scheduled 24 hours in advance, please call the house directly to arrange a time to visit
    • Visits will be limited to one hour in duration with 30 minutes time between appointments to allow for cleaning and sanitizing of the visitors area
    • Universal screening of temperatures and symptom checking continues to take place upon arrival – please ring the doorbell and wait for staff to grant you entry
    • No cloth masks are allowed to be worn in Shepherd Homes – surgical masks, KN95 or N95 masks are the only permissible face coverings.  We have extra surgical masks available for visitors
    • Please use hand sanitizer upon entry and practice proper hand hygiene throughout your visit
    • Visitors must remain in a designated area, please refrain from moving freely through the house
    • Visits must be limited to two visitors per resident at a time, if the visitors are from the same household
    • Separate households require separate visiting appointments
    • Masks MUST be worn at all times, therefore, no eating or drinking during the visit
    • Six feet distance MUST be maintained at all times during the visit
    • If you have traveled out of the state or country you are required to complete 14 days of self quarantine before entering our homes
    • If you develop any Covid-19 symptoms within 48 hours of visiting one of our properties you are required to contact Shepherd immediately
    • Compliance with these regulations are required; visitors not in compliance will be asked to leave
  • Non-essential (non-medical) outings remain advised against
  • Beauty Salon services may resume shortly

At this time, a resident’s vaccination status does not give them any more or less liberties with the above lessening of restrictions.  Please also note that, if we were to have a new facility-acquired positive case in the community (employee or resident), or the County’s statistics rise, we will be forced to move back into the previous CMS phase and all of the above reopening measures will be paused.  We understand the unpredictability of this can be frustrating and will remain in communication with you as things change.

We held mass testing again this week with no new positive cases.

Our team appreciates your understanding in that we are entering cautiously into easing our restrictions.  This will be a new and likely confusing process for us as well.   We ask for your patience, consideration and grace as we work to reopen our community in the benefit of our residents and families after this past year of what can only be described as chaotic and heart-wrenching crisis management.  We look forward to seeing you soon.

June 3, 2020 Update

Patio Visits with Your Loved One!

With Illinois progressing through the stages of reopening, we have come up with a safe process that will allow our families the opportunity to visit their loved ones. These visits will take place outdoors, on our homes patios.

  • The socially distanced family patio visits procedure is as follows:
  • Call the house to schedule a time for your visit
  • Expect to be symptom checked upon arrival
  • If you are experiencing any symptoms, or have been exposed to Covid-19 please reschedule your visit for another day
  • Use hand sanitizer upon arrival
  • A mask will not be required if you are able to maintain social distancing throughout your visit
  • If you are unable to adhere to proper social distancing (due to hearing impairments or other complications) you will be required to wear a mask for the duration of your visit
  • Visits are weather permitting, in the event of rain we will ask you to reschedule for a later day, we are not able to move your visit indoors
  • Visits will be limited to 30 minutes

We appreciate your understanding and compliance with this process as we all learn to navigate this situation with the top priority remaining your loved ones safety and well being.

May 22, 2020 update

UPDATED 5/22/2020: A Message from Shepherd Premier Senior Living During the COVID-19 Crisis

March 18, 2020

To All Shepherd Families

From: Theresa Maskrey, Steve Maskrey and Brandon Schwab

Subject: Additional COVID-19 Precautions

As all of you know we instituted a prohibitive visitor policy 7 days ago.  Since that time the spread of the COVID19 virus has continued to climb in the U.S. and other countries.  The President declared a State of Emergency last week as COVID 19 continues to spread.

Local news is reporting large numbers of cases in nursing homes that are not that far from us.  It is safe to say that our precautionary measures will need to increase beyond what we already have in place.

We are following guidelines published. by WHO (World Health Organization) as well as the CDC) Center for Disease Control).  COVID-19 is spreading throughout the U.S. and we cannot be too cautious. My prayer is that Shepherd Premier Senior Living will come through without one infected employee or resident.  We are all in this fight together.

1. Visitors are restricted 100% to pre-approved medically necessary visitors.  Please be patient as things are changing rapidly throughout each. You should not plan to visit your loved ones at this time.

2.We are performing a symptom check of your loved one every day.

3. We are cleaning and disinfecting common areas and then cleaning and disinfecting them again.

4. Hand hygiene protocols are in place

5. Staff is being monitored for symptoms and they are monitoring their families for symptoms as well.

While we dislike restricting your visit we are confident that we are doing what is required to protect the ones that you have entrusted to our care. Thank you for your patience as we move forward with protocols that are aimed at keeping your loved ones safe.

Please call your loved ones and check on them via phone in the interim. They will want to hear from you.

We pray God’s protection, peace and blessings over all of you!