West Bend, WI – Cedar Community leadership is continuing to monitor the spread of COVID-19 (the novel coronavirus) and how it may impact everyone at Cedar Community. The highest priority is to provide the safest environment for residents and team members. Cedar Community is proactively working on precautions for all of their locations.
Based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS), and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Cedar Community will be restricting visitors to their West Bend and Elkhart Lake campuses, closing some public areas, and postponing public events.
Beginning Friday, March 13, 2020, visitors will only be allowed under critical circumstances at the Cedar Lake Health and Rehabilitation Center, and all of Cedar Community’s assisted living locations, including Cedar Bay East, Cedar Bay West, The Cottages Memory Care, and Cedar Bay Elkhart Lake.
Any approved visitors must be screened for COVID-19 prior to admittance to these locations. Cedar Community team members and partner vendors who work at these locations will also be screened daily before being allowed to enter the buildings.
All public events and volunteering will be postponed on all of Cedar Community’s campuses, including the independent living campus locations: Cedar Ridge Apartments, Cedar Lake Village Homes, and Elkhart Lake Village Homes. Cedar Community is also asking anyone who is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, including cough, fever, sore throat, runny nose, and/or shortness of breath, or has traveled to a high-risk area to stop visiting any of the independent living locations at this time.
Cedar Community understands that connecting with family members and friends is incredibly important, and recommends residents connect virtually (through Skype, social media, text, and telephone) with visitors who are restricted or have experienced symptoms of COVID-19.
In addition to the precautions, restrictions, and closures, Cedar Community will be putting out additional hand sanitizer stations (as supply allows) at all locations, and all common areas will have enhanced daily cleaning. Tours and admissions will continue under heightened screening precautions.
Cedar Community leadership is in close contact with local, state, and federal health departments and is proactively following their guidance. They will continue to keep residents, family members, and team members updated regarding any significant changes to healthcare recommendations or Cedar Community policy during this fluid situation.
A link on the home page of cedarcommunity.org will be available beginning on March 13 and will take you to a COVID-19 update page with all of the latest Cedar Community location updates, postponed events, and visitor screening procedures.
“This is an unprecedented and unsettling time for all, and we are working through this together with a thoughtful plan, based on best-practice guidance from healthcare experts,” said Lynn W. Olson, Cedar Community Chief Executive Officer.
“While we will all experience some inconveniences over the coming days and weeks, please know we are doing all we can to keep everyone safe, even as we strive to maintain as much normalcy as possible. As we navigate this situation, may we lean into what gives us peace and strength and hope. We pray that this challenging time will pass quickly, and we will be stronger together, as we remain patient and kind to one another.”
