COVID-19

Dear family and friends of Castle Senior Living,

We are writing to update everyone in regards to our communities and COVID-19. We have had two staff members test positive for COVID-19 at The Grand Hills Castle. No residents are displaying signs or symptoms of COVID-19. However, this means that all non-essential visitation is now suspended for this community. We are partnering closely with the Waukesha County Health Department and are following all suggested guidance as we navigate this situation.

Our Birchrock Castle community has experienced no new COVID-19 cases and has returned to standard visitation as indicated in the Safer Visitation Policy. All communities other than The Grand Hills Castle remain open to visitation under our Safer Indoor Visitation Policy. We continue to wear masks and screen for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 when welcoming residents, staff and visitors to our communities.

As a friendly reminder, key takeaways for the Safer Indoor Visitation Policy include:

• Visitation must be suspended immediately if there is a suspected or confirmed outbreak at a community.
• Visitations must be scheduled in advance. We are asking families and visitors to please be patient and understanding when setting up visitation times.
• All visitors must wear masks, allow staff to screen for COVID-19 symptoms, and follow the safety protocols.
• Different locations have slightly different protocols, so the individual communities will be communicating specific instructions for that community.

Community-based transmission of COVID-19 in the United States and Wisconsin is climbing each day, and it is clear the virus is still present. Given the volatility of the Delta Variant of COVID-19, please be prepared that our regulatory bodies may deem it necessary to revert to more stringent restrictions to visitation and other interactions throughout our communities.

We ask everyone to please respect the safeguards that the CDC, Department of Health and Castle Senior Living have put in place to protect our residents and staff from COVID-19. In following these safeguards, we know that vaccination and masks are among the best tools we have to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. For more information on where or how to get vaccinated, please feel free to email us at info@castlewi.com.

The health and safety of our residents and staff remain our top priority. We are here with you each step of this journey. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Be well and stay safe.

Dear family and friends of Castle Senior Living,

We are writing to update everyone with regards to our communities and COVID-19. Yesterday, we were notified by a third-party provider that one of our residents at Birchrock Castle tested positive for COVID-19. This individual remains asymptomatic and quarantined to ensure the safety of our community. We are partnered closely with the Waukesha County Health Department and are following all suggested guidance as we navigate this quarantine period. All communities other than Birchrock Castle remain open to visitation under our Safer Indoor Visitation Policy. We continue to wear masks and screen for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 when welcoming residents, staff and visitors to our communities.

As a friendly reminder, key takeaways for the Safer Indoor Visitation Policy include:

• Visitation must be suspended immediately if there is a suspected or confirmed outbreak at a community.
• Visitations must be scheduled in advance. We are asking families and visitors to please be patient and understanding when setting up visitation times.
• All visitors must wear masks, allow staff to screen for COVID-19 symptoms, and follow the safety protocols.
• Different locations have slightly different protocols, so the individual communities will be communicating specific instructions for that community.

Community-based transmission of COVID-19 in the United States and Wisconsin is climbing each day, and it is clear the virus is still present. Given the volatility of the Delta Variant of COVID-19, please be prepared that our regulatory bodies may deem it necessary to revert to more stringent restrictions to visitation and other interactions throughout our communities.

We ask everyone to please respect the safeguards that the CDC, Department of Health and Castle Senior Living have put in place to protect our residents and staff from COVID-19.

The health and safety of our residents and staff remain our top priority. We are here with you each step of this journey and will update our Castle family regularly. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Be well and stay safe.

Dear family and friends of Castle Senior Living,

We are happy to report no new cases of COVID-19 among residents or staff and that all of our communities are open to visitation under our Safer Indoor Visitation Policy. While the mask mandate has been lifted in the greater Milwaukee Metro area for the general public, we continue to wear masks and screen for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 when welcoming residents, staff and visitors to our communities.

We are taking a resident-centered approach to our visitation policy. Key takeaways for the Safer Indoor Visitation Policy include:

• Visitation must be suspended immediately if there is a suspected or confirmed outbreak at a community.
• Visitations must be scheduled in advance. We are asking families and visitors to please be patient and understanding when setting up visitation times.
• All visitors must wear masks, allow staff to screen for COVID-19 symptoms, and follow the safety protocols.
• Different locations have slightly different protocols, so the individual communities will be communicating specific instructions for that community.
• As always, we are still encouraging virtual visits and making exceptions for compassionate care visits.

While the trends in the United States and Wisconsin seem to be getting better each day, the virus is still present. We ask everyone to please respect the safeguards that the CDC, Department of Health and Castle Senior Living have put in place to protect our residents from COVID-19.

