Preventive Measures

Visitation & Gathering Guidelines (Last updated: January 26, 2022)

At SpiriTrust Lutheran^®, we continue to follow the regulations and guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the PA Department of Health as they relate to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have based the following guidelines on these regulations and guidance.

Life Plan Communities

Assisted Living | Personal Care | Skilled Care

Onsite Visitation

• Visitation is permitted at all times and for all residents, per our normal visitation policy which means there is no advance scheduling of visits nor is there a limit on the frequency or length of visits. We do ask that visitors limit their movement in the building and go directly to the resident’s room or place of visitation.
• Although, there is no limit to the number of visitors a resident may have, visitors must conduct the visit in a manner that adheres to the core principles of COVID-19 infection prevention and does not pose a risk to other residents.
• If a resident’s roommate is not vaccinated or is immunocompromised (regardless of vaccination status), visitors must not visit in the resident’s room, is possible.
• If the county’s COVID-19 positivity rate is substantial to high, all residents and visitors, regardless of vaccination status, should wear face coverings or masks and physically distance, at all times.
• Visitors may still visit even if there is a COVID-19 outbreak investigation underway; however, it is important for all visitors to realize it is safer to postpone visitation, as there is risk associated with visiting the community during an outbreak. If a visit does take place during an outbreak, the resident and visitors should wear face coverings or masks and visit with each other in the resident’s room.
• Visitors are not required to have received the COVID-19 vaccine or show proof of vaccination; however, we may ask visitors their vaccination status. If they decline to disclose their vaccination status, we will ask them to wear a face covering or mask.
• We will screen all visitors, regardless of vaccination status, upon entry to any of our life plan communities. The screening protocol includes a temperature check, a review of COVID-19 signs and symptoms of COVID-19 and possible exposure to a COVID-19 positive individual. We will deny entry to any individual who exhibits signs or symptoms of the virus or has had close contact with someone with a COVID-19 infection in the prior 14 days.

Offsite Visitation

If a resident leaves the personal care residence or skilled care center for a holiday gathering, the resident and family member should adhere to the following:

• Follow all recommended infection control practices, including mask-wearing, physical distancing and hand hygiene.
• Immediately upon return to the community, inform the nursing administrator, if the resident had close contact with someone diagnosed or suspected of having COVID-19 while off-site.
• If gone from the community for more than 24 hours and not fully vaccinated, isolate for 14 days upon return to the community.
• If gone from the community for more than 24 hours and fully vaccinated, isolate for 48 hours upon return to the community, test for COVID-19 at the end of the 48-hour period and again in five to seven days. If both test results are negative, isolation is no longer required.

Onsite Gatherings

• Private group parties are permissible, if space is available and the room is large enough to allow for appropriate social distancing.
• Group gatherings will be staggered throughout the day to avoid large masses of visitors being in the building at any given time.
• We recommend having onsite gatherings catered by our dining services department, if possible.
• If a group chooses to provide its own food and beverage, the group must designate food handlers and servers who will adhere to safe food handling practices, including gloves. We will not permit family-style or buffet-style meals.
• Groups may dine with a resident in designated areas outside resident care areas. Group size will depend on the onsite venue available that day for resident and guest dining.
• Masking is required in public areas.

Residential Living

• We recommend masking in public areas.
• Private group parties are permissible in community spaces, if space is available and the room is large enough to allow for appropriate social distancing.
• Group gatherings will be staggered throughout the day to avoid large masses of visitors being in the building at any given time.
• We recommend having onsite gatherings catered by our dining services department, if possible.
• If a group chooses to provide its own food and beverage, the group must designate food handlers and servers who will adhere to safe food handling practices, including gloves. Family-style or buffet-style meals are discouraged.
• We recommend masking at gatherings, especially if individuals are present who have not been vaccinated, as well as social distancing; however, the decision to do so is at the discretion of the resident and their guests.

HUD Apartment Buildings

• We recommend masking in public areas.
• Private group parties are permissible, if space is available and the room is large enough to allow for appropriate social distancing.
• We recommend masking at gatherings, especially of unvaccinated individuals, and social distancing; however, the decision to do so is at the discretion of the resident and their guests.

SpiriTrust Lutheran Home Care & Hospice

• Appropriate use of onsite PPE (personal protective equipment) for all team members.
• Screening of all team members at the start of their work shifts, includes temperature taking.

SpiriTrust Lutheran LIFE

• Closing of both LIFE Centers until further notice, per a state mandate.
• Providing participant care in the home.
• Appropriate use of onsite PPE (personal protective equipment) for all team members.
• Screening of all team members at the start of their work shifts, includes temperature taking.

We appreciate your continued cooperation and understanding as we strive to keep our residents, clients, participants, team members and volunteers healthy and virus-free!

Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine.

Learn more about our mandatory screening process.

Learn more about prevention tips from the CDC.