Coronavirus (COVID-19)

If you would like to receive COVID-19 updates from us, please give us your name and email. We will also be updating our Facebook page as necessary.  Facebook.com/franketobeyjones.

 

 

March 5, 2024

Here is an update on the COVID status at Franke Tobey Jones. After testing this week in Assisted Living, there are no new COVID positive results. Currently, there are no active COVID cases. Masks are encouraged but no longer required for staff, visitors and residents. There are no longer any restrictions on visitation location. All group dining and activities will continue as scheduled. There is no further testing scheduled unless there is a new positive case or known exposure.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


February 28, 2024

On Monday of this week two residents in the same apartment in Assisted Living tested positive for COVID. A round of testing was completed on Tuesday with no new positive cases. As a result, group dining and group activities will continue. This will be re-evaluated if things change. Masking is now required for staff, visitors and residents as tolerated and visitation it to take place in resident rooms. We will continue to test until there is at least two weeks with no new positive results.

There is also one new COVID-positive staff in the Care Center but no additional testing is required at this point and therefore there are no changes to Care Center operations.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


 

January 29, 2024

Here is the latest update on the COVID status at FTJ.

In Skilled Nursing, testing was completed today with no new positive results. Group dining will resume today with the noon meal. Group activities will resume tomorrow. Masks are encouraged but no longer required for staff, visitors and residents. We will continue testing until we go for at least two weeks with no new positives.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


January 23, 2024

Below is an update on the COVID status here at FTJ.

In Assisted Living there are no active cases of COVID. Masks are no longer required for staff, visitors or residents. There is no additional testing required unless there is a new positive case.

In Skilled Nursing there is one new resident and one new staff member that tested positive this week. Unfortunately, group dining and group activities are still postponed until further notice. Masks continue to be required for staff, visitors and residents as tolerated. We will continue testing until we go two weeks with no new positives.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


January 16, 2024

I hope everyone is staying warm through this cold weather. Below is an update on the COVID status here at FTJ.

In Assisted Living there are no active cases of COVID. Masks are no longer required for staff, visitors or residents. There is one more round of testing required next week to close out this outbreak.

In Skilled Nursing the two staff and one resident that previously tested positive have fully recovered. There is one new resident that tested positive today. Unfortunately, group dining and group activities must be postponed until further notice. Masks continue to be required for staff, visitors and residents as tolerated. We will continue testing until we go two weeks with no new positives.

You may have heard that yesterday a water pipe broke in the Assisted Living dining room. As a result, the dining room is temporarily closed while we get this repaired and cleaned up. This pipe break also affected the heating system in the building so parts of the building were without heat. We have temporary heaters distributed throughout the building and to each resident room. We were able to get most of the heating system on today so hopefully things begin to warm up. We understand the stress this may cause residents and their families. We apologize for any inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


January 9, 2024

Good afternoon and Happy 2024!

It is has been quite a while since a COVID update has been sent out but unfortunately, we do have information to share regarding COVID outbreaks at Franke Tobey Jones.

In assisted living, there is currently one resident and one staff member who have tested positive for COVID. The staff member has fully recovered and returned to work. At this time, dining and group activities are continuing as normally scheduled. Masks are required for all visitors, staff and residents as tolerated. We will continue to test and monitor this outbreak and communicate any changes as soon as possible.

In skilled nursing, there is currently one resident and two staff who have tested positive for COVID. Group dining and group activities are postponed until further notice. Masks are required for all visitors, staff and residents as tolerated. We will continue to test and monitor this outbreak and communicate any changes as soon as possible.

There are no active cases of COVID in memory care or memory care north, so there are no changes for those areas.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


October 4, 2023

Here is the latest update on the COVID outbreak at Franke Tobey Jones.

In Skilled Nursing, testing was completed earlier this week and there were no additional positive results. There are currently no active COVID cases in Skilled Nursing. It has now been 2 weeks with no new positive results so the outbreak in Skilled Nursing has ended. Masks are encouraged but no longer required for staff, visitors and residents.

In Memory Care North, testing was completed earlier this week and there were no additional positive results. There are currently no active COVID cases in Memory Care North. It has now been 2 weeks with no new positive results so the outbreak in Memory Care North has ended. Masks are encouraged but no longer required for staff, visitors and residents.

There continues to be no active COVID cases in Assisted Living or Memory Care (downstairs).

One additional note, there is a flu outbreak in Assisted Living so some residents are being isolated, and masks are required for staff, visitors and residents as tolerated. Group dining and group activities are both paused due to the flu outbreak.

Mark your calendars… On Thursday October 26th there will be a vaccination clinic on-site at Franke Tobey Jones for COVID, Flu and RSV for staff and residents. For IL residents, please contact Michelle Olafson. For AL, MC and SN, Resident Care Supervisors will be reaching out to families/residents for consent. For staff, forms are available from the Care Center and LP front desk. All forms must be completed and returned to Bob Beckham by Monday, October 16th.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


September 25, 2023

Here is the latest update on the COVID outbreak at Franke Tobey Jones.

In Skilled Nursing, testing was completed today and there were no additional positive results. There are currently no active COVID cases in Skilled Nursing. Group dining will resume with the evening meal tonight, 9/25. Group activities will resume on Tuesday, 9/26. Masks are still required for all staff, visitors and residents as tolerated in Skilled Nursing. We plan to continue to test at least weekly until we go for at least two weeks with no new positive results.

In Memory Care North, testing was completed today and there were no additional positive results. There are still only three residents that have tested positive. Two have fully recovered and are off of isolation precautions. Due to the nature of memory care, dining and activities are continuing as normal. Masks are required for all staff, visitors and residents as tolerated in Memory Care North. We plan to continue to test at least weekly until we go for at least two weeks with no new positive results.

There continues to be no active COVID cases in Assisted Living or Memory Care (downstairs).

Mark your calendars… On Thursday October 26th there will be a vaccination clinic on-site at Franke Tobey Jones for COVID, Flu and RSV for staff and residents. More information to follow in the coming weeks ahead.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


September 21, 2023

I hope this message finds you well. Here is an update on the COVID outbreak at Franke Tobey Jones.

In Skilled Nursing there were no additional positive results this week. Unfortunately, a resident who tested positive last week has passed away. There are a total of two residents and three staff that have tested positive in the latest outbreak. Group dining and group activities continue to be postponed. Masks are required for all staff, visitors and residents as tolerated in Skilled Nursing. We plan to test at least weekly until we go at least two weeks with no new positive results.

In Memory Care North there was one additional resident who tested positive this week. There are now three residents that have tested positive. Due to the nature of memory care, dining and activities are continuing as normal. Masks are required for all staff, visitors and residents as tolerated in Memory Care North. We plan to test at least weekly until we go at least two weeks with no new positive results.

There continues to be no active COVID cases in Assisted Living or Memory Care (downstairs).

Mark your calendars… On Thursday October 26th there will be a vaccination clinic on-site at Franke Tobey Jones for COVID, Flu and RSV for staff and residents. More information to follow in the coming weeks ahead.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


September 18, 2023

I hope this message finds you well. Here is an update on the COVID outbreak at Franke Tobey Jones.

In Skilled Nursing there is one additional resident and two additional staff that have tested positive since last week. There are now a total of two residents and three staff that have tested positive in the latest outbreak. Group dining and group activities are postponed. Masks are required for all staff, visitors and residents as tolerated in Skilled Nursing. We plan to test again this week and at least weekly until we go at least two weeks with no new positive results.

In Memory Care North there are two residents that have tested positive. Due to the nature of memory care, dining and activities are continuing as normal. Masks are required for all staff, visitors and residents as tolerated in Memory Care North. We plan to test again this week and at least weekly until we go at least two weeks with no new positive results.

There continues to be no active COVID cases in Assisted Living or Memory Care (downstairs).

There were two additional non-clinical staff that tested positive last week but both have returned to work.

Mark your calendars… On Thursday October 26th there will be a vaccination clinic on-site at Franke Tobey Jones for COVID, Flu and RSV for staff and residents. More information to follow in the coming weeks ahead.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


September 15, 2023

I hope this message finds you well and enjoying the last bit of summer.

Unfortunately we have another COVID outbreak in Skilled Nursing. There is one staff member and one resident that has tested positive on Wednesday, 9/13. A full round of testing was completed with no additional positive results. Group dining and group activities are postponed pending future testing. Masks are required for all staff, visitors and residents as tolerated. We plan to test again this week and at least weekly until we go at least two weeks with no new positive.

There was a COVID exposure in Memory Care North and all residents have tested negative.

There continues to be no active COVID cases in Assisted Living and Memory Care (downstairs).

Mark your calendars… On Thursday October 26th there will be a vaccination clinic on-site at Franke Tobey Jones for COVID, Flu and RSV for staff and residents. More information to follow in the coming weeks ahead.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


September 7, 2023

Here is the latest on the COVID outbreak at Franke Tobey Jones.

In Memory Care (downstairs) testing was completed again this week and there are still no new positive results for staff or residents. It has now been 2 weeks since the last positive result so Memory Care (downstairs) is no longer in outbreak status. Masks are no longer required for staff, residents or visitors. We will not test again unless there is a new exposure or positive case.

There continues to be no active COVID cases in Skilled Nursing, Assisted Living and Memory Care North and therefore there are no COVID restrictions anywhere on campus.

Mark your calendars… On Thursday October 26th there will be a vaccination clinic on-site at Franke Tobey Jones for COVID, Flu and RSV for staff and residents. More information to follow in the coming weeks ahead.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


August 31, 2023

Here is the latest on the COVID outbreak at Franke Tobey Jones.

In Memory Care (downstairs) testing was completed again this week and there were still no new positive results for staff or residents. There have been a total of 21 positive cases so far. 20 of those residents have recovered and are off of isolation. I am saddened to report that one resident had a case of rebound COVID and shortly thereafter passed away from complications unrelated to COVID. This area is still following outbreak precautions. Due to the nature of residents in Memory Care, dining and activities will continue as normal. Masks are required for all staff and visitors and residents as tolerated. We will continue testing until we go two weeks without a new positive case.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


August 29, 2023

We hope this message finds everyone doing well. Here is an update on the COVID outbreak at Franke Tobey Jones.

In Memory Care (downstairs) there were no new positive results for staff or residents after testing on Monday. There have been 21 positive cases so far. 17 of those residents have recovered and are off of isolation. This area is still following outbreak precautions. Due to the nature of residents in Memory Care, dining and activities will continue as normal. Masks are required for all staff and visitors and residents as tolerated. We will continue testing until we go two weeks without a new positive case.

In Skilled Nursing there were no new positives again. The outbreak in Skilled Nursing is over and masks are no longer required for staff, visitors or residents. No additional testing is scheduled unless there is a new exposure or positive case.

In Memory Care North (upstairs) there continues to be no positive cases. No additional testing is scheduled unless there is a new exposure or positive case.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


August 25, 2023

We hope this message finds everyone doing well. Here is an update on the COVID outbreak at Franke Tobey Jones.

In Memory Care (downstairs) there has been three additional positive cases this week for a total of 21 residents. 14 of those residents have recovered and are off of isolation. A total of five staff have tested positive and all five have recovered and returned to work. This area is still following outbreak precautions. Due to the nature of residents in Memory Care, dining and activities will continue as normal. Masks are required for all staff and visitors and residents as tolerated. We will continue testing until we go two weeks without a new positive case.

In Skilled Nursing there were no new positives again. The one resident has recovered and is no longer on isolation precautions. Group activities have resumed and the dining room is open. Masks are still required for all staff and visitors and residents as tolerated. We will test again on Monday, 8/28, and if everyone is still negative the outbreak in Skilled Nursing will be over.

In Memory Care North there continues to be no positive cases. We will continue testing along with Skilled Nursing.

There was one additional staff that tested positive with an unknown exposure.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


August 22, 2023

We hope everyone is enjoying the cooldown we have had the last few days. Here is an update on the COVID outbreak at Franke Tobey Jones.

In Assisted Living there were no new positive cases again this week and AL is no longer in outbreak precautions. There are no restrictions and masked are no longer required. There is no further testing scheduled unless there is a new positive or a new exposure.

In Memory Care (downstairs) there has been four additional positive cases this week for a total of 18 residents. Seven of those residents have recovered and are off of isolation. A total of five staff have tested positive with three fully recovered and two still isolating at home. This area is still following outbreak precautions. Due to the nature of residents in Memory Care, dining and activities will continue as normal. Masks are required for all staff and visitors and residents as tolerated. We will continue testing until we go two weeks without a new positive case.

In Skilled Nursing there were no new positives this week. There is one resident still recovering. Group activities have resumed and the dining room is open. Masks are required for all staff and visitors and residents as tolerated. We will continue testing until we go two weeks without a new positive case.

In Memory Care North there continues to be no positive cases. We will continue testing along with Skilled Nursing.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to work through this latest outbreak. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


August 17, 2023

We hope everyone is staying as cool as possible during this recent heatwave. Here is an update on the COVID outbreak at Franke Tobey Jones.

In Assisted Living there have been no additional positive cases for staff or residents. All 16 residents have recovered and are off of isolation. All five staff have recovered and returned to work. We will continue testing residents and staff until we go at least two weeks without a new positive. There are currently no dining, activities or visitor restrictions in Assisted Living but masks are still required for staff, visitors and residents (as tolerated).

In Memory Care (downstairs) there has been 12 additional positive cases this week for a total of 14 residents. Two of those residents have recovered and are off of isolation. A total of three staff have tested positive and all three have recovered and returned to work. This area is still following outbreak precautions. Due to the nature of residents in Memory Care, dining and activities will continue as normal.

There is now one positive resident in skilled nursing. There is one additional staff member in Skilled Nursing that tested positive for COVID but had a known exposure outside of Franke Tobey Jones. Skilled Nursing is now following outbreak precautions. Group activities are postponed and the dining rooms are closed. All visitors and staff in Skilled Nursing must wear masks.

Outbreak precautions include:

  • All staff must wear masks in resident areas in all care areas including Assisted Living, Memory Care, Memory Care North and Skilled Nursing.
  • All residents in all care areas must wear masks as tolerated.
  • Residents who have not tested positive can be out of their rooms but should wear masks at all times if possible.
  • Visitors in the Care Center (Skilled Nursing, Memory Care and Memory Care North) must wear masks and visitation must take place in the resident’s room.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


August 10, 2023

We hope this message finds you well. Here is an update on the COVID outbreak at Franke Tobey Jones.

In Assisted Living there has been one additional resident that tested positive earlier this week for total of sixteen residents and five staff. Eleven residents have fully recovered and have been taken off of isolation precautions. Three staff have fully recovered and returned to work. Group activities will resume on 8/11 and the dining room will reopen with the breakfast meal on 8/11.  We will continue testing residents and staff until we go at least two weeks without a new positive.

In Memory Care (downstairs) there has been no new positives this week and there are still only two residents that have tested positive since this outbreak started. One additional staff member did test positive this week for a total of two staff. This area is still following outbreak precautions. Due to the nature of residents in Memory Care, dining and activities will continue as normal.

Outbreak precautions for Assisted Living and Memory Care (downstairs):

  • All staff must wear masks in the Lillian Pratt Assisted Living and anytime in the presence of LP residents.
  • All staff in the Care Center must wear masks in resident care areas.
  • Residents who have not tested positive can be out of their rooms but should wear masks at all times if possible.
  • All visitation must take place in resident rooms only.
  • All visitors in LP or Memory Care (downstairs) must wear masks.
  • Assisted Living residents can resume attending the Wellness Center, exercise classes or Senior University classes.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


August 8, 2023

We hope this message finds you well. Here is an update on the COVID outbreak at Franke Tobey Jones.