The health and safety of our residents and staff remain our top priority. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Be well and stay safe.

Dear family and friends of Castle Senior Living,

We cannot thank you enough for your perseverance and compassion throughout this difficult time period. We are happy to report no new cases of COVID-19 among residents or staff at this time. Birchrock Castle is open to visitation again under the Safer Indoor Visitation Policy guidelines.

All other communities remain open to visitation.

As a friendly reminder, key takeaways for the Safer Indoor Visitation Policy include:

• Visitation must be suspended immediately if there is a suspected or confirmed outbreak at a community.
• Visitations must be scheduled in advance. We are asking families and visitors to please be patient and understanding when setting up visitation as we anticipate a large demand for indoor visits.
• All visitors must wear masks, allow staff to screen for COVID-19 symptoms, and follow the safety protocols.
• Different locations have slightly different protocols, so the individual communities will be communicating specific instructions for that community.
• As always, we are still encouraging virtual visits and making exceptions for compassionate care visits.

While there has certainly been an improvement with more people vaccinated, COVID-19 cases are still higher than we’d like throughout the state, and with the presence and spread of the virus variants in the U.S., we ask everyone to be careful and remain vigilant. Please respect the safeguards that the CDC and the Department of Health have put in place to protect our residents from COVID-19.

The health and safety of our residents and staff remain our top priority. We will continue to be in communication with you as the situation evolves.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. Be well and stay safe.

Dear family and friends of Castle Senior Living,

We regret to inform you that we have had one staff member test positive for COVID-19 at our Birchrock Castle location. As a result, all non-essential visitation has been cancelled at Birchrock Castle until further notice. We continue to work with the Waukesha County Health Department to manage the situation. None of the residents or other staff members are displaying any signs or symptoms of COVID-19 at this time.

Birchrock Castle is considered to be under “outbreak status” and all the residents in the community are being asked to quarantine by the local health department.  One positive case of COVID-19 from either a resident or staff member places a community under “outbreak status” from the Department of Health.

We understand that most of the residents are fully vaccinated, but they still need to follow quarantine guidelines because they live in a healthcare setting per the updated guidance released by the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/infection-control-after-vaccination.html.

All other locations are still open for visitation under the safer visitation guidelines. We thank everyone for complying with the safety requirements.

The health and safety of our residents and staff remain our top priority. We will continue to be in communication with you as the situation evolves.

Dear family and friends of Castle Senior Living,

We cannot thank you enough for your perseverance and compassion during the Coronavirus pandemic. The past year has presented numerous challenges for all of us. We are happy to report no new cases of COVID-19 among residents or staff at this time.

Additionally, the vaccination process continues to be rolled out and the clinics have gone smoothly. The second dose of the vaccine has begun to be administered and we expect all of our consenting residents to be fully vaccinated by the end of March.

Finally, we are happy to announce that we will be allowing controlled indoor visits under our Safer Indoor Visitation Policy at each location, starting 14 days after the second Moderna vaccination clinic at each community. The full policy and procedures will be explained to visitors prior to their visit. Key takeaways of the Safer Indoor Visitation Policy include:

• Visitation must be suspended immediately if there is a suspected or confirmed outbreak at a community.
• Visitations must be scheduled in advance. We are asking families and visitors to please be patient and understanding when setting up visitation as we anticipate a large demand for indoor visits.
• All visitors must wear masks, allow staff to screen for COVID-19 symptoms, and follow the safety protocols.
• Different locations will reach their 14-day post-vaccine clinic date at different times, so the individual communities will reach out to their families with dates and instructions for when the indoor visitation can begin
  • All communities will reach that benchmark by the end of March (barring any delays outside of our control).
• As always, we are still encouraging virtual visits and making exceptions for compassionate care visits.

COVID-19 cases are still high throughout the state, and with the presence and spread of the virus variants in the U.S., we ask everyone to be careful and remain vigilant. Please respect the safeguards that the CDC and the Department of Health have put in place to protect our residents from COVID-19.

The health and safety of our residents and staff remain our top priority. We will continue to be in communication with you as the situation evolves.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. Be well and stay safe.

Dear family and friends of Castle Senior Living,

We cannot thank you enough for your perseverance and compassion during the Coronavirus pandemic. The past year has presented numerous challenges for all of us. We are happy to report no new cases of COVID-19 among residents or staff at this time.

The vaccination process continues to be rolled out and the clinics have gone smoothly. We have had four vaccine clinics to date. This week we will conduct three more clinics and three the following week. We will also begin administering the second dose of the vaccine to eligible residents and staff on February 12.

