Sprenkle Drive COVID-19 Protocols

Last Updated: February 10, 2023

Dining Services

  • The dining room is open to assisted living residents. Residents may also choose in-room meal service.
  • Skilled care residents will rotate in groups to dine in the dining room each day. Residents may also choose in-room meal service.
  • Rachel & Reuben is open for in-person dining.
  • Curbside and delivery meal service available for residential living cottage and apartment residents.

Testing & Screening

  • Ongoing testing of all residents and team members at our personal care residence based on community transmission rates (tracked by the CDC) and active cases within the community.
  • Ongoing screening of all team members and contracted ancillary/support service personnel at the start every work shift.
  • Ongoing screening of all vendors and other visitors who enter our campuses.

PPE

  • Appropriate use of onsite PPE (personal protective equipment) for all team members based on current county transmission rates or active COVID-19 cases in the building.

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.

Assisted Living | 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 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, test for COVID-19 upon return and again in five to seven days, regardless of vaccination status. If not up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccine, quarantine for 10 days upon return. If fully vaccinated, quarantine is not required.

Onsite Gatherings

  • Private group parties are permissible, if space is available and the room is large enough to allow for appropriate social distancing. You must reserve space by calling Kayla Oberholtzer (AL) at 717.767.5404, ext. 20303 or Tracy Slyder (SC) at 717.767.5404, ext. 20552.
  • 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, if space is available and the room is large enough to allow for appropriate social distancing. You must reserve space by calling Cassie Strayer at 717.764.9994, ext. 20589. 
  • 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 of unvaccinated individuals, and social distancing; however, the decision to do so is at the discretion of the resident and their guests.

Dining

  • During a COVID-19 outbreak, communal dining is permitted for residents who are not in isolation or quarantine. Residents must wear a surgical or cloth mask while waiting for their meal if the COVID-19 positivity rate is substantial to high, regardless of vaccination status. Residents who are not fully vaccinated must wear a mask regardless of the COVID-19 positivity rate.

Life Enrichment Programming

  • During a COVID-19 outbreak, life enrichment activities are permitted. Residents must be physically distanced and must wear a surgical or cloth mask if the COVID-19 positivity rate is substantial to high, regardless of vaccination status. Residents who are not fully vaccinated must wear a mask regardless of the COVID-19 positivity rate.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact Jill Flasher, executive director, at 717.764.9994, ext. 20505 or [email protected].

Be Safe and Vigilant – Green does not mean GO in the war against COVID-19!

  • Now is not the time to let our guard down.
  • Wash/sanitize your hands, wear your face mask & practice safe social/physical distancing.
  • Your personal decisions impact others and can help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
  • We reserve the right to revise these guidelines as necessary to prevent the spread of this deadly virus.
  • Your health and safety always has been & remains our #1 priority.

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