In Assisted Living there have been a total of fifteen residents and five staff that have tested positive since July 30th. Seven residents have fully recovered and have been taken off of isolation precautions. Three staff have fully recovered and returned to work. Group activities remain on-hold and the dining room is still closed. We will continue testing residents and staff until we go at least two weeks without a new positive.

Unfortunately, there are also two residents and one staff member in Memory Care (downstairs) that have tested positive. This area is now following outbreak precautions. Due to the nature of residents in Memory Care, dining and activities will continue as normal.

Outbreak precautions for Assisted Living and Memory Care (downstairs):

  • Assisted Living dining room will is close and meals are served in resident rooms.
  • Assisted Living group activities are postponed until further notice.
  • All staff must wear masks in the Lillian Pratt Assisted Living and anytime in the presence of LP residents.
  • All staff in the Care Center must wear masks in resident care areas.
  • Residents who have not tested positive can be out of their rooms but should wear masks at all times if possible.
  • All visitation must take place in resident rooms only.
  • All visitors in LP or Memory Care (downstairs) must wear masks.
  • Assisted Living residents cannot attend the Wellness Center, exercise classes or Senior University classes.

if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


July 31, 2023

It has been over four months since we needed to provide a COVID update. Unfortunately, this is the reason of this message today. There is a COVID outbreak in Assisted Living where currently eight residents and two staff have tested positive. Both staff are non-direct care staff and both are recovering at home.

Because it’s been a while since our last outbreak on campus, here are a few reminders:

  • Starting tomorrow, August 1st, the dining room will be shut down and meals will be served in resident rooms.
  • All group activities are postponed until further notice.
  • All staff must where masks in the Lillian Pratt/assisted living building or in the presence of LP residents.
  • Residents who have not tested positive can be out of their rooms but should wear masks at all times if possible.
  • All visitation should take place in resident rooms only.
  • All visitors should wear masks.
  • Assisted Living residents should not be attending the Wellness Center, exercise classes or Senior University classes.
  • The assisted living/independent living resident picnic is cancelled for this Friday. We are working on a new date towards the end of August.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


April 5, 2023

This COVID Update supersedes all previous COVID memos, updates, guidance, etc. and is intended to inform all residents and families of COVID restrictions/guidance still in place and those that are no longer in effect. This guidance will be updated as necessary based on new information. This Update is a summary and not intended to include every detail regarding ongoing restrictions or guidance.

  1. Mask Requirements
    1. AL, MC or SN
      1. Masks are encouraged but not required for all residents, visitors and vendors.
    2. BV, DU, GA, TJ
      1. Masks are encouraged but not required for residents, visitors and vendors.
    3. Bistro, Senior University, Wellness
      1. Masks are encouraged but not required for residents, visitors and vendors.
    4. Transportation
      1. Masks are still required for staff, residents and companions during all FTJ provided transportation for medical appointments.
      2. Masks are encouraged but not required during FTJ transportation for outings.
    5. Visitation in AL, MC and SN
      1. There are no longer any restrictions on visitation.
      2. Visitors may be present in the dining room during mealtimes as space permits.
      3. Visitors may be present during activities as space permits.
      4. In the event of a COVID outbreak, visitation is limited to resident rooms only.
      5. Visitation is discouraged but allowed for COVID positive residents.
    6. TJ Dining
      1. Visitors may be present in the dining room during mealtimes as space permits.
    7. Happy Hours/Events
      1. IL residents from different buildings can be mixed for happy hours or other entertainment.
    8. IL residents in AL
      1. IL residents may move through AL as they did pre-pandemic for easier access to Wellness, etc.

We wish you and your loved ones a happy Easter and lovely spring!

Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do to protect FTJ residents and staff. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham at (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


March 9, 2023

We have great news! There are no active COVID cases for staff or residents at Franke Tobey Jones.

In Skilled Nursing all residents tested negative this week. There is no further testing required unless there is a new positive case or exposure.

In Memory Care all residents tested negative this week. The one resident that previously tested positive is no longer on isolation precautions. There is no further testing required unless there is a new positive case or exposure.

Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do to protect FTJ residents and staff. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham at (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


March 1, 2023

Here is the latest status update on our recent COVID outbreak.

In Skilled Nursing all residents tested negative this week. Group dining and activities have reopened. There are no restrictions on visitation as well. There is one direct-care staff member that tested positive earlier this week but they last worked on Friday, 2/24. All residents who tested positive recently have fully recovered and have come off of isolation precautions. We will continue weekly testing until we go 14 days with no new positives or exposures.

In Memory Care all residents tested negative this week. We still have one resident on isolation precautions. There are no changes to dining or activities. All visitation must occur in the resident rooms. We will continue weekly testing until we go 14 days with no new positives or exposures.

In Assisted Living there have been no new positives or exposures so no further testing is required unless there is a new positive or exposure.

Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do to protect FTJ residents and staff. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham at (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


February 22, 2023

On Tuesday, 2/21, we tested all residents in Skilled Nursing. One additional resident tested positive for COVID for a total of 10 Skilled Nursing residents in this current outbreak. One resident has fully recovered and has been taken off of isolation precautions. Five additional residents are due to come off of isolation precautions tomorrow, 2/23. There was one additional direct-care staff from Skilled Nursing that tested positive over the weekend. We will continue to test regularly until all there are no new cases or exposures for 14 days.

In Assisted Living all residents were also tested on Tuesday with no new positive results. We will test one more time next week. If there are no new cases or exposures we will discontinue regularly testing.

In Memory Care there was one resident that tested positive on Tuesday evening. All other residents were tested today and there are no new positives. We will continue to test regularly until all there are no new cases or exposures for 14 days.

Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do to protect FTJ residents and staff. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham at (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


February 17, 2023

I wanted to provide a COVID update after our positive cases earlier this week. In Skilled Nursing we completed another round of testing today. Unfortunately 3 additional residents tested positive for a total of 9 residents. There is still just one staff member that has tested positive. Group activities and dining continue to be suspended. Visitation is still allowed but must be in resident rooms only. We will test again early next week and continue testing until we go 14 days with no new positives.

On Monday afternoon we were notified a resident in Assisted Living tested positive while off-site. We completed a full round of testing in Assisted Living and there were no new positives. Dining, activities and visitation are continuing normally in Assisted Living.

Many of you may be aware that our main phone system has been out of order for the past couple of days. I am happy to report the phone system is back to normal operations and the main phone number for Franke Tobey Jones is working.

Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do to protect FTJ residents and staff. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or to Judy Dunn at (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Sincerely,

Bob Beckham, Chief Operations Officer

 


February 13, 2023

I hope this message finds everyone doing well. Over this past weekend we had one resident and one direct-care staff member in Skilled Nursing test positive with COVID. We completed a round of testing of staff and residents this morning. As of today there are 6 residents and 1 staff positive with COVID.

Due to this outbreak, group dining and group activities are on-hold until further notice. Visitation is still allowed but all visitation must take place in the residents room.

We understand that the world outside of senior living has dismissed COVID as a serious health problem and it is easy to forget about basic standard precautions such as mask wearing.  I want to take this opportunity to remind everyone again that masks are still required at all times in all of the care areas. This includes inside resident rooms.

We hope everyone has a lovely and safe Valentine’s Day tomorrow.

Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do to protect FTJ residents and staff. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham at (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


January 18, 2023

We just wanted to provide an update on the memory care exposure to COVID that occurred last week. We completed another round of testing this week in Memory Care and everyone was negative. There is no further testing planned at this time unless there is a new exposure or positive case.

In this season labeled the “Tripledemic” with Flu, COVID-19, and RSV in the air at once, continue to stay safe remembering to wear a mask and wash your hands often. If you are going to a gathering, you might consider taking a rapid test right before you go. If everybody does that, it’s an added layer of security. And if you are traveling, wear a mask, even if nobody else does. Pay attention to your symptoms. If you have any symptoms, you really should not congregate with others. So often we hear, “I thought it was just a cold!” and it ends up being COVID.  The symptoms are often similar. We want you, your loved ones, FTJ residents and team members to remain healthy this winter.

Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do to protect FTJ residents and staff. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham at (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.l

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


January 13, 2023

I hope this message finds you well. There are a couple of updates as it relates to COVID cases at FTJ. For Assisted Living there are again no new COVID positive residents. All residents and staff that were previously positive have fully recovered. Since we have now gone two weeks without any new positives or exposures, there is no further testing planned and visitation will return to normal in Assisted Living.

This past week there were two non-direct care staff that tested positive, one of which was in Memory Care. Due to the potential exposure to residents in Memory Care, we did conduct testing of Memory Care residents this week and all residents tested negative. There is no change to visitation, dining or activities in Memory Care. We will conduct one more week of testing in Memory Care next week.

Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do to protect FTJ residents and staff. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or  by phone at 253-752-6621.

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn

 


January 4, 2023

Happy New Year to you and your loved ones.  We wanted to provide another update on the COVID outbreak in Assisted Living.  The good news is this week there are no new COVID positive residents. Since testing last week, there are two new positive direct-care staff. All other Assisted Living residents and staff have tested negative. We are restarting group activities this week. The dining room will remain open as well.  Visitation can continue but all visits must be in the resident room.  Also a reminder that masks are still required for visitors throughout the building, even in resident rooms.  We will continue regular testing until we go two weeks with no new positive results.

Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do to protect FTJ residents and staff. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or to Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

We are sending you and your family warmest thoughts and best wishes for a Happy New Year.  May peace, love and prosperity follow you always.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


December 28, 2022

We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend with your loved ones.  Here is an update on the COVID outbreak in Assisted Living.  This week we have one additional resident and two direct-care staff that have tested positive for COVID.  All other Assisted Living residents and staff have tested negative.  There are no changes to restrictions at this point.  The dining room will remain open and we are pausing group activities.  Visitation can continue but all visits must be in the resident room.  Also a reminder that masks are still required for visitors throughout the Assisted Living building, even in resident rooms.  We will continue regular testing until we go two weeks with no new positive results.

Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do to protect FTJ residents and staff. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or Judy Dunn (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

We are sending you and your family warmest thoughts and best wishes for a Happy New Year.  May peace, love and prosperity follow you always.

Thank you,

Bob Beckham, Administrator and COO

 


December 21, 2022

Although at this time of year it’s hard to bring this news, we need to inform you that earlier this week two Assisted Living residents tested positive for COVID. One direct-care staff member in Assisted Living also tested positive this morning. All other Assisted Living residents and staff tested negative today. At this time we are keeping the dining room open but we are pausing group activities. Visitation can continue but all visits must be in the resident room. Also a reminder that masks are still required for visitors throughout the building, even in resident rooms.

with friends and family this holiday season please remember to stay home if you are not feeling well. There are a variety of illnesses in our greater community which put residents at greater risk of serious illness.

We would like to wish you and your loved ones a happy holiday.  May your blessing be many, your worries few and your days spent with those who mean the most to you.

Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do to protect FTJ residents and staff. While we are not done with COVID, it does feel like this is a major step forward. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, CEO

 


November 22, 2022

Today we completed another round of testing in Memory Care in response to the resident that tested positive on November 8th. I am happy to announce that everyone tested negative again. It has now been 14 days since the initial positive with no new positive results so no further testing is required.

Visitation outside of resident rooms is allowed again. Masks are still required at all times.

With the Thanksgiving holiday this week I just want to say Thank You to all of you for your continued support and patience as we have navigated all of the changes and adjustments necessary over the past couple years.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


November 16, 2022

As you know, on November 8th a Memory Care resident test positive for COVID. There was one direct-care staff member that tested positive the next day. Since then, we have completed two rounds of testing in Memory Care and all residents and staff have tested negative. We plan to complete one more round of testing next week. If everyone continues to be negative that will be the end of testing. We will provide an update at that time.  

Visitation is still allowed in Memory Care during this outbreak but all visitation must be in resident rooms only. Masks are still required for all visitors at all times including inside resident rooms. As this is Memory Care and isolation of residents is not possible, we will continue with dining and activity programming.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


November 9, 2022

On Tuesday afternoon we discovered a resident in Memory Care has tested positive for COVID. All other residents have been tested and everyone is negative. We will continue testing resident and staff in Memory Care every 3-7 days and will continue to provide updates.

Visitation is still allowed in Memory Care during this outbreak but all visitation must be in resident rooms only. Masks are still required for all visitors at all times including inside resident rooms. As this is Memory Care and isolation of residents is not possible, we will continue with dining and activity programming.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


November 2, 2022

It has been quite awhile since we have provided a COVID update. Although we have had a few staff that have tested positive over the past couple months, none of them have been impactful to residents and we have not had a resident test positive since late August.

As you may have heard, the Governor has ended the state-wide public health emergency. Along with this comes the end of many of the proclamations that governed how Franke Tobey Jones handled the COVID pandemic. This does not mean a full “return-to-normal” but it does mean many of our “COVID rules” have ended.

This updates and supersedes all previous COVID memos, updates, guidance, etc. and is intended to inform all residents and families of COVID restrictions/guidance still in place and those that are no longer in effect. This is a summary and not intended to include every detail regarding ongoing restrictions or guidance.

  1.  

Mask Requirements

1     Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing

       a.  Masks are required for all residents (as tolerated), visitors and vendors.

2.    Bristol View, Duplexes, Garden Apartments and Tobey Jones Building

       a.  Masks are encouraged but not required for residents, visitors or vendors.

3.   Wellness Center

       a.  Masks are encouraged but no longer required in the Wellness Center for residents and visitors.

4.    Bistro Café 

       a.  Masks are required for all residents and visitors except when eating/drinking.

5.    Senior University

       a.  Masks are encouraged but no longer required in Senior University for residents, visitors or vendors if the class is provided in IL.

       b.  Masks are required for residents and vendors if the class is in AL, MC or SN.

6.    Transportation

      a.   Masks are required for residents and companions during all FTJ provided transportation.

 

Staff, Visitor and Vendor Sign-In

      a.   Staff, visitors and vendors are no longer required to complete the COVID Symptom Checklist and the visitor/vendor log is no longer required.

 

Visitation in Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing

       a.  There are no longer any restrictions on visitation.

       b.   Visitors may be present in the dining room during mealtimes as space permits. Due to staffing shortages, meals will not be provided to visitors.

       c.  Visitors may be present during activities as space permits.

       d.   In the event of a COVID outbreak, visitation is limited to resident rooms only.

       e.   Visitation is discouraged but allowed for COVID positive residents.

 

Tobey Jones Building Dining Room

      a.   Due to staffing shortages, at this time the TJ dining room is reserved for dining for TJ residents only.  

      b.   Visitors may be present in the dining room during mealtimes as space permits. Due to staffing shortages, meals will not be provided to visitors.

 

Happy Hours/Events

       a.  Independent living residents from different buildings can be mixed for happy hours or other entertainment.

 

Independent Living Resident Coming In the Assisted Living Building

      a.  Independent Living residents may move through Assisted Living as they did pre-pandemic for easier access to Wellness, etc. Masks are required for anyone coming into Assisted Living.

 

Thank you for everything you have done and continue to do to protect FTJ residents and staff. While we are not done with COVID, it does feel like this is a major step forward. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, CEO

 

 


September 8, 2022

We have another week with great news to share. Once again, there are no new resident cases to report anywhere on campus. There will be no further testing of residents unless there is a new positive case or known exposure.

There is one new non-direct care staff positive case this week. This person is recovering at home.

As many of you have heard there is a new COVID booster shot coming available very soon. We are working with our pharmacy partner to arrange a date for an on-site COVID booster and flu shot clinic in late September or early October for FTJ residents and staff.

