LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — It's been over a month now since Gov. Beshear issued an executive order restricting visitors at all of Kentucky's Senior Living Facilities.
This transition has been difficult for residents and staff, but Sayre Christian Village CEO Karen Venis says the sacrifices they are making are crucial to keep people safe.
"Our families and residents they both understand our folks are the most vulnerable," Venis said. "So we have to do even more to make they are taken care of."
During this time they are doing their best to make sure residents can still have the interactions they need with their families through virtual visits.
Hoyt (last name not given for safety purposes) is a 96-year-old resident and her family showed they care by video-calling her and sending her birthday wishes.
"We are doing everything we can to make sure love still gets in," Venis said.
Residents aren't the only ones adapting. The Sayre Christian Village staff is also having to adjust.
"This thing spreads like wildfire the moment it gets in," Venis said of COVID-19. "So we have done a lot of things. We are screening all our employees every time they come into the building. We are not asking them to leave during their shift. We are providing them with lunch. We are really making sure we take care of our heroes first because they are the ones we are going to need to fight this."
Venis says they are fortunate that COVID-19 hasn't made its way into their facilities yet, but if someone is showing symptoms they are trying to be as transparent as possible with their staff and families while awaiting test results. Gov. Beshear has mandated in Kentucky that all pending and confirmed COVID-19 tests in senior living facilities be reported but that isn't the case in every state.
"Well we may not have any confirmed cases, but somebody down the street might," Venis said. "It's good for us to know that cause we are a small community. We are all in this together."
