What Comes Next? An Update from Our CEO, Melody Gabriel
For the past few months, top of mind at Generations has been vaccine clinics. Our Communities have been through first and second clinics, with many rounding on their third in the coming days, if not already completed. Company-wide we have had vaccine counts others in our industry are jealous of. We have seen our residents and staff do the hard work – engaging with science-based knowledge on all things COVID-19 vaccine and getting questions answered, filling out various tiresome forms, and making the time to patiently wait in line on clinic day. Some even braved through dislike of needles. We have also had the joy of celebrating with you the feeling of relief and hope for our future that this vaccination brings. I have never been prouder of our people! Thank you for your support and patience as we navigate very uncertain time.
During the holiday season, Thanksgiving to early January, we had asked Communities to take specific protective actions against expected COVID surges. This included precautions such as closing communal dining and modifying events, even when otherwise allowed. Now past that window, and with high numbers of residents and staff vaccinated, things are picking up in Vitality and, where allowed locally, opening for adjusted-capacity dining.
However, I do ask for a bit more of your patience – for many important reasons. There is uncertainty about how quickly and when State, local, and Federal mandates will loosen and be lifted. Requirements for testing, PPE, and quarantining when necessary, remain. There are also unknowns about how long vaccinations are effective and how effective against certain variants, and how contagious one may be if vaccinated but then exposed to and fighting off coronavirus. Additionally, vaccine availability has been slow to all but first priority groups, so we are at the beginning of this rollout, and nowhere near the ‘herd immunity’ considered safe.
Please know that your Community leadership is staying abreast of ordinances and the teams are preparing for what is next as we open dining, plan for small group gatherings, and, most importantly, family visits inside. For the time being, changes are rolling out slowly.
Additional information will be provided as soon as we know more. Thank you for being part of the #GenerationsNation!
All my best,
Melody Gabriel, CEO
Keeping you and your loved ones safe have been Generations’ number one priority during these…
Keeping you and your loved ones safe has been Generations’ number one priority during these…