Visitation is still open and residents are able to leave campus.  Please remember that visitors in Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Memory Care are required to wear a mask at all times including inside resident rooms.  This is a state mandate.  We are seeing an increasing number of visitors leaving resident rooms in Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Memory Care without their masks on.  Visitors to our independent areas of campus are encouraged to wear masks but it is not mandated.  We ask that all visitors prioritize the health and wellness of all FTJ residents and comply with the mask mandate. 

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, CEO

 


September 1, 2022

We completed another round of testing for AL residents this week. Once again, there are no new resident cases to report. We have reopened the dining room and group activities. All residents have recovered and have been taken off isolation precautions. We have at least one more round of testing in order to get to 14 days since our last case or exposure. 

There were no new staff cases this week which is great news. Staff that have previously tested positive have fully recovered and returned to work.

Visitation is still open and residents are able to leave campus.  Please remember that visitors in Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Memory Care are required to wear a mask at all times including inside resident rooms.  This is a state mandate.  We are seeing an increasing number of visitors leaving resident rooms in Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Memory Care without their masks on.  Visitors to our independent areas of campus are encouraged to wear masks but it is not mandated.  We ask that all visitors prioritize the health and wellness of all FTJ residents and comply with the mask mandate. 

We hope you have a happy and safe Labor Day weekend!

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, CEO

 


August 25, 2022

This week we completed another round of testing for AL residents as well as all staff. There are no new resident cases to report from testing this week but there was one additional AL resident who tested positive late last week. Of the 11 Assisted Living residents who have tested positive, seven have recovered and have been taken off isolation precautions. Group activities and group dining continue to be on hold in Assisted Living. We will continue testing in Assisted Living until we go 14 days without a new case or new exposure. 

For staff, there are two non-direct care staff members who tested positive, one late last week and one early this week. Both appear to be unrelated to the outbreak in Assisted Living.

Visitation is still open and residents are able to leave campus.  Please remember that visitors in Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Memory Care are required to wear a mask at all times including inside resident rooms.  This is a state mandate.  We are seeing an increasing number of visitors leaving resident rooms in Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Memory Care without their masks on.  Visitors to our independent areas of campus are encouraged to wear masks but it is not mandated.  We ask that all visitors prioritize the health and wellness of all FTJ residents and comply with the mask mandate. 

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, CEO

 


August 18, 2022

We completed another round of testing for AL residents today, August 18th. There are three additional residents that tested positive and one additional resident that tested positive yesterday. In total there are now 10 residents that have tested positive this week. These residents are isolating in their rooms. Group activities and group dining continue to be on hold Assisted Living. We will continue testing in Assisted Living until we go 14 days without a new case or new exposure. 

There are two staff that have tested positive this week. One is a direct-care worker and the other is not. They are also isolating at home.

Visitation is still open and residents are able to leave campus.  Please remember that visitors in Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Memory Care are required to wear a mask at all times including inside resident rooms.  This is a state mandate.  We are seeing an increasing number of visitors leaving resident rooms in Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Memory Care without their masks on.  Visitors to our independent areas of campus are encouraged to wear masks but it is not mandated.  We ask that all visitors prioritize the health and wellness of all FTJ residents and comply with the mask mandate. 

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, CEO

 


August 16, ,2022

With the most recent testing this week, there are six Assisted Living residents who have tested positive for COVID since the weekend.  These residents are isolating in their rooms.  This outbreak requires group activities and group dining to pause in Assisted Living. We will continue testing in Assisted Living until we go 14 days without a new case or new exposure.  The good news is there were no new skilled nursing residents or staff who tested positive.

Visitation is still open and residents are able to leave campus.  Please remember that visitors in Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Memory Care are required to wear a mask at all times including inside resident rooms.  This is a state mandate.  We are seeing an increasing number of visitors leaving resident rooms in Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Memory Care without their masks on.  Visitors to our independent areas of campus are encouraged to wear masks but it is not mandated.  We ask that all visitors prioritize the health and wellness of all FTJ residents and comply with the mask mandate. 

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, CEO

 


August 12, 2022

Earlier this week we notified everyone that there was a resident in Skilled Nursing that tested positive for COVID. After additional testing it has been determined the resident is not COVID positive and all isolation precautions have been discontinued as of Wednesday morning. Group activities and group dining reopened on Wednesday as well. As stated earlier this week, all residents in Skilled Nursing have tested negative.

We continued weekly testing of staff and everyone that tested this week did test negative.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, CEO

 


August 8, 2022

We have a new development that we wanted everyone to be aware of. Unfortunately, we have a resident in Skilled Nursing that has tested positive for COVID over the weekend. We have tested all other residents in Skilled Nursing and everyone has resulted negative. The positive result does mean we need to pause group activities and group dining again as we do not know the source of this recent positive.

We tested staff today as well and everyone that tested did result negative. We will complete staff testing on Wednesday and plan to provide another update later this week.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, CEO

 


August 5, 2022

This week we continued testing Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing residents as well as all staff as part of outbreak testing. We continue with no new positives in Assisted Living or Skilled Nursing. This is great news! We have now gone at least 14 days with no new positives in Assisted Living so there will be no additional testing for Assisted Living residents until we have a new positive or exposure. We have at least one more week of test for Skilled Nursing residents until we get to 14 days without a new positive or new exposure.

Visitation is still open and residents are able to leave campus.  Please remember that visitors in Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Memory Care are required to wear a mask at all times including inside resident rooms.  This is a state mandate.  We are seeing an increasing number of visitors leaving resident rooms in Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Memory Care without their masks on.  Visitors to our independent areas of campus are encouraged to wear masks but it is not mandated.  We ask that all visitors prioritize the health and wellness of all FTJ residents and comply with the mask mandate. 

We have no new positive staff in the past week and all staff that have previously tested positive have returned to work. Staff will continue to be tested weekly until further notice.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, CEO

 


July 28, 2022

This week we continued testing Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing residents as well as all staff as part of outbreak testing. There are no new positives in Assisted Living or Skilled Nursing. This is great news! All residents who have previously tested positive have fully recovered and have come off isolation precautions. Group activities and group dining are now open in both Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing. We will continue to test Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing residents weekly until we go 14 days without a new positive or new exposure.

Visitation is still open and residents are able to leave campus.  Please remember that visitors in Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Memory Care are required to wear a mask at all times including inside resident rooms.  This is a state mandate.  We are seeing an increasing number of visitors leaving resident rooms in Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Memory Care without their masks on.  Visitors to our independent areas of campus are encouraged to wear masks but it is not mandated.  We ask that all visitors prioritize the health and wellness of all FTJ residents and comply with the mask mandate. 

Over the past week there are three additional staff, one direct-care in Skilled Nursing and two non-direct care, that have tested positive. Staff will continue to be tested weekly until further notice.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, CEO

 


July 21, 2022

This week we continued testing Assisted Living residents and all staff as part of outbreak testing. There is one new resident in Assisted Living that has tested positive this week. This is the only active COVID case in Assisted Living at this time as all other previously positive residents have fully recovered and have come off isolation precautions. Group activities and group dining will remain on hold in Assisted Living. Over the weekend a direct-care staff member in Skilled Nursing tested positive and last worked on Friday, July 15th. While the exposure risk to residents was minimal, we needed to test residents in Skilled Nursing. As a result, a resident in Skilled Nursing did test positive and is currently in isolation. It is not clear whether this positive result was a direct result of the staff member that tested positive. Group dining and activities are now on hold in Skilled Nursing as well.  We will continue to test Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing residents weekly until we go 14 days without a new positive or new exposure.

Visitation is still open, and residents are able to leave campus.  Please remember that visitors in Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Memory Care are required to wear a mask at all times including inside resident rooms.  This is a state mandate.  We are seeing an increasing number of visitors leaving resident rooms in Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Memory Care without their masks on.  Visitors to our independent areas of campus are encouraged to wear masks but it is not mandated.  We ask that all visitors prioritize the health and wellness of all FTJ residents and comply with the mask mandate.  

Since the last update there are two additional non-direct care staff that have tested positive. Staff will continue to be tested weekly until further notice.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, CEO

 


July 14, 2022

This week we continued testing Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living residents and all staff as part of outbreak testing. There are two new residents in Assisted Living that have tested positive this week. These are the only two active COVID cases in Assisted Living at this time as all other previously positive residents have fully recovered and have come off isolation precautions. Group activities and group dining will remain on hold in Assisted Living. All residents in Skilled Nursing tested negative this week and the most recent positive case has fully recovered as well.

Please remember that visitors are required to wear a mask at all times inside all areas of Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and Memory Care, including inside resident rooms. This is a state mandate. We are seeing an increasing number of visitors leaving resident rooms without their masks on. We ask that all visitors prioritize the health and wellness of all FTJ residents and comply with the mask mandate.

Since the last update there are four additional non-direct care staff that have tested positive. All other staff that have previously tested positive have fully recovered and returned to work.

We will continue testing Assisted Living residents until we go 14 days without a new case or new exposure. Staff will continue to be tested weekly until further notice.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, CEO

 


July 7, 2022

This week we continued testing Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living residents and all staff as part of outbreak testing. In this latest outbreak there are a total of six residents in Assisted Living and still only one resident in Skilled Nursing that has tested positive. Group activities and group dining will remain on hold in Assisted Living but will open in Skilled Nursing this week. These latest outbreaks in Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living residents can be traced to direct family exposure. Case counts in Pierce County are on the rise so this is a reminder to take extra special precautions with mask wearing around your loved ones even when they are outside of Franke Tobey Jones.

Since last week we have a total of seven non-direct care staff who have tested positive. Three of the seven will return to work by the end of the week.

We will continue testing Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living residents until we go 14 days without a new case or new exposure. Staff will continue to be tested weekly until further notice.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or Judy Dunn (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Bob Beckham, COO

 


June 29, 2022

In our latest round of COVID testing today, a resident in skilled nursing has tested positive.  We have paused all activities in skilled nursing, and the dining room will be closed until the next testing.  Skilled nursing residents will be served meals in their rooms.  Memory Care residents were tested today with all results returning negative, and we will implement another round of staff testing this afternoon.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


June 28, 2022

During our recent round of COVID testing, a resident in Assisted Living tested positive and is currently isolated in their apartment.  There have been no other positive cases with residents.  Activities continue as does dining services.  Visitation is still open as well.  Two non-direct care staff have tested positive and are currently isolating at home.  We will continue weekly testing of all staff and will only be testing residents if there is a new positive case or new staff exposure.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


June 16, 2022

We have great news to share. We completed testing this week of staff and Skilled Nursing residents and there are no new positive COVID cases. This means we currently have no residents or staff under COVID precautions.

We will continue weekly testing of all staff. We will not be testing residents unless there is a new positive case or new staff exposure.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


June 9, 2022

We have continued our testing this week. Fortunately, we have no new positive COVID cases. All staff that have previously tested positive have returned to work. The one resident in Skilled Nursing that tested positive last week has recovered and will be coming off of COVID precautions on Friday, June 10th.

Group activities and group dining in Skilled Nursing will restart tomorrow.

We will continue weekly testing of all staff. Residents in Skilled Nursing will be tested again next week until we go two weeks without a positive test or exposure.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


June 2, 2022

Over the past couple weeks we have continued surveillance COVID testing of staff. During this time six staff members have tested positive. Three are direct-care staff, one in Assisted Living and two in Skilled Nursing and three are non direct-care staff. One is recovering at home and the other five have returned to work. Based on the positive staff results, we conducted testing for Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing residents. Unfortunately, one resident in Skilled Nursing has tested positive. This resident is isolating in their room. No residents in Assisted Living have tested positive.

With the resident testing positive we have discontinued group activities and group dining in Skilled Nursing. Visitation can continue. We know this is a burden for residents and staff are doing everything they can to keep residents engaged but safe.

We will continue weekly testing of all staff. Residents in Skilled Nursing will be tested at least weekly until we go two weeks without a positive test or exposure.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


May 19, 2022

We are happy to report that all residents and staff in Assisted Living and Memory Care that were tested for COVID this week have resulted negative. Visitation can resume in Memory Care. Please review the visitation policy during your visit.

We no longer need to test Assisted Living residents, but we will be testing Memory Care residents again until we go 14 days without a new positive result.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


May 12, 2022

After some laboratory issues we finally received our COVID results from testing on Monday. We have two new positive residents in Memory Care. We also had one direct-care staff member in Assisted Living test positive over this past weekend.  Other staff and residents in Memory Care, Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing that tested on Monday have resulted negative.  All residents in Memory Care who had previously tested positive have been taken off of COVID precautions and fully recovered. Two staff members are currently out due to COVID and are recovering at home. Visitation is still paused in Memory Care and open in Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living. We will be testing Memory Care and Assisted Living staff and residents on Monday May 16th.

We have been made aware of two residents in the Duplexes and one other resident in the Garden Apartments that have tested positive since our last update.

We thank you for your continued support as we all work through this together.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


May 4, 2022

We have received the results from the testing on Monday, May 2nd of residents and staff in Memory Care and Skilled Nursing. Unfortunately, four additional residents and two additional staff have tested positive in Memory Care. This brings the total to 18 residents and 6 staff that have tested positive in this current outbreak in Memory Care. On a positive note, there were no additional residents or staff in Skilled Nursing that tested positive so there is still just the one staff member that tested positive last week. There is one additional non-direct care staff that tested positive over the weekend and is unrelated to this current outbreak. No visitors are allowed at this time in Memory Care, but visitation can continue in Skilled Nursing.

There is one independent resident in the Garden Apartments who has tested positive for COVID.  Close contacts of this resident have been notified.  These are the guidelines for any independent resident testing positive:

  • Day 0 is the first day of symptoms or a positive viral test.
  • Day 1 is the first full day after your symptoms developed or your test specimen was collected.
  • If you have COVID or have symptoms, stay at home/apartment and isolate from others for at least five days.  Wear a well-fitting mask if you must be around others in your home/apartment.
  • End isolation after five full days if you are fever-free for 24 hours (without the use of fever-reducing medication) and your symptoms are improving.
  • You may end isolation if you did NOT have symptoms after at least five full days after your positive test.
  • If you got very sick from COVID or have a weakened immune system, you should isolate for at least 10 days, then consult your doctor before ending isolation.

As we all know, COVID has not gone away.  We recommend that you have a rapid test on hand so if you are feeling symptomatic you can test yourself.  Don’t assume you just have a cold or it’s just allergies. Free rapid test kits are still available from both Washington State and the federal government and very easy to obtain.

Having an outbreak at work is incredibly difficult on our residents, our staff and our families. I assure you, we are doing everything we can to control the spread between staff and residents. We thank you for your continued support as we all work through this together.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


April 27, 2022

We have received results from the testing we did in Memory Care on Monday, April 25, and we regret to inform you that we are experiencing an outbreak of COVID in Memory Care with eight residents and one staff member testing positive. Unrelated to this outbreak, we also have two staff members in Skilled Nursing that have tested positive. We will test all Skilled Nursing and Memory Care residents and staff on Monday, May 2nd. No visitors are allowed at this time in Memory Care but visitation can continue in Skilled Nursing.

As you can imagine, having an outbreak at work is incredibly difficult on our residents, our staff and our families. I assure you, we are doing everything we can to control the spread between staff and residents. We thank you for your continued support as we all work through this together.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


March 25, 2022

We are happy to report that all staff and Skilled Nursing residents that were tested for COVID this week have resulted negative.  We will continue staff testing next Monday, 10a-12p, and Wednesday, 2p-4p.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


March 18, 2022

Good news!  All staff and skilled nursing residents that tested this week have resulted in negative tests, and the two residents who tested positive last week have recovered and returned to their rooms.  We will be testing all skilled nursing residents and all staff again on March 21st.