Even with the good progress, to protect the safety and well-being of our residents and staff, the following are still in effect:

• Non-essential visitation is currently suspended at all locations. Visitation restrictions come directly from the local health department guidance. We will make exceptions for compassionate care at all of our communities. Video calls or virtual visits are still encouraged and available. If you’d like to schedule a virtual visit, please reach out to your community administrator. Castle Senior Living will revisit the visitation restrictions at each community once we complete the vaccination clinics and receive further guidance from the Wisconsin Department of Health.
• All of our residents who tested positive for COVID-19 at our Birchrock, Sienna, and Emerald locations have recovered and are doing well.

 We continue to work with state and local health departments. We do have access to the rapid COVID-19 test which helps with testing quickly and controlling the spread of the virus.

COVID-19 cases continue to be at a high level in Wisconsin, so we ask everyone to be extra careful and remain vigilant. Please respect the safeguards that the CDC and the Department of Health have put in place to protect our residents from COVID-19.

The health and safety of our residents and staff remain our top priority. We will continue to be in communication with you as the situation evolves.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. Be well and stay safe.

Dear Castle Senior Living residents and families,

We cannot thank you enough for your perseverance and compassion during the Coronavirus pandemic. The past year has presented numerous challenges for all of us, but we are happy to announce that after careful planning and coordination, the State of Wisconsin was able to reserve enough of Wisconsin’s Moderna vaccine allocation to ensure all residents and staff at Assisted Living communities enrolled in the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-term Care Program could receive the vaccine and be protected against COVID-19.

What does this mean? Castle Senior Living residents and staff will soon be eligible to receive the Moderna Coronavirus vaccine (delivered onsite) at all our communities. There are many questions about this process, so we would like to take the time, in advance, to share what we know, answer some questions and alleviate some concerns you may have. Additionally, please use this helpful resource from the CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/toolkits/long-term-care/downloads/answering-residents-loved-ones-questions.pdf

 

Will the Coronavirus vaccine be mandatory for Castle Senior Living residents and staff at this time?

No, the vaccine will not be a requirement for residency at Castle Senior Living at this time. However, to protect all our residents and employees, residents and staff are strongly encouraged to receive the vaccine.

Our residents represent one of the most vulnerable, at risk, groups of people who are likely to become very ill, or die, from COVID-19. Assisted Living and Long-Term Care residents make up only about 1% of the U.S. population, but they account for over 40% of the deaths associated with COVID-19 in the U.S. By participating in the COVID-19 vaccination program, you play a vital role in keeping our residents, employees, and family members safe and healthy.

 Do I have to pay for the vaccine?

No, the vaccine will be given free of charge. The doses were already paid for by the federal government through taxpayer funding.

 Do I have to have health insurance to get a vaccine?

If you have health insurance, you will be required to provide your insurance information so CVS or Walgreens can bill insurance providers for the administration of the vaccine. If you do not have insurance, you may still receive the vaccine free of charge.

 When will the vaccine clinic occur?

We are waiting to hear back from our partners at CVS and Walgreens as to when the vaccine clinics will occur. The vaccine is available to Assisted Living residents and staff in the State of Wisconsin beginning January 25, 2021, so we anticipate vaccine clinic dates to be set in the next few days. Some of our communities have already been assigned vaccine clinic dates. As soon as we have more information, we will reach out to all our residents and staff at each location.

Each community will have three different vaccine clinics spaced between 24-32 days apart. Our trained pharmacy partners at Walgreens and CVS will be responsible for administering the vaccine and reporting the necessary information to the Wisconsin Immunization Registry and the CDC.

If you are a Health Care POA or Guardian for one of our residents, please be on the lookout for vaccine information authorization consent forms. Your community leadership team will be reaching out to all residents and responsible parties with consent forms and vaccine information.

 Is the vaccine safe?

We realize there are many concerns about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, given that the vaccine is new technology and has been developed rapidly. However, we would not offer the vaccine to our residents and staff if there was a scientific indication that it was unsafe.

It is important to know that the Moderna vaccine is being held to the same safety standards as all vaccines. Multiple expert and independent scientific groups evaluated the safety and efficacy of the Moderna vaccine data before it was authorized for use. These independent committees include the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) and The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP.

If I have already had COVID-19, should I receive the Moderna Vaccine?

Yes, you should still get the Moderna vaccine if you have already had COVID-19. Getting COVID-19 likely offers some immunity from reinfection from the virus in most cases, but scientists and medical professionals are unsure how long that protection last. Because reinfection of COVID-19 is possible, it is recommended that people who have already had COVID-19 get a COVID-19 vaccine.