As a side note, St Patrick’s Day at FTJ was a lot of fun.  We had a bagpiper playing thoughout all the buildings including skilled nursing, memory care and assisted living.  Aside from being a wonderful player, he was very engaging and answered all the resident’s questions…and they had some great questions!  Jane and Eric, two FTJ residents, played a St. Paddy’s Day program in three of the buildings.  Very fun.  At the end of their program, they played the Ukraine national anthem.  Residents stood and bowed their heads.  Very meaningful for everyone.  Furthermore, we had St. Patrick’s Day happy hours going on around campus with special treats from the Chef which was appreciated by all. 

We will keep you updated as soon as we have more COVID information.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


March 9, 2022

Although we recently sent out a COVID update, we want to update you again.  There are two residents in skilled nursing who have tested positive this week.  All staff were tested Monday and none tested positive.  Another round of testing is occurring today. We will test Skilled Nursing residents and staff again on Monday, March 14th.

We will keep you updated as soon as we have more information.

As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


March 4, 2022

It has been a while since we have had a need to provide a COVID update. We have been conducting weekly surveillance testing on staff. Our weekly testing has resulted in a few positive cases we want everyone to be aware of. The week of February 15th, we had two non-direct care staff test positive. Both of these staff have recovered and returned to work. This week we have had two direct-care staff in Skilled Nursing test positive. It appears these two cases are unrelated to each other since neither staff overlapped shifts with each other. The good news is we tested all skilled nursing residents on Wednesday and all results were negative. We will continue weekly surveillance testing of all staff and will test Skilled Nursing residents the week of March 7th and the week of March 14th.

As I am sure you are all aware, the state’s indoor mask mandate expires on at 11:59pm on March 11th. While this is a step forward in the progress of moving through the pandemic, it is important to remind everyone that Franke Tobey Jones, as a long-term care provider, is exempt from the expiring mask mandate and therefore masks will still be required for all staff, residents and visitors inside any of our buildings.

We hope the forecasted sunny weekend ahead allows everyone to dry out a little and enjoy the outdoors. As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


February 2, 2022

On Monday, January 31st, we tested all residents in Memory Care along with all Memory Care staff. We are happy to report no additional residents tested positive. Memory Care is no longer in quarantine and visitation is now open. Please remember that all COVID visitation guidelines still apply. For the latest guidelines, please refer to the Visitation Policy at the sign-in table. With last week’s negative testing in Skilled Nursing and Assisted Living, no further outbreak testing is required for residents in any area.

All staff testing on Monday was also negative. We did have one non-direct care staff test positive late last week but that person had not been at work for several days. We now have a total of 47 staff who have tested positive. Two staff are still isolating and recovering at home but should be able to return to work this week. We will continue surveillance testing of all staff each week.

Thank you again for your continued patience and support. We have received numerous emails and phone calls of support and that does mean a lot to our team.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


January 27, 2022

On Monday, January 24th, we tested all residents in Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing along with all staff. We are happy to report no additional residents tested positive. More good news to share… all residents who had previously tested positive have fully recovered and are off of COVID precautions.

Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing are no longer in quarantine. Dining rooms will reopen and activities will resume. Visitation is now open as well in these two areas. Please remember that all COVID visitation rules still apply. No further outbreak testing is required for residents in these areas. Memory Care will remain under quarantine status for at least one more week with continued visitation restrictions. We will test all Memory Care residents next Monday, January 31st.

All staff testing on Monday did result negative. Since that time we have had two staff test positive. One direct care staff tested positive on Tuesday but that person has not worked since January 21st. One non-direct care staff tested positive on Thursday while at work and went home immediately. These two new positive results brings us to a total of 46 staff that have tested positive. All other staff who had previously tested positive have fully recovered and returned to work. We will test all staff in Memory Care on Monday, January 31st. We will continue routinely testing staff for surveillance testing as directed by the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department.

We know this most recent outbreak has taken a toll on our residents, families and staff. We appreciate your continued patience and encouraging messages.  

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


January 18, 2022

On Monday, January 17th, we tested all residents in Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing along with all staff. One Memory Care resident and one non-direct care staff tested positive. Since the beginning of the outbreak on December 22nd we have had a total of three Skilled Nursing residents and four Memory Care residents test positive. Fortunately, we have not had an Assisted Living resident test positive. We will continue to test all care area residents next Monday, January 24th.

With the new non-direct care staff positive result, there has been a total of 44 staff that have tested positive since the beginning of the outbreak. Of those 44 positive, 35 have fully recovered and returned to work. Nine staff are still isolating at home along with three additional staff quarantining at home with symptoms but have not tested positive. Many of the positive results have come outside of testing at FTJ and were contracted from exposures outside of FTJ. We will continue testing all FTJ staff on Monday, January 24th.

Many have asked why we are not routinely testing independent residents. The state does not require testing of independent residents and therefore they do not supply testing resources for independent residents. Additionally, staffing resources are stretched incredibly thin trying to complete the current testing requirements. If anyone is looking for testing options please visit https://www.tpchd.org/healthy-people/diseases/covid-19/testing-information.

Please know we are all doing our very best to keep our staff and our residents safe. Staff have been working many extra hours and shorthanded. We have an amazing team that continues to shine bright in the face of ongoing adversity. If you see any or our team members, please let them know you appreciate them!    

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


January 14, 2022

As you know, we tested all staff and residents on Monday, January 10th. Unfortunately, we do have additional residents and staff that have tested positive. There are four newly positive residents, two in skilled nursing and two in memory care. I am happy to report the one resident that tested positive last week has fully recovered. Due to laboratory delays, we are still awaiting the results for two residents and nine staff. We will test all residents again on Monday, January 17th.

There were six staff members that tested positive, two non-direct care staff, one of which was already quarantining at home due to symptoms, two direct care staff in skilled nursing and two direct care staff in assisted living. There have been a total of 37 staff members test positive since December 22nd. Many of the positive results have come outside of testing at FTJ and were contracted from exposures outside of FTJ. There is an additional three staff members at home with symptoms or high-risk exposures but have not tested positive. At the time of this writing there are a total of 12 staff quarantining at home due to a positive test or symptoms/exposures. On a positive note, there are 28 staff that have fully recovered and have returned to work. We will continue testing all staff next week as well.

Earlier this week there was some confusion related to visitation. We are still allowing Essential Support Visitation and Compassionate Care Visits. If you have any questions about either of these you can contact Maggie Conley, our Social Services Coordinator, at mconley@franketobeyjones.com. We apologize for the confusion.

This outbreak continues to challenge us all. Please be patient with staff as we all do our best to navigate this situation. It is very fluid and information and guidance still continues to change . We are doing everything we can to control the spread between staff and residents. We thank you for your continued support as we all work through this together. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


January 7, 2022

We have finally received results from all of the resident testing done on Monday of this week. Unfortunately, we do have one resident in Skilled Nursing that tested positive. All other assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing residents tested negative. We will test all residents again on Monday, January 10th.

We have had a total of 24 staff members test positive since December 22nd. We have an additional 4 staff members at home with symptoms but have not tested positive. Based on contact tracing it has shown a few of the staff have potentially contracted it from other staff here at FTJ but the majority of staff have contracted it outside of FTJ. Of the 28 staff with symptoms or positive tests 13 are direct care staff and 15 are non-direct care staff. The good news is 13 of these staff have already returned to work. We will continue testing all staff next week as well.

I know everyone was just as anxious as we were to receive results this week. Due to the incredibly high volume of samples being sent to every lab in our area, our lab experienced longer-than-normal turn-around-times. They are slowly getting caught up. We hope next week’s results will not take so long.

As you can imagine, having an outbreak at work is incredibly difficult on our residents, our staff and our families. I assure you, we are doing everything we can to control the spread between staff and residents. We thank you for your continued support as we all work through this together.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


December 31, 2021

We want to provide another update as to the COVID status here at FTJ. We have had a flurry of resident and staff testing over the past few days and want to give you the latest information.

We have a total of 10 staff that have tested positive since Wednesday, 12/22. Two staff that have tested positive have not been at work for at least a week prior to testing positive so there is no impact to our residents or other staff based on those positive tests. Eight other staff have been at work during their infectious period prior to testing positive. Those eight are: One non-direct care staff in Assisted Living; three direct care staff in Assisted Living; two direct care staff in Memory Care; and two direct care staff in Skilled Nursing. Because we now have staff members in all care areas that have tested positive, visitation continues to be closed in Assisted Living and Memory Care and is now closed in Skilled Nursing as well. Staff testing will continue next week.

As for resident testing… Assisted Living residents tested this week and so far all tests that have resulted are negative. We are still waiting on 5 results but did not want to wait any longer to get this update out. We completed a round of rapid antigen testing on Memory Care residents and all residents have resulted negative. We also completed a round of rapid antigen testing on all Skilled Nursing residents and all residents have resulted negative. We are planning to test all residents again on Monday, 1/3.

We know this COVID news is coming at a horrible time and certainly not the way we wanted to end 2021. Please be patient with our staff as we all navigate this together. Everyone here at FTJ wishes all of our families, friends and residents a Happy New Year.

Thank you for all of your support throughout this challenging year!

Sincerely,

Bob Beckham, COO

 


December 29, 2021

We want to inform you that a direct care staff member in Memory Care tested positive for COVID. This staff member last worked on Monday, December 27th. Because this is in Memory Care, we cannot quarantine residents in their rooms.

1.       No visitation is allowed at this time.

2.       We will do our best to remind residents to wear masks at all times!

3.       Activities and dining will continue.

4.       We are awaiting direction from the Tacoma Pierce County Health Department regarding the testing schedule for residents and staff

We understand the impact of this and are doing everything we can to limit exposure to everyone.

We are still awaiting the results of the resident and staff testing completed this week in Assisted Living. We will be sure to share updated information as soon as it becomes available.  

We continue to follow the various guidelines set forth to stop the spread of COVID-19 as provided by the Washington Department of Health (DOH), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our team has been diligent in following all the protocols and we are proud of their efforts to keep the case count so low. While we can’t be certain the uptick in positive cases is due to the new variant, it does seem to be spreading faster than it has in the past. Please continue to be diligent with mask wearing and if you have not gotten your booster please do so.

If you would like to sign up for our COVID-19 Updates, please click here.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Bob Beckham, COO

 


December 23, 2021

We want to inform you that a direct care staff member in assisted living tested positive for COVID. This staff member last worked on Wednesday, December 22.

1.       Effective immediately, all residents must quarantine in their rooms. 

2.       Meals will be delivered to resident rooms.

3.       No visitation is allowed at this time. Residents can leave for the holidays but will be required to quarantine upon return.

4.       Please remind residents to wear masks at all times!

5.       All activities are cancelled until further notice.

6.       COVID testing for staff in assisted living will be on Monday, December 27th and Tuesday, December 28th.

7.       Resident testing will be either Monday or Tuesday next week. We are waiting to hear from the lab to confirm timing.

We know this is incredibly unfortunate news in light of the holidays.

We continue to follow the various guidelines set forth to stop the spread of COVID-19 as provided by the Washington Department of Health (DOH), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our team has been diligent in following all the protocols and we are proud of their efforts to keep the case count so low.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Bob Beckham, COO

 


December 21, 2021

Hello residents, family members and friends. As everyone makes plans to gather with family and friends over the holidays, please keep in mind these precautions: Only gather with those that are vaccinated; wear your mask every time you leave your home; and stay home if you are feeling ill or have any COVID-related symptoms.

We also encourage everyone to get their COVID booster shots. The most recent data from the CDC shows the effectiveness of booster shots.

CASES                                                              DEATHS

Unvaccinated: 451 cases per 100k             Unvaccinated: 6.1 deaths per 100k

Vaccinated: 134 cases per 100k                  Vaccinated: 0.5 deaths per 100k

Boosted: 48 cases per 100k                          Boosted: 0.1 deaths per 100k

As you can see, getting your booster shot makes a difference, and it’s never too late to get your booster.

Thank you for doing all you can to protect you and your family.

We wish you happy holidays, even though it will still be a bit different this year. Our thoughts and hearts are with our residents, resident family members and team members to have a safe and healthy holiday.  As always, thank you for your ongoing support as we continue to navigate this pandemic together.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


October 11, 2021

To let you know, all residents and staff in Lillian Pratt that tested last week for COVID tested negative.

COVID Boosters Coming to FTJ for residents and staff!  We are happy to announce that Franke Tobey Jones is partnering with Rxpress Pharmacy to provide the COVID booster shot to residents and staff. The COVID booster is available to all residents and all staff that are at least 18 years old. The booster is not required but it is recommended. The booster is only available to individuals who have received the Pfizer COVID vaccine at least 6 months ago. You do not need to have received your COVID vaccine at FTJ to be eligible, but you must bring your COVID vaccination card to show proof of your vaccination and the date you received it. If you received your COVID vaccination at FTJ and cannot find your card, please let Bob know.

The COVID booster clinic will be on Wednesday, October 27th, 2021 starting at 10:00am. We will provide more details as we get a little closer to the date. We do have forms to be completed prior to the date. The forms will be available at the Care Center and Lillian Pratt front desk. The form does require insurance information if you have insurance. If you do not have insurance leave that section blank. The COVID booster is free to everyone, whether you have insurance or not. We will need completed forms returned to Bob Beckham by Friday, October 22nd.

The pharmacy can also administer the flu vaccine if you missed the clinic on September 29th. Please let Bob know that you would also like the flu vaccine at the same time.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


October 4, 2021

We have great news.  All COVID test results last week in assisted living were negative. We will complete another round of COVID testing this week for assisted living residents and staff.

Last week, in partnership with CVS Pharmacy, we hosted a flu vaccination clinic in which all residents and staff had the opportunity to receive the flu vaccine. We are also working on getting a vendor to come to Franke Tobey Jones to provide the COVID booster to all residents and staff that would like to receive it. We will provide more information as details are ironed out.

We continue to follow the various guidelines set forth to stop the spread of COVID-19 as provided by the Washington Department of Health (DOH), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our team has been diligent in following all the protocols and we are proud of their efforts to keep the case count so low.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Bob Beckham, COO

 


September 27, 2021

We want to inform you that we have two non-direct care staff who have tested positive for COVID. One of the staff has worked in LP recently and therefore we will complete two rounds of testing in LP for staff and residents this week and next. Visitations, dining and activities will all continue.

Many of you are aware of the recent announcement made regarding COVID booster shots for everyone 65+ and those working in high-risk settings like long-term care. We are working on a plan to bring booster shots to FTJ and hope to have more information soon.

We continue to follow the various guidelines set forth to stop the spread of COVID-19 as provided by the Washington Department of Health (DOH), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our team has been diligent in following all the protocols and we are proud of their efforts to keep the case count so low.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

 


September 17, 2021

We have great news.  All COVID test results this week for skilled nursing residents and staff came back negative.  Visitation can continue along with activities and dining.

We continue to follow the various guidelines set forth to stop the spread of COVID-19 as provided by the Washington Department of Health (DOH), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our team has been diligent in following all the protocols and we are proud of their efforts to keep the case count so low.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


September 9, 2021

We have great news.  All COVID test results this week came back negative and visitation can resume.  Activities and dining continue as well.  Next Tuesday, September 14, we will conduct another round of testing for skilled nursing residents and staff. 

We continue to follow the various guidelines set forth to stop the spread of COVID-19 as provided by the Washington Department of Health (DOH), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our team has been diligent in following all the protocols and we are proud of their efforts to keep the case count so low.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


September 2, 2021

We want to inform you that a staff member in skilled nursing tested positive for COVID.  This staff member last worked on Monday, August 30th.  Effective immediately, all visitation in skilled nursing is suspended until further notice with the exception of compassionate care visits.  Activities and dining can continue.  No changes are necessary in memory care or assisted living.  We will conduct COVID testing for all skilled nursing residents and staff on 9/7 and 9/14.  More information will be shared as it becomes available.  We apologize for any inconvenience.

We continue to follow the various guidelines set forth to stop the spread of COVID-19 as provided by the Washington Department of Health (DOH), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our team has been diligent in following all the protocols and we are proud of their efforts to keep the case count so low.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


August 25, 2021

We have great news. Residents and staff in skilled nursing have tested negative for COVID this week. With two rounds of negative testing completed, we have met the requirements from the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department and we have no additional testing scheduled. Even though residents and staff have been vaccinated, we continue to follow DOH and CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19 including wearing masks, social distancing and washing hands.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


August 18, 2021

We have great news. Residents and staff in skilled nursing have tested negative for COVID this week. There are no changes to programs or visitation.  One more round of testing will take place next Tuesday, 8/24. We continue to follow DOH and CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19 including wearing masks, social distancing and washing hands.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


August 12, 2021

We want to inform you that a staff member in skilled nursing who is vaccinated tested positive for COVID.  This staff member last worked on Friday, August 6 and is currently isolating at home.  We will conduct COVID testing for all skilled nursing residents and staff on Monday, August 16.  More information will be shared as it becomes available.  We apologize for any inconvenience.

As you may have heard, Governor Inslee issued a proclamation earlier this week that State of Washington employees and Health Care workers, including those working in long-term care, must be fully vaccinated by October 18, 2021 as a condition of employment.  There are exemptions for religious or medical reasons based on various guidelines.  Franke Tobey Jones is working with its legal counsel to finalize the policy which will be shared with our team members when available. 

The health officers representing all 35 local health jurisdictions in Washington state have joined together to pass on their best public health advice to protect you, your family, and our communities. They recommend everyone wear facial coverings when in indoor public settings where the vaccination status of those around you is unknown. This step will help reduce the risk of COVID-19 to the public, help stem the increase in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations and decrease the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


June 7, 2021

We hope that all of you had a safe and happy July 4th weekend.  We can be thankful that the weather has cooled down a bit!

As you are aware, on June 30th Governor Inslee updated state guidelines and mask requirements, however the new guidance did not change anything for residents, staff and visitors in the FTJ care areas (assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing).  In the care areas everyone is still required to wear a mask.  For independent areas, no masks are required for fully vaccinated residents or visitors. If you are unvaccinated you must continue to wear a mask at all times in these areas.  Staff are still required to wear masks in all FTJ buildings.  The new guidance now allows unlimited group sizes for activities.

On June 25th we were excited to bring back our Summer Ice Cream Socials which will be hosted every Friday through September 17.  They will be handled a bit differently this year as we will have ice cream at each building…making it convenient for everyone!

We hope you enjoy our beautiful weather this summer.  I know it’s a time of year that so many of us look forward to in the Pacific Northwest!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


May 20, 2021

We have great news.  Residents and staff in skilled nursing have tested negative for COVID this week.  Visitation is now open in skilled nursing.  The dining room is open, small group activities are continuing and the Salon is open per the salon schedule.  Unfortunately, our testing did uncover one positive staff member. This staff member is a non-direct care staff.  We are conducting contact tracing and will be testing anyone necessary.  This positive result does not affect assisted living, memory care or skilled nursing so visitation is not affected in those areas.

We are following the recent updates from the CDC and State of Washington regarding mask guidelines for vaccinated individuals.  It is important to note that these new guidelines do not apply to healthcare settings.  On our campus Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing are considered healthcare settings.  These care areas are regulated under the Safe Start For Long-Term Care guidelines, so entering those buildings will require a masks and check-in even if you are vaccinated.  As more changes come through, we will continue to provide updates as to how they affect our residents, staff and visitors.

Because we offer a number of lifestyle options on our campus, it may be confusing to understand how these new guidelines apply to our staff members and residents.  The rules apply to what building you live in or are planning on visiting.

Effective this week, these are the protocols:

For independent living residents (Bristol View, Duplexes, Garden Apartments and Tobey Jones Building):

  • Fully vaccinated residents:
    • May travel around the campus outside or inside these independent living buildings without wearing a mask. 
  • Unvaccinated residents:
    • May travel around the campus outside without a mask if alone.  If not alone, you must wear a mask.
    • Must wear a mask indoors in all FTJ buildings.
  • Fully vaccinated visitors:
    • May travel around the campus outside or inside these independent living buildings without wearing a mask.  When visiting residents please do so only in the resident’s room. 
    • Unvaccinated visitors must wear a mask.
  • Indoor common spaces in BV, GA and TJ can be used by FTJ residents only.

For assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing residents:

  • Fully vaccinated AND unvaccinated residents must wear a mask indoors when not in your room unless they are eating or drinking in the dining room.
  • Fully vaccinated AND unvaccinated residents must wear a mask outdoors unless they are alone.

Team Members

  • All team members must wear masks anytime they are with other staff or in resident areas on campus.

Thank you to all who participated in our Springtime Drive Through Parade last week.  It was a wonderful sunny day, and we were thrilled that so many of you participated!  Our residents loved sitting outside in the sun and seeing everyone drive by!

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


May 13, 2021

We have great news.  Residents and staff in skilled nursing have tested negative for COVID this week.  We will be doing another round of testing next Wednesday.  For now, visitation is still restricted in skilled nursing, but the dining room is open, small group activities are continuing and the Salon is open per the salon schedule.  We continue to require masks and social distancing for staff, visitors and residents.

We hope to see you at our parade today at 2:30pm.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


May 7, 2021

Yesterday’s COVID testing resulted in one staff member (non-direct care) testing positive for COVID. Based on contact tracing it appears this positive case is unrelated to the previous positive case. This staff member is now isolating at home.  Visitation in skilled nursing continues to be suspended until further notice with the exception of Compassionate Care visits.  Activities and dining will continue as they have been.  No changes are necessary in memory care or assisted living.  We will conduct COVID testing for all skilled nursing residents and staff Wednesday of next week.  More information will be shared as it becomes available.  We apologize for any inconvenience.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


May 4, 2021

We want to inform you that a staff member in skilled nursing tested positive for COVID.  This staff member last worked on Thursday, 4/29.  All visitation in skilled nursing has been suspended until further notice.  Activities and dining will continue as they have been.  No changes are necessary in memory care or assisted living.  We will conduct COVID testing for all skilled nursing residents and staff this Thursday.  More information will be shared as it becomes available.  We apologize for any inconvenience.

There is also a non-clinical administrative staff member that tested positive for COVID. We have completed contact tracing and have notified the individuals with potential exposure. Those individuals will also be tested this Thursday.

As you may have heard, there have been changes to the Safe Start Guidance.  These changes would allow us to lighten masking and social distancing requirements in dining and activities. We believe these changes presents additional risks to residents and therefore we are choosing not to change our masking and social distancing guidelines.  The dining rooms and salons remain open, and small group activities continue.

One last thing, because of forecasted rain this Thursday, our Springtime Drive Through Parade has been postponed until next Thursday, May 13th at 2:30.  Hope to see you there!

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


April 28, 2021

We have great news.  Residents and staff in skilled nursing have tested negative for COVID this week, so residents are able to move freely as they were previously. Visitation can resume. The dining room is open, small group activities are continuing and the Salon is open per the salon schedule. We are aware of the new CDC recommendations regarding masking and social distancing. At this time, no changes are being made to our policies regarding this until we receive updated guidance from DOH. We continue to require masks and social distancing for staff, visitors and residents.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


April 26

We want to inform you that a staff member in skilled nursing tested positive for COVID.  This staff member last worked on Monday, 4/19, and has been isolating at home.  Effective immediately, all in-person visitation in skilled nursing is suspended until further notice (compassionate care visits are still allowed).  Small group activities and communal dining can continue.  No changes are necessary in memory care or assisted living.  We will conduct COVID testing for all skilled nursing residents and staff on Tuesday 4/27.  More information will be shared as it becomes available.  We apologize for any inconvenience.

We continue to follow the various guidelines set forth to stop the spread of COVID-19 as provided by the Washington Department of Health (DOH), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our team has been diligent in following all the protocols and we are proud of their efforts to keep the case count so low.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


April 14, 2021

We have great news.  Residents and staff in Assisted Living have tested negative for COVID-19 this week, so residents are able to move freely as they were previously.  Tomorrow, 4/15, in-person visits can resume for residents in Assisted Living, and salon services will also resume per the salon schedule.  Even though residents and staff have been vaccinated, we continue to follow DOH and CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19 including wearing masks, social distancing and washing hands.

As you have most likely heard, Pierce County has been moved back to Phase 2 of the Healthy Washington Roadmap to Recovery.  The visitation policy for Independent Living residents has been revised to reflect this change, which includes limiting the number of people you gather with to a max of 5 people outside your household, limit of 2 households.  Please refer to the updated policy for further information.  Senior University in-person classes will be limited to 5 Independent residents.  Wellness classes will continue to have the same limits, and gym use requires a reservation.  Activities in the care areas will continue as they have been as these areas are regulated by the Safe Start For Long Term Care guidance.  

We are planning a springtime drive through parade on Thursday, May 6th at 2:30 p.m. in which we would love you to participate.  We will be celebrating Mother’s Day, several Daffodil Princesses will be joining in the parade, our new van will be showcased, and the Washington State Birthday Parade Cruise Car Club and a local Mustang car club have been invited to join as well.  Hope you can participate too!  We’ll keep you posted on the details.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


April 8, 2021

We’ve learned that an Assisted Living (non-direct care) staff member has tested positive for COVID-19.  This vaccinated employee last worked on Wednesday, 4/7/21, and is quarantined at home.  Following guidance from the Pierce County Health Department, we will be testing all assisted living residents and staff next week on April 13.

Residents in assisted living are asked to minimize interactions between residents and continue to wear masks and keep social distance. Residents are allowed to leave campus for essential business, but we strongly encourage everyone staying home if they can. The risk assessment tool will continue to be used to assess the level of risk. In-person visits in assisted living are put on hold until further notice. Window and virtual visits are still allowed. Outdoor visits are allowed, weather permitting.  Please call the front desk at 253-752-6621 to schedule.  Independent residents and staff are still able to use the Wellness Center. 

Even though we are vaccinated, we are not out of the woods. It is still essential for the next few months, or longer, that everyone continues to adhere to guidance that has proven to be most effective in limiting the transmission of the COVID virus:

1.       Wear your mask properly when in any public space 

2.       Maintain 6 feet of social distance at all times

3.       Wash your hands regularly

4.       Avoid high-risk situations

We continue to follow the various guidelines set forth to stop the spread of COVID-19 as provided by the Washington Department of Health (DOH), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Thank you to our team for their diligence in following all the protocols and we are proud of their efforts to keep the case count so low.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


April 1, 2021

It’s been wonderful having visitors back on campus.  We’ve seen so many happy family reunions which has warmed all our hearts.  That combined with the sunshine has really lifted spirits as we usher in springtime.

Just as a reminder:

·         We are still following and enforcing the State and DOH guidelines regarding wearing masks, washing hands and six feet social distancing. 

·         All visitors must sign the Guest Log and complete the Visitor COVID Screening form when visiting in any of our buildings (Except Duplex visitors).

·         If you are visiting a resident and want to go off-campus or take a walk around campus, masks must still be worn, even outside the building.

·         For Skilled Nursing, Memory Care and Assisted Living, if the resident is unvaccinated and the visitor is unvaccinated, indoor visits are not allowed. (Fully vaccinated means it has been at least 2 weeks since the second shot of a two-shot vaccination or the only shot of a one-shot vaccination). 

If you have not yet gotten your COVID vaccine, the DOH website lists locations near you https://vaccinelocator.doh.wa.gov/

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


March 19, 2021

Just this morning we received updates to the Safe Start guidance, specifically as it pertains to visitation guidance. The significant changes, updated in the policy below, are:

  • The visitors or the resident must be fully vaccinated in order to visit. If the resident is unvaccinated and the visitor is unvaccinated, indoor visits are not allowed. (Fully vaccinated means it has been at least 2 weeks since the second shot of a two-shot vaccination or the only shot of a one-shot vaccination). Children under 18 are allowed to visit without vaccination as long as they are able to follow all masking and social distancing requirements.
  • Eye protection is not required for visitors.
  • Children under 18 are allowed to visit as long as they can follow all infection control protocols. Children under 2 years of age do not count towards the 2-visitor limit.

As always residents living in assisted, memory care and skilled nursing are allowed to leave campus. Upon return to the community the Risk Assessment Tool is still required to be completed.  Fully vaccinated residents are no longer subject to a 14 day quarantine unless they have been exposed to someone with COVID 19.  Unvaccinated residents may still be subject to a 14-quarantine based on the results of the Risk Assessment Tool.

 As always, independent residents can leave campus and upon return do not need to complete the Risk Assessment Tool.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 

Visitation Policy

Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing

Washington State DSHS and DOH updated the Safe Start for Long Term Care Recommendations and Requirements (Safe Start) for Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing to expand visitor access in all long-term care facilities. 

These guidelines represent our first Visitation Policy under the updated Safe Start guidance and may change based on updated guidance and visitor compliance. Visitation rules and guidelines are based on which phase of the Safe Start plan we are in. The phases of the Safe Start plan are separate and independent of the Health Washington Roadmap to Recovery plan. According to the Safe Start plan we are in Phase 1 and will remain in Phase 1 until the Pierce County case rate drops below 75 cases/100,000 people for the past 14 days. Based on Phase 1 guidelines in the Safe Start plan, the following rules apply to anyone visiting a resident from outside the building the resident lives.

Effective March 22nd, 2021

  • Visitors must sign this policy and will receive a copy of this policy at every visit.
  • This policy is applicable to all visitors in Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled nursing.
  • Visitors will be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 and must sign in prior to entry and sign out when leaving.
  • The visitors or the resident must be fully vaccinated in order to visit. If the resident is unvaccinated and the visitor is unvaccinated, indoor visits are not allowed. (Fully vaccinated means it has been at least 2 weeks since the second shot of a two-shot vaccination or the only shot of a one-shot vaccination). Children under 18 are allowed to visit without vaccination as long as they are able to follow all masking and social distancing requirements.
  • All visits must take place in the resident room only. Visitors may not go to any other area of the building including the dining room, common areas, etc. Going outside for walks around campus are allowed otherwise visitors must stay in the resident room.
  • Visitors will be limited to no more than 2 people per resident room/apartment per visit. There is no limit to how many visitors a resident can have per day as long as it does not exceed 2 people at any one time. Children under 2 years of age do not count towards this visitor restriction.
  • Visitation can be up to 2 hours in length in all areas. We encourage visitors to avoid meal times so residents can eat uninterrupted.
    • Assisted Living – Visits must start no earlier than 9:00am and be completed by 7:00pm Monday through Friday and 6:30pm Saturday and Sunday.
    • Memory Care and Skilled Nursing – Visits must start no earlier than 9:00am and be completed by 5:00pm Monday through Friday and 4:00pm Saturday and Sunday.
  • Visitors may touch and hug residents as long as the resident has been fully vaccinated and PPE is worn by both the resident and visitor at all times.
  • Other than hugging, all visitors must remain 6 feet apart from all other residents and staff throughout the entire visit.
  • Face masks must be worn at all times once inside the building. Masks can be provided by Franke Tobey Jones or you can choose to bring your own.
  • All visitors must practice appropriate hand hygiene which includes washing hands and/or using hand sanitizer upon entering and exiting the resident room.
  • Visitors will receive training or information on proper PPE utilization and disposal, hand hygiene, and social distancing protocol. See requirements listed below.
  • No eating or drinking is allowed during the visit.
  • Visitation may only occur if the resident is not under precautions for suspected or confirmed COVID illness or in quarantine status. Visitation will be suspended immediately if there is a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 outbreak.
  • Visitors must attest that they are adhering to all infection control guidelines in the community including following current state restrictions on gatherings.
  • If the visitor fails to follow the facility’s infection control protocols, reminder and re-education will be implemented. Continued failure to follow infection control protocol after re-education efforts will result in the visitor being restricted from visitation. The visitor will be given information that could assist them in being able to resume visits such as contact information for the ombudsman, local health jurisdiction as well as the facility’s expectation for infection control precautions that must be followed.