The one main exception is if you have received monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma as part of a COVID-19 treatment in the past 90 days. If you have received this COVID-19 treatment in the past 90 days, it is recommended that the vaccination should be deferred for at least 90 days from the date of therapy, as a precautionary measure to avoid interference of the antibody treatment with vaccine-induced immune responses. If you are unsure if you have had this treatment, please consult with your physician.

 

We hope you will join us in this tremendous effort to protect our residents and staff from COVID-19. If you have any other questions, or concerns, about the vaccine or the vaccination clinic process, please do not hesitate to reach out to Diana Howell or your community leadership team directly.

Stay safe and stay well.

Dear family and friends of Castle Senior Living,

Our Birchrock Castle community is currently experiencing a surge in positive COVID-19 cases. Fortunately, all residents who have tested positive are stable and many of them are asymptomatic. All non-essential visitation has been cancelled at Birchrock Castle as we continue to work with the Waukesha County Health Department to manage the situation.

The following are in effect for the safety of our residents, staff and communities:

• Non-essential visitation is currently suspended at all locations. The Grand Hills Castle is allowing staffed outside visits only. We will make exceptions for compassionate care at all of our communities. Video calls or virtual visits are still encouraged and available. If you’d like to schedule a virtual visit, please reach out to your community administrator.
• We are working with state and local depart health departments. We do have access to the rapid COVID-19 test which helps with testing quickly and controlling the spread of the virus.
• Birchrock Castle, Victorian Castle, Sienna Castle and Emerald Castle are all considered to be under “outbreak status.” You only need one positive case of COVID-19 from either a resident or staff member to be considered under “outbreak status.”

COVID-19 cases remain high locally and across the state, so we ask everyone to be extra careful and remain vigilant. Please respect the safeguards that the CDC and the Department of Health have put in place to protect our residents from COVID-19.

The health and safety of our residents and staff remain our top priority. We will continue to be in communication with you as the situation evolves. We are working with the Wisconsin Department of Health on the vaccine front. However, we still haven’t received communication on when they will initiate phase 1A Part B and begin to distribute vaccinations to Assisted Living residents and staff. Once phase 1A Part B of the vaccine distribution is initiated, it will be a minimum of two weeks before vaccines will be administered at Assisted Living communities throughout Wisconsin.

We are hopeful that phase 1A Part B will be initiated soon. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Be well and stay safe.

Dear family and friends of Castle Senior Living,

We are happy to report no additional positive cases since our last update.

We are also happy to report that seven of the eight residents with confirmed cases of COVID-19 have recovered. Castle Senior Living continues to provide additional support to these residents and their families. We also continue to support and pray for one resident who remains in the hospital.

Even with the updates above, the following are still in effect for the safety of our residents, staff and communities:

• Visitation is currently suspended at all locations with the exception of Birchrock Castle and The Grand Hills Castle. The Grand Hills Castle is allowing staffed outside visits only. Birchrock Castle is still allowing visitation as long as visitors follow the safer-visitation guidelines. We will make exceptions for compassionate care at all of our communities. Video calls or virtual visits are still encouraged and available. If you’d like to schedule a virtual visit, please reach out to your community administrator.
• We are working with state and local depart health departments to manage the situation. We do have access to the rapid COVID-19 test which helps with testing quickly and controlling the spread of the virus.
• Victorian Castle, Sienna Castle and Emerald Castle are still considered to be under “outbreak status.” You only need one positive case of COVID-19 from either a resident or staff member to be considered under “outbreak status.”

COVID-19 cases remain high locally and across the state, so we ask everyone to be extra careful and remain vigilant. Please respect the safeguards that the CDC and the Department of Health have put in place to protect our residents from COVID-19.

The health and safety of our residents and staff remain our top priority. We will continue to be in communication with you as the situation evolves. One area that of good news is the FDA approval of the first COVID-19 vaccine. We continue to monitor the situation and you can find more information on Wisconsin specifics in this BizTimes article. The following is a brief description of the situation:

• The first round of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine arrived in Wisconsin on Monday, December 14.
• As part of Phase 1A, critical care workers, long-term care staff and residents will receive the vaccine first. However, skilled nursing facilities will be prioritized before Assisted Living Facilities in the State of Wisconsin.
• This means that Assisted Living communities like Castle Senior Living will likely begin to receive the vaccine in January.
• There is a partnership with the State of Wisconsin, Walgreens and CVS to effectively administer the vaccine at Assisted Living communities.
• Castle Senior Living is registered to participate in this program and will share more information on the vaccination clinics when it is made available.

The arrival of the vaccine is good news and we should be receiving the treatments in the next couple months. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Be well and stay safe.