Infection Control Guidelines

  1. Face Masks – Disposable or cloth face masks must be worn at all times while inside the building. The face mask must cover your mouth and nose at all times. If needed, FTJ can supply you with a disposable face mask.
  2. Hand Hygiene – You must wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before and after your visit.
  3. Social Distancing – You must maintain at lease 6 feet of distance from all other residents and staff during your visit.

 


March 18, 2021

We are happy to announce that Washington State DSHS and DOH updated the Safe Start for Long Term Care Recommendations and Requirements (Safe Start) for Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing to expand visitor access in all long-term care facilities.  Resuming indoor visits is a celebrated step towards doing things we enjoy with others.  The complete Visitation Policy is at the end of this update for your information and review.  This Visitation Policy must be signed each time you visit a FTJ resident.  The Policy highlights are that two visitors at a time will now be allowed in our care areas for two hours a day, seven days a week.  No appointment is necessary, each person must take the health screen upon arrival, masks and face shields must be worn at all times, visitors must stay in the resident room for the duration of the visit and social distancing rules apply.  This policy is effective Monday, March 22nd.

Additionally, when residents leave the community, a 14-day quarantine upon return is no longer required for fully vaccinated residents.

Starting Monday, March 22nd our Guest Cottages will be available for guests needing to stay overnight.  You can make reservations at the front desk by calling 253-752-6621.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 

Visitation Policy For Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing

Washington State DSHS and DOH updated the Safe Start for Long Term Care Recommendations and Requirements (Safe Start) for Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing to expand visitor access in all long-term care facilities.  

These guidelines represent our first Visitation Policy under the updated Safe Start guidance and may change based on updated guidance and visitor compliance. Visitation rules and guidelines are based on which phase of the Safe Start plan we are in. The phases of the Safe Start plan are separate and independent of the Health Washington Roadmap to Recovery plan. According to the Safe Start plan we are in Phase 1 and will remain in Phase 1 until the Pierce County case rate drops below 75 cases/100,000 people for the past 14 days. Based on Phase 1 guidelines in the Safe Start plan, the following rules apply to anyone visiting a resident from outside the building the resident lives.

Effective March 22nd, 2021:

·         Visitors must sign this policy and will receive a copy of this policy at every visit.

·         This policy is applicable to all visitors in Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled nursing.

·         Visitors will be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 and must sign in prior to entry and sign out when leaving.

·         All visits must take place in the resident room only. Visitors may not go to any other area of the building including the dining room, common areas, etc. Going outside for walks around campus are allowed otherwise visitors must stay in the resident room.

·         Visitors will be limited to no more than 2 people per resident room/apartment per visit. There is no limit to how many visitors a resident can have per day as long as it does not exceed 2 people at any one time.

·         Visitation can be up to 2 hours in length in all areas. We encourage visitors to avoid meal times so residents can eat uninterrupted.

o   Assisted Living – Visits must start no earlier than 9:00am and be completed by 7:00pm Monday through Friday and 6:30pm Saturday and Sunday.

o   Memory Care and Skilled Nursing – Visits must start no earlier than 9:00am and be completed by 5:00pm Monday through Friday and 4:00pm Saturday and Sunday.

·         Visitors may touch and hug residents as long as the resident has been fully vaccinated and PPE is worn by both the resident and visitor at all times.

·         Other than hugging, all visitors must remain 6 feet apart from all other residents and staff throughout the entire visit.

·         PPE (mask and eye protection) must be worn at all times once inside the building. Masks can be provided by Franke Tobey Jones or you can choose to bring your own. Eye protection (goggles or face shield) must be provided by the visitor. Eyeglasses are not sufficient eye protection.

·         All visitors must practice appropriate hand hygiene which includes washing hands and/or using hand sanitizer upon entering and exiting the resident room.

·         Visitors will receive training or information on proper PPE utilization and disposal, hand hygiene, and social distancing protocol.

·         No eating or drinking is allowed during the visit.

·         Visitation may only occur if the resident is not under precautions for suspected or confirmed COVID illness or in quarantine status. Visitation will be suspended immediately if there is a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 outbreak.

·         Visitors must attest that they are adhering to all infection control guidelines in the community including following current state restrictions on gatherings.

·         If the visitor fails to follow the facility’s infection control protocols, reminder and re-education will be implemented. Continued failure to follow infection control protocol after re-education efforts will result in the visitor being restricted from visitation. The visitor will be given information that could assist them in being able to resume visits such as contact information for the ombudsman, local health jurisdiction as well as the facility’s expectation for infection control precautions that must be followed.

Infection Control Guidelines

1.       Face Masks – Disposable or cloth face masks must be worn at all times while inside the building. The face mask must cover your mouth and nose at all times. If needed, FTJ can supply you with a disposable face mask.

2.       Eye Protection – A face shield or goggles must be worn at all times while inside the building. Eyeglasses are not considered to be adequate eye protection. You must supply your own eye protection.

3.       Hand Hygiene – You must wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before and after your visit.

4.       Social Distancing – You must maintain at lease 6 feet of distance from all other residents and staff during your visit.

 


March 11, 2021

We have great news.  Residents and staff in assisted living have tested negative for COVID this week, so residents are able to move freely as they were previously.  Tomorrow, 3/12, the dining room will open in the morning and ESP visits will resume.  ESP visits require an appointment and remember to bring a face shield and mask.  To make an ESP appointment, please contact Jessica Rueber at 253-756-6313 Monday through Friday 8am-5pm.  After hours and on weekends please call the LP front desk at 253-752-6621.  Small group activities will resume Saturday.  Salon services will also resume per the salon schedule.  Even though residents and staff are being vaccinated, we continue to follow DOH and CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19 including wearing masks, social distancing and washing hands.

As you may have heard in the news, CMS and CDC have announced updated COVID guidance.  We are aware of this new guidance and are awaiting updated information from the Washington DOH and DSHS.  The Safe Start guidance we follow is more stringent than the updated CMS/CDC guidance and therefore we are obligated to follow the state guidance.  This means that visitation rules for assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care have not changed.  However, independent living residents may have up to five visitors in their apartment from one other household.  We ask that each person take the health screen and sign into the visitor log book.

We’ve had inquiries regarding the Guest Cottage opening.  At this time, the Guest Cottage remains closed except for unique situations such as family staying at FTJ for end-of-life visits.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


March 8, 2021

We want to inform you that an Assisted Living staff member has tested positive for COVID-19 at Franke Tobey Jones.  This team member last worked on Friday, 3/5/21 and is quarantined at home.  Following guidance from the Pierce County Health Department, we will be testing all assisted living residents and staff this week on March 10.

Residents in assisted living are being asked to quarantine in their rooms as much as possible and to minimize interactions between residents. We have discontinued group activities in this area as well as in-person dining and salon services. Residents are allowed to leave campus for essential business, but we strongly encourage everyone staying home if they can. The risk assessment tool will continued to be used to assess the level of risk. The Essential Support Person program in assisted living is put on hold until further notice. Window visits are still allowed, and housekeeping services will continue in a limited fashion.  Independent residents and staff are still able to use the Wellness Center. 

We continue to follow the various guidelines set forth to stop the spread of COVID-19 as provided by the Washington Department of Health (DOH), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Our team has been diligent in following all the protocols and we are proud of their efforts to keep the case count so low.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


March 4, 2021

The sun is shining and it’s feeling more and more like spring.  We’re all ready!  With that said, outdoor visits are still being offered for independent residents, and window and virtual visits for assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care residents.

Next week we are launching an “Essential Support Person” program in assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing where one family member per resident can be designated for indoor visitation. For assisted living and memory care, the visits will happen in a designated area, not in the resident room, and are limited to one visit per week for 45 minutes. In skilled nursing, visits will take place in the resident room and can occur up to three times per week. Face masks and eye protection (face shield or goggles which you need to bring with you) must be worn at all times and six-foot social distancing guidelines must be adhered to with no physical contact.  For more information and to schedule a visit, please call Jessica Rueber at 253-756-6313 Monday through Friday 8am-5pm. After hours and on weekends please call the LP front desk at 253-752-6621.

Other good news, our dining rooms and salons are open and small group activities have also begun, with limits to the number participating to allow for social distancing.   

We are still receiving calls regarding if our campus is open now because Pierce County moved to Phase II of the Governor’s Healthy Washington-Roadmap to Recovery Safe Start Plan.  The answer is no as FTJ continues to follow the DSHS/DOH Safe Start for Long Term Care requirements.  And, even though residents and staff have been given their second vaccine dose, we continue to follow DOH and CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19 including wearing masks, social distancing and washing hands.  We will keep you updated with any changes regarding campus visitation or activities. 

If you would like to watch our new FTJ Clean and Safe video click here.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


February 18, 2021

The final COVID-19 vaccine clinic at FTJ was successfully held yesterday for independent residents and team members. In total, 604 vaccine doses were given.  Once again, the process went very smooth, and the CVS vaccination team members were kind and professional.  We would like to thank CVS and the opportunity to participate in the Federal Pharmacy Partnership Program. It was wonderful to be able to vaccinate our residents and staff on-site.

Even though residents and staff have been given their second vaccine dose, we continue to follow DOH and CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19 including wearing masks, social distancing and washing hands, including no visitors.  Also, a process has been put into place for all staff to be routinely tested for COVID-19.  We have some additional good news.  We have begun the process of reopening dining rooms in Assisted Living, Skilled Nursing and the Tobey Jones building. Additionally, small-group activities are also restarting. There are lots of new rules and guidelines put in place by DOH that must be followed, and our teams are working diligently to keep all our residents safe.

We’ve had several questions regarding if our campus is open now because Pierce County moved to Phase II of the Governor’s Safe Start Plan.  The answer is no as we are still following the DOH Safe Start for Long Term Care requirements.  We will keep you updated with any changes regarding campus visitation or activities.  We continue to offer virtual and window visits.  Please call the front desk at 253-752-6621 to schedule your window visit.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


February 8, 2021

Why You Should Still Wear A Mask and Avoid Crowds After Getting the COVID-19 Vaccine

 


REVISED February 4, 2021 Update

We wanted to clarify that the outdoor visits at this time are only available for independent residents.  It’s too cold for our residents in assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing.

We apologize for the mis-communication.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

 Judy Dunn, President and CEO


February 4, 2021

The second COVID-19 vaccine clinic at FTJ was successfully held on January 27th.  Staff and independent residents received their first vaccine dose, and residents in assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing received their second vaccine dose.  In total, 303 vaccines were given that day.  The process went very smooth, and the CVS vaccination team members were kind, gentle and professional.  The final FTJ vaccine clinic will be held on February 17th where staff and independent residents will receive their second vaccine dose.

Even though residents and staff are being vaccinated, we continue to follow DOH and CDC guidelines regarding COVID-19 including wearing masks, social distancing and washing hands, including no visitors. Starting this week, a process has been put into place for all staff to be routinely tested for COVID-19.

We’ve had several questions regarding if our campus is open now because Pierce County moved to Phase II of the Governor’s Safe Start Plan.  The answer is no as we are still following the DOH Safe Start for Long Term Care requirements.  We will keep you updated with any changes regarding campus activities.  We continue to offer virtual, window and outside visits.  Please call the front desk at 253-752-6621 to schedule window or outside visits.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


January 13, 2021

We are excited to report that the COVID-19 vaccines have been approved for all independent living residents at Franke Tobey Jones. This is such good news! Independent residents who have given consent will receive their first vaccination on January 31st and the second dose on February 21st.

Residents in assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing giving consent to be vaccinated recently received their first dose on January 10th. The second dose will be administered on January 31st. Staff giving consent will start receiving vaccines on January 20th. The partnership with CVS Pharmacy who has been administering the Pfizer vaccine, has been efficient. We appreciate their organization and smooth-running program.

All assisted living residents and staff who were tested on January 11th for COVID have resulted negative. There is currently no suspected positive COVID cases at FTJ.

We are continuing to follow DOH and Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department guidelines regarding visitations, dining, activities, etc. Many have asked if things will be changing or “opening up” more since the residents and staff are getting the vaccine. We have not received any new guidance regarding a change in regulations. Once we know more we will be sure to share.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


January 6, 2021

Happy New Year.  We hope you had a happy and safe celebration.  The good news is that skilled nursing and memory care residents and staff are COVID free.  However, the latest COVID test results from January 4th of assisted living residents and staff resulted in one direct care agency staff member testing positive.  This team member works only for Franke Tobey Jones, had not worked here for more than 48 hours prior to the positive test result and is currently isolating at home.  Our next testing will be on January 11.  As a reminder, the location for assisted living window visits has moved to the front of the Lillian Pratt building by the parlor.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic we have had a total of 23 cases of COVID-19 residents and staff on campus. Cumulative numbers as of today (including the new positive agency staff member above) are:

  • Total: 23 cases – 9 Residents; 14 staff
  • Skilled Nursing Residents
    • Total Residents: 8
    • Residents who have recovered: 7
    • Residents who have passed away: 1
  • Assisted Living Residents
    • Total Residents: 1
    • Residents currently recovering: 1
    • Residents who have passed away: 0
  • Memory Care Residents
    • Total Residents: 0
  • Staff
    • Total Staff: 14 (9 FTJ Staff, 4 Agency Staff, 1 Contract Staff)
    • Staff who have recovered and returned to work: 13
    • Staff recovering at home: 1
    • Staff who have passed away: 0

We are looking forward to our residents and staff being vaccinated.  The upcoming vaccine dates for assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing residents will be January 10 and January 31 or January 31 and February 21.  Vaccine dates for staff are either January 20 and February 10, or February 10 and March 3.  CVS Pharmacy will be administering the Pfizer vaccine, which requires two doses 21 days apart.  For additional vaccine updates, please check the homepage of our website.

Once again, thank you for your ongoing support as we navigate the many phases of this pandemic.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


December 31, 2020

The latest COVID testing results from Monday, 12/28 have been received. The good news is all residents and staff in the Care Center tested negative with the exception of one pending result. One resident in Assisted Living was tested and the result was positive. The next testing dates will be Monday, 1/4 and 1/11, for residents and staff in Assisted Living. A few changes to note: Salon services in all locations will be temporarily cancelled while testing continues. The location for Assisted Living window visits will move to the front of the Lillian Pratt building, by the parlor, effective Monday 1/4.

We hope you have a safe transition into the New Year, and that 2021 will be a year of health, peace and joy for everyone. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,
Judy Dunn, President and CEO


December 29

We have great news to share with you.  The results of last week’s COVID-19 testing of Care Center residents and staff were all negative.  Test results from Monday 12/28 are still pending.  The next testing date will be determined upon latest results.

We have finally received dates for assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing residents and staff vaccinations. Residents (AL, MC, SN) choosing to receive the vaccine will be vaccinated on January 10th and January 31st. If you have not yet been contacted regarding consent for yourself or your loved one you will be soon. Staff choosing to receive the vaccine will be vaccinated on either January 20th and February 10th or February 10th and March 3rd. As you may know, the Pfizer vaccine requires two doses 21 days apart.  You can always find the latest vaccine information on our website at https://www.franketobeyjones.com/covid19vaccine/

Turning the calendar to 2021 is a welcome sight for all of us.  With the vaccine on the horizon we surely have renewed hope that 2021 will be a healthier year for everyone.  In the meantime, we must remain vigilant with all our safety precautions on and off campus.  We value ALL your daily efforts to keep yourself and FTJ residents and staff safe and healthy.  It has been a monumental effort this year and will continue to be until herd immunity is the norm.

We hope you have a safe transition into the New Year, and that 2021 will be a year of health, peace and joy for everyone. 

Once again, thank you!  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


December 24

This year we’re not able to celebrate the holidays together in person, but we still want to share with you our beautifully decorated buildings and campus.  Click here to see our FTJ Holiday Trees, Merriment and Lights video.  We hope you enjoy it!

For your reference, this week we’ve added several links on our website homepage COVID-19 vaccine information tab.  COVID-19 Vaccine Information

The results of the latest COVID-19 testing of Care Center residents and staff are still pending. We will be testing again on Monday 12/28.

The upcoming holidays will be very different this year than ever before.  We’d like to remind you about the gathering guidelines laid out by the governor:

1.       Indoor Social Gatherings with people from outside your household are prohibited unless they (a) quarantine for fourteen (14) days prior to the social gathering; or (b) quarantine for seven (7) days prior to the social gathering and receive a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 48-hours prior to the gathering.  A household is defined as individuals residing the same domicile.

Outdoor Social Gatherings shall be limited to five (5) people from outside your household.
3.       Long-term Care Facilities:  Outdoor visits are permitted.  Indoor visits are prohibited, but individual exceptions for end-of-life care are permitted.  If a resident leaves the FTJ campus they must complete the Risk Assessment and may be subject to a 14-day quarantine upon return.

Also, please continue to wear your mask, frequently wash your hands, maintain social distancing and avoid high risk gatherings. Please feel free to schedule a virtual visit or outdoor visit if weather permits.

It’s hard to believe that Christmas is on Friday!  We hope that all of you have a nice celebration however you can do it safely.  From all of us at Franke Tobey Jones, we wish you and your loved ones a very happy and healthy holiday season.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


December 17

This week FTJ residents and team members have been enjoying another week of holiday Merriment including receiving a variety of holiday items and all kinds of festive hot and cold drinks.  It’s been a lot of fun!  The FTJ Holiday Tree, Merriment and Lights video will be complete early next week, so you can enjoy our festive atmosphere.

We’ve added a new easy-to-reference COVID-19 vaccine information tab on the home page of our website where you will find the latest vaccine updates at www.franketobeyjones.com/covid19/vaccine.

The latest COVID-19 testing of 140 residents and staff were all negative.  We will be testing again on Monday 12/21 and possibly 12/28.

As the holidays approach we know that it’s going to be a lot different this year than ever before.  We’d like to remind you about the gathering guidelines laid out by the governor:

1.       Indoor Social Gatherings with people from outside your household are prohibited unless they (a) quarantine for fourteen (14) days prior to the social gathering; or (b) quarantine for seven (7) days prior to the social gathering and receive a negative COVID-19 test result no more than 48-hours prior to the gathering.  A household is defined as individuals residing the same domicile.

Outdoor Social Gatherings shall be limited to five (5) people from outside your household.
3.       Long-term Care Facilities:  Outdoor visits are permitted.  Indoor visits are prohibited, but individual exceptions for end-of-life care are permitted.  If a resident leaves the FTJ campus they must complete the Risk Assessment and may be subject to a 14-day quarantine upon return.

Also, please continue to wear your mask, frequently wash your hands and adhere to social distancing. Please feel free to schedule a virtual visit or outdoor visit if weather permits.

Despite the challenges this holiday season, we hope that you are able to enjoy the season. As always, thank you for your ongoing support as we continue to navigate this pandemic together.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


December 10

We’ve been having a fun time hosting the Merriment festivities across campus this week to all residents and team members.  Each day everyone can pick up a small gift, food treat and beverage.  Stockings were hung in all our buildings with a resident’s name on each one.  Staff and residents can put cards and treats in the stockings if they so choose.  We’ve also been posting resident’s and staff’s favorite holiday memory or something in which they are grateful.  We hope the Merriment program is bringing lots of good cheer and joy for everyone!  We’ll again be hosting Merriment every day next week. 

In addition to Merriment, 19 beautifully decorated trees have been put up across campus and they look lovely!  We are producing a video which will show many of the trees and decorations, so even though residents can’t go from building to building this year to see the beautiful holiday decorations, the video will be shared so everyone can enjoy the festive atmosphere.

This week’s COVID testing for Care Center staff and residents resulted in all negative results, with one inconclusive result for an outside staff member.  This individual is getting retested today.  Following Tacoma-Pierce County Department of Health guidance, testing will continue for residents and staff in the Care Center on 12/14.

With the COVID vaccine on the horizon everyone is excited and has lots of questions.  We don’t have a lot of details yet, but here is what we do know.  FTJ has registered with the CDC program through the WA Department of Health for the pharmacy partnership for Long Term Care providers to receive vaccines for residents and staff.  The pharmacy is responsible for the management of obtaining the vaccine and related supplies, storage and administration.  The pharmacy also schedules and coordinates the process.  We have not yet heard how the CDC or WA DOH will be allocating the vaccine resources that Washington State will receive.  These organizations are working on the details and we hope to learn more in the coming weeks. At this point, we hope our allocation of vaccines will include our independent residents. Certainly, as we learn more we will pass this along to our residents and staff.

We hope that you are enjoying the holidays even through this unprecedented time.  As always, thank you for your ongoing support as we continue to navigate this pandemic together. 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


December 3

We hope that you had a nice Thanksgiving holiday.  Our residents enjoyed a wonderful turkey dinner with all the trimmings in which we’ve gotten excellent reviews.  We’d like to thank our entire dining team for this delightful meal.

Regarding our COVID testing, this week we had one direct-care staff member test positive; however, this person has not worked here since November 26.  This person has been notified and will self-quarantine at home.  Following Tacoma-Pierce County Department of Health guidance, testing will continue for residents and staff in the Care Center the next two weeks on 12/7 and 12/14.

 On Monday, December 7th we kick off our 10 Days of Merriment for every resident and every team member to enjoy.  Everything from holiday cookies, mugs, stockings, peppermint treats, fruitcake, holiday masks, gingerbread and more.  This is our way of spreading some holiday cheer across our campus in a holiday season that will be very different than in the past.  We hope it will bring some joy to everyone at Franke Tobey Jones.

As always, thank you for your ongoing support as we continue to navigate this pandemic together.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO

 


November 25

This week we’d like to start off by sharing some good news. On Monday, the remaining resident finished their quarantine period and was able to return to their room. The COVID wing is now empty and closed. Monday’s COVID testing resulted in 2 staff with positive results, one a direct- care staff and one a non-direct care staff member. These 2 staff members have been notified and will self-quarantine at home. Following Tacoma-Pierce County Department of Health guidance, testing will continue for residents and staff in the Care Center the next two weeks on 11/30 and 12/7.

During this time of Thanksgiving, we give thanks to our wonderful residents, resident family members and team members.  Have a lovely, socially distanced and healthy Thanksgiving!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


November 21

This is an update regarding the Thanksgiving Holiday sent from our state association LeadingAge WA.

Letter to Family Residents Staff Thanksgiving – LeadingAge WA


November 21

As you are all aware, Governor Inslee recently updated COVID guidelines and restrictions. Considering this announcement, we have modified FTJ operations to include:

  • Closing the Tobey Jones Building dining room. Residents can pick up their meals from the dining room.
  • Until further notice all exercise classes held in the Wellness Center and TJ Solarium are canceled. Use of the Wellness Center/exercise equipment is limited to one resident/one household at a time and must be scheduled in advance. Exercise classes will soon be offered via Zoom meetings. The FTJ Fitness team is working hard to create classes that will be appropriate and safe to do in your own home.
  • Senior University classes will now be entirely via Zoom meetings. Any classes that were being held in the TJ Parlor or Wellness Center are either canceled or available via Zoom.

Starting the week of November 23 virtual visits will be incorporated into the visitation schedule. We will be offering virtual visits on Tuesdays and Thursdays and window visits on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Please call the reception desk to schedule at 253-752-6621. We are also working on some “Merriment” for our residents during the month of December – all within the state and CDC guidelines.

The latest COVID testing took place on November 18. All residents and staff that were tested were negative. There are two results still outstanding. We were notified that a direct-care agency staff member, tested outside of Franke Tobey Jones, did test positive for COVID this week. Of the previous positive results, only one resident is waiting for their quarantine period to end in the COVID unit before returning to their room. This will hopefully happen early this next week. One staff member continues to self-quarantine at home and should return to work early this week.

Following the recommendation of Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, testing will continue November 23rd and 30th for Skilled Nursing and Memory Care residents and staff working in the Care Center building. The increasing number of COVID-19 cases in Pierce County impacts the risk of exposure outside of FTJ. Please continue to be vigilant in your efforts to follow all recommended guidelines.

Thanksgiving is next week, and as mentioned in last week’s update, it will look a lot different this year. Please refer to the COVID Holiday Guidelines that were part of last week’s update. Any travel increases the chance of exposure to COVID-19, so staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others. We will be providing our residents with a lovely Thanksgiving meal which is always a real treat.  

LeadingAge Washington, our state association for non-profit aging providers, has provided information for the upcoming holiday that can be found here.  Letter to Family Residents Staff Thanksgiving – LeadingAge WA

We wish you a very happy Thanksgiving, even though it will be different this year. Our thoughts and hearts are with our residents, resident family members and team members to have a safe and healthy holiday.  As always, thank you for your ongoing support as we continue to navigate this pandemic together.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


November 14

The latest COVID testing took place on November 11. We have two additional positive results. One is a resident in skilled nursing and one is a non-clinical staff member. We are happy to report that 5 residents have transitioned out of the COVID unit and back to their rooms.  Sadly, one resident with underlying medical conditions passed away.  Our thoughts go out to the family during this difficult time.  Some staff members have returned to work while others continue to self-quarantine at home following CDC guidance for return to work.

Testing will continue, following the recommendation of Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, and will take place November 18 as well as the following week for Skilled Nursing and Memory Care residents and staff working in the Care Center building. 

Pierce County is seeing an increasing number of COVID-19 cases, which impacts the risk of exposure outside of FTJ.  It’s time to renew our commitment to reducing the spread of the virus in our community.

We will continue to provide you with periodic updates with as much information as we can regarding our efforts to combat COVID-19.  We thank our team members for their efforts in following the protocols set in place.  On behalf of our entire Franke Tobey Jones community, thank you for your continued patience and support. 

Starting the week of November 23 virtual visits will be incorporated into the visitation schedule.  We will be offering virtual visits on Tuesdays and Thursdays and window visits on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  Please call the reception desk to schedule at 253-752-6621.

The holiday season is coming soon, and we know it’s a time when many families gather and travel long distances to celebrate together.  We all look forward to this festive time of year and the opportunity to be with those that we love.  But this year it will need to be a bit different to prevent the spread of COVID 19.  Since traveling, near or far, increases the chance of exposure to COVID-19, staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others.  The Governor has recently released travel guidance for the holiday season.  Please know that we are working on some ideas to bring some merriment to our residents and team members during this challenging holiday season, as we all love the traditions that make the holidays so special! 

Our hope is that all our residents, team members and resident family members will be able to enjoy this holiday season…even though it will be very different.  As always, thank you for your ongoing support as we continue to navigate this pandemic together.

As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


November 6

This week’s COVID testing took place on November 4, with two additional positive cases: one resident and one non-direct care staff member, both in Skilled Nursing. The resident is being moved into the COVID unit. We are happy to report that one resident is able to transition out of the COVID unit and back to their room. All other COVID positive residents remain stable at this time. Staff members continue to self-quarantine at home and follow CDC guidance for return to work.

Testing will continue, following the recommendation of Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, and will take place November 11 and November 18 for Skilled Nursing and Memory Care residents and staff working in the Care Center building. We thank our team members for all their efforts in following protocols in place.

Window visits for Skilled Nursing and Memory Care residents have resumed on a limited basis. The location for Skilled Nursing has changed and is now by the dining room courtyard; please follow the signs. We know how important these visits are to both families and residents and appreciate your patience during these changing times.

We will continue to provide you with periodic updates with as much information as we can regarding our efforts to combat COVID-19. We thank our team members for their efforts in following the protocols set in place. On behalf of our entire Franke Tobey Jones community, thank you for your continued patience and support.

As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


October 30

We want to share updated information regarding the current status of COVID cases at FTJ.  After our testing on Wednesday, October 28th we have no additional residents who have tested positive for COVID. We still have a total of six skilled nursing residents confirmed with COVID-19. Five of them remain in our COVID isolation unit and one remains in the hospital. All six residents remain stable at this time. This week’s testing did identify three staff members that have tested positive for COVID.  Two are FTJ team members and one agency staff. One FTJ team member and the agency staff provide direct clinical care and one FTJ team member is non-clinical.

Following the recommendation of Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, testing will take place November 4 and November 11 for Skilled Nursing and Memory Care residents and staff working in the Care Center building. We thank our team members for all their efforts in following protocols in place.

As you know, we have had to discontinue window visits in skilled nursing and memory care. This situation is currently being evaluated and we hope to have an update early next week.

The question has been raised, “What happens if an independent resident tests positive?” In this case, the resident would isolate in their apartment and contact their doctor. We could also admit them to the COVID unit in our skilled nursing if there was a room available.

We will continue to provide you with periodic updates with as much information as we can regarding our efforts to combat COVID-19.  Our team has been diligent in following the protocols set in place, and we are proud of their efforts to keep the case count so low.  On behalf of our entire Franke Tobey Jones community, thank you for your continued patience and support. 

We fully understand the unpredictability of this ongoing COVID situation. We sincerely appreciate your continued patience as we find our way through these ever-changing guidelines.

As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


October 26

We want to inform you that we have a resident in Skilled Nursing who tested positive for COVID.  This resident was transferred to the hospital for supportive care and appears to be stable.  Two other residents in Skilled Nursing have mild symptoms and have been moved to our Care Center COVID unit while waiting test results.  The families of these three residents have been informed. We have been in touch with Tacoma Pierce County Health Department and follow their guidance on upcoming testing this Wednesday and next week for residents in Skilled Nursing, Memory Care and staff in the Care Center building.

We will continue to provide you with periodic updates with as much information as we can regarding our efforts to combat COVID-19.  Our team has been diligent in following the protocols set in place, and we are proud of their efforts to keep the case count so low.  On behalf of our entire Franke Tobey Jones community, thank you for your continued patience and support. 

As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham our COO.

253-752-6621. 

jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


October 23

We want to inform you that we have our third case of COVID-19 at Franke Tobey Jones.  We learned one agency staff member recently tested positive and is quarantined at home.  This employee is a direct care provider, last worked on October 20 and did not display any symptoms at work.  This agency staff has only worked at Franke Tobey Jones. We are working closely with Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department and are following their recommendations and testing guidance. We will be testing residents in skilled nursing and memory care and all staff working in the Care Center next week and the following week. Updates will follow regarding the results of testing.

Please know that we continue to follow guidance set forth to stop the spread of COVID-19 as provided by the various regulatory authorities.  These protocols include screening, wearing masks and appropriate PPE, rigorous disinfecting and limiting access to areas on campus.  A reminder, the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPPA) protects medical data; we are unable to share specific details.

Franke Tobey Jones appreciates your understanding as we continue to vigorously enforce the state’s decision to restrict all visits into skilled nursing and memory care at this time.  This is certainly frustrating when wanting to see loved ones, but we want to do everything in our power to keep our residents healthy.  We continue to encourage family members to communicate regularly through your FTJ Personal Concierge team member, video calls, phone calls and emails.  For more information on scheduling virtual visitation, please contact your Personal Concierge team member or call 253-752-6621.

We will continue to provide you with periodic updates with as much information as we can regarding our efforts to combat COVID-19.  Our team has been diligent in following the protocols set in place, and we are proud of their efforts to keep the case count so low.  On behalf of our entire Franke Tobey Jones community, thank you for your continued patience and support.  

As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham our COO.

253-752-6621.  jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


October 13

Last week we implemented our second round of COVID 19 testing for team members as well as residents in assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing.  We are happy to report that all staff and residents tested negative. This is fabulous news again.

You may remember prior to the positive test a couple weeks ago, we had started small group activities and communal dining in assisted living. This was due to being in Phase 2 of the Safe Start Plan for Long Term Care which is based on COVID-19 case counts in Pierce County. Over the past two weeks the case counts in Pierce County have escalated to the point that we are now back in Phase 1 of the Safe Start Plan for Long Term Care. Because of this we are currently not allowed to conduct small group activities or communal dining in skilled nursing or assisted living areas.

It’s that time of year when the weather is getting unpredictable with intermittent sun and showers. However, we are still open for window visits. Our window visit areas are covered, so if you would still like to visit in the unpredictable weather, please make a reservation with our receptionist at 253-752-6621. If you prefer not to brave the elements, we are still offering virtual visits which you can schedule with your Personal Concierge.

We fully understand the unpredictability of this ongoing COVID situation. We sincerely appreciate your continued patience as we find our way through these ever-changing guidelines. As things change we will continue to provide updates to keep everyone informed.

As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to reach out via email to me (jdunn@franketobeyjones.com) or Bob Beckham (bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com) or by phone at 253-752-6621.

Thank you,

Judy Dunn, President and CEO


October 5

This is an update to our last COVID update in which we reported a team member testing positive for COVID.  

Last Wednesday and Thursday we tested all staff and residents in Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing for COVID-19, and we want to report that all results came back negative

This is phenomenal news and a direct result of everyone’s hard work and attention to mask wearing, hand washing and social distancing. We sincerely thank all of our staff and family members for their continued hard work and diligence in protecting our residents as well as yourselves, your coworkers and your families. 

We have all heard the term “COVID fatigue.” We have been at this for a long time and it can be easy to get lazy with social distancing or mask wearing. We want to stress the continued importance of these measures. They do make a difference.

We will repeat testing this Wednesday and Thursday for all staff and residents in Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing.

As always, if you have questions, please either contact me or Bob Beckham our COO  at 253-752-6621 or jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com.

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


September 28

We want to inform you that a staff member has tested positive for COVID-19 at Franke Tobey Jones.  This team member last worked on September 24th and is quarantined at home.  This employee interacted with residents in Assisted Living and Memory Care. It is not possible to determine exactly which residents did or did not come in contact with this staff member. We are working closely with Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department for next steps which will include at least two rounds of testing.  Residents in Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing will be tested on October 1st and October 8th.  All staff members will also be tested on these dates.  Independent residents are not required to be tested.

Residents in Skilled Nursing, Assisted Living and Memory Care are being asked to quarantine in their rooms as much as possible and to minimize interactions between residents. Unfortunately, residents in these areas are not able to venture outside for walks at this time. We have discontinued group activities in these areas as well as the group dining that just restarted in Assisted Living. Telemedicine should be utilized whenever possible and non-medically necessary trips off campus should be avoided.  The risk assessment tool will be continued to be used to assess the level of risk.

We continue to follow the various guidelines set forth to stop the spread of COVID-19 as provided by the Washington Department of Health (DOH), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  These protocols include screening, wearing masks and appropriate PPE, rigorous disinfecting and limiting access to areas on campus.  A reminder, the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPPA) protects medical data; we are unable to share more details.

Franke Tobey Jones appreciates your understanding as we continue to follow the requirements to keep both our residents and team members healthy.  We encourage family members to communicate regularly through your FTJ Personal Concierge team member, with virtual visits, phone calls and emails.  Outdoor visits have been paused for Assisted Living, Memory Care and Skilled Nursing residents.  Areas for window visits are being determined; more information will be shared as soon as available.  Independent residents can continue outdoor visits at this time.

Our team has been diligent in following all the protocols and we are proud of their efforts to keep the case count so low.  On behalf of our entire Franke Tobey Jones community, I want to thank each of you for your continued support.   

As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham our COO at 253-752-6621 or email at jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com.

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


September 10

We are excited to announce that we are now in Phase 2 of the Safe Start for Long Term Care guidelines. The Phase 2 opening will mostly effect activities and dining.

Activities

Beginning on Wednesday September 9th group activities began in the care areas following the guidelines.  Masks will be required for all participants, social distancing will be observed throughout groups and extra sanitizing will occur.  Groups are limited to no more than 10 people total.  Activities will take place on a regular basis unless COVID cases increase to the point that we need to move back into Phase 1. Residents must still stay in their own buildings for activities unless walking outside.

Dining

The dining rooms in Lillian Pratt, Tobey Jones and Skilled Nursing will begin operating on a limited basis on the following dates. More information to be provided before the dining rooms open.

  • September 24th           Tobey Jones Building
  • September 25th           Lillian Pratt
  • September 30th           Skilled nursing

The outdoor visitation program is going well.  In the first two weeks we had 254 visitors which was wonderful.  We apologize for having to cancel visitations this week, but the wind and poor air quality (Pierce County was on Red Alert status) has made outdoor visits unsafe for our vulnerable/sensitive population.  We are doing everything we can to keep our residents safe which I know you can understand.  Thank you for your patience.

Again, we genuinely appreciate the support that we have received from our families, residents  and team members.

As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham our COO.

253-752-6621.  jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


September 3

Hello and welcome to September!  The weather remains absolutely spectacular, which is great news for those wanting to visit your loved one at Franke Tobey Jones!  It has been ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL to see resident family members and friends here once again.  We’re thrilled that so many of you are taking this opportunity to see your loved ones.  We’d like to clarify some aspects of the visitation policy, and feel free to call the front desk 253-752-6621 with questions: 

  • Please make sure the resident you wish to visit does not have a conflicting appointment during your scheduled visit.  If you need to cancel your visit appointment, PLEASE CALL and let us know.
  • Please do not arrive more than five minutes early and do not enter the buildings.
  • No Medical Appointments during visits.  Medical appointments cannot be taken care of or combined with visitations.
  • Only two visitors are allowed per visit, a child counts as 1 visitor.

Other good news…we remain safe and secure with no cases of COVID.  Thank you to this exceptional village of residents, team members, family members and friends who are making this happen.  We couldn’t do it without everyone’s diligence in abiding by the rules. 

We received great news this week. The Washington State Department of Health and DSHS have updated the Safe Start for Long Term Care guidelines. The new update allows communities to use the Risk Assessment tool for outings away from the community. Based on the Risk Assessment a 14 day quarantine may not be required after every trip away from Franke Tobey Jones. We are still working on finalizing all of the details of this process with the Tacoma Pierce County Health Department. The goal is to implement this plan starting Tuesday, September 8th. Additionally, Pierce County is getting very close to entering Phase 2 of the Safe Start for Long Term Care. Stay tuned for more details as they become available.

Once again, on behalf of our entire Franke Tobey Jones community, I want to thank each of you for your continued patience and support.  It is truly helping to keep us all safe and healthy.

As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham our COO.

253-752-6621jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


August 10

Good news!  We are opening our campus for visitations.  All guidelines must be followed.

Outdoor Visitation Guidelines for Residents/Families ~ Starting on Wednesday, August 12, 2020

Franke Tobey Jones is following DSHS & DOH Safe Start for Long Term Care requirements which include specific guidelines for visitations. FTJ has designated areas for resident and families to visit outdoors (weather permitting) that offer privacy and social distancing. Outdoor visit locations will be marked with bright green tape. Please adhere to the guidelines so that this privilege is not taken away. These guidelines are subject to change and are dependent on various criteria.

Basic Guidelines:

  • Families must make an appointment for Skilled Nursing (SN), Memory Care (MC) and Assisted Living (AL) at least 24 hours in advance.
  • Appointments will only need to be made for SN, MC and AL so that we can ensure the resident is outside and staff is available to monitor. Please call the Lillian Pratt front desk (253-752-6621) to make an appointment.
  • Residents in SN, MC & LP will be allowed two (2) visitors per visit, two (2) times a week during the hours of 9:30 to 3:30 Monday through Friday only. Visits are limited to half hour and dependent upon the availability. You will only be allowed to schedule a week at a time to allow for other visitors.
  • Check-in process will be done outside at your visitation area by the scheduled concierge. Please do not enter the buildings. Meet at your designated outdoor area.
  • Use of mask is required for all visitors and residents at all times.
  • Maintain six feet (6’) social distancing at all times. Please do not hug, kiss or touch your loved one.
  • Clean hands with hand sanitizer.
  • Please do not move chairs from marked spots.
  • Visitation must be supervised by an FTJ staff member for SN, MC and AL to ensure check-in (screening), and Contact Log are completed plus guidelines of social distancing, masks and disinfecting the surface areas are being adhered to.
  • Residents who live in the Duplexes, Bristol View, Garden Apartments and the Tobey Jones Building do not need to schedule an appointment but must adhere to guidelines in the designated independent resident visitation locations.

Locations for Outdoor Visits ~ All Locations Will Be Marked With Signs (see map below)

  • Skilled Nursing: North side entrance (covered) & Care Center garden circle by the Tobey Jones Building by the sundial.
  • Memory Care: Courtyard on Bristol St. (enclosed).  Staff will need to let family in through the gate.  There are two available tables.
  • Lillian Pratt: Outside parlor/main entrance on far left side under tent & west entrance under tent.
  • Independent Living:
    • Outside Tobey Jones Parlor and Tobey Jones gazebo
    • Courtyard between Tobey Jones and Bristol View
    • Both Duplex gazebos
    • Outside the north entrance of the Wellness Center (three) spots
    • Two locations at Bristol View fire pit and also the Bristol View south entrance (covered)

If you have questions, please call our front desk at 253-752-6621.

Outdoor Visitation Area Map


August 7

The spread of COVID-19 continues to impact many U.S. states, counties and cities.  This virus is highly contagious, and residents of senior living communities are at high risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19 infection.  It is everyone’s responsibility to follow sensible precautions to help protect our residents.  This includes staff, residents and their families.

The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), the Department of Health (DOH) and local health jurisdictions have provided updated requirements to help limit COVID-19 exposure in long-term care residential settings.  Programming changes are essential based on new guidance and the prevalence of the virus in the surrounding community.

Although Pierce County is in Phase 2 of Washington State’s Safe Start program, according to Washington’s Secretary of the Department of Health, long-term care communities in Pierce county are still in Phase 1 of the Safe Start for Long Term Care. We are still awaiting the final version of these guidelines in order to implement all of the necessary changes. We are aware of the potential for outdoor visitation but we have yet to receive the guidelines associated with this. As soon as the final guidelines are received we will share the new visitation procedures with everyone. We know everyone is excited at the prospect of visiting your loved ones and we ask for your continued patience as we develop these plans. At this time, visitation is still prohibited until further notice. We hope to provide this very soon.

A few things will change starting Monday, August 10th:

  1. Assisted Living group activities will discontinue.
  2. Assisted Living residents will be required to quarantine for 14 days if they leave the facility for any reason (medical and non-medical). Walks around campus or off-campus are allowed with masks and social distancing required. The 14 day quarantine does not apply to these walks.
  3. Wellness classes will be limited to 5 people and the equipment area will be limited to 3 people.

We continue to work diligently to create an enriching and safe living environment during these challenging times.  Dining services are available for delivery or pick up of meals. The salons are now open to residents.  Exercise opportunities are being offered.  Individual and hallway activities help keep residents engaged.  While indoor visits are still prohibited by the state (except for compassionate care situations) personal concierges are available to assist with video technology calls with families.

We thank you for your support in following changing procedures as they are announced.  Our top priority is the health and safety of those we serve.

As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham.

253-752-6621.

jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


July 31

Summer is finally upon us and we hope you are keeping cool and safe despite this heat.

In the last COVID update we reported that a staff member had tested positive for COVID and was quarantined at home.  This team member has completed the quarantine time period, tested negative and has returned to work.  All the contact tracing was also completed, and all these tests came back negative as well.  We are proud to say that we have no other new COVID cases to report.

As we continue to follow guidance set forth to stop the spread of COVID-19 as provided by the Washington Department of Health (DOH), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we are also waiting to hear from the State this week regarding the potential phased reopening plans for long-term care communities and what that will entail.  We will keep you informed with any reopening plans that are in the works.

Once again, on behalf of our entire Franke Tobey Jones community, I want to thank each of you for your continued patience and support.  It is truly helping to keep us all safe and healthy.

As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham our COO.

253-752-6621.  jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


July 17

We want to inform you that we have our first case of COVID-19 at Franke Tobey Jones.  We learned one staff member recently tested positive and is quarantined at home.  This employee is not a direct care provider, last worked on July 9 and did not display any symptoms at work.  We are working with Tacoma-Pierce County Department of Health for next steps.

Please know that we continue to follow guidance set forth to stop the spread of COVID-19 as provided by the Washington Department of Health (DOH), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  These protocols include screening, wearing masks and appropriate PPE, rigorous disinfecting and limiting access to areas on campus.  A reminder, the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPPA) protects medical data; we are unable to share names or locations.

Franke Tobey Jones appreciates your understanding as we continue to vigorously enforce the state’s decision to restrict all visits into the community at this time.  This is certainly frustrating when wanting to see loved ones, but we want to do everything in our power to keep our residents healthy.  We continue to encourage family members to communicate regularly through your FTJ Personal Concierge team member, FaceTime/Skype/ZOOM calls, phone calls and emails.  For more information on scheduling virtual visitation, please contact your Personal Concierge team member or call 253-752-6621.

We will continue to provide you with periodic updates with as much information as we can regarding our efforts to combat COVID-19.  Our team has been diligent in following the protocols set in place, and we are proud of their efforts to keep the case count so low.  On behalf of our entire Franke Tobey Jones community, I want to thank each of you for your continued patience and support.  It means a great deal to us.

As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham our COO.

253-752-6621.  jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


July 6

We hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable July 4th.  The year is marching on, and as attempts are made to reopen areas of Pierce County and Washington, we continue to be vigilant in our efforts to reduce risk to our senior population.

While visitors are not allowed on campus, we want to make sure that you are aware of the services we are offering to keep residents connected with families.  Please reach out to your Personal Concierge team member regarding any of these options, and we will organize for you.

  • Virtual meetings with families.
  • Picture taking and texting to your family or friends.
  • Virtual medical appointments with your physician.
  • Care package deliveries.

We continue to closely monitor state, CMS, CDC and DOH updates and guidelines and are adapting policies and procedures to follow these guidelines.  Residents can find information regarding limited activities in the weekly Tobey Topics newsletter.

Thank you again for being such positive and engaged members of our community.  It is our pleasure to serve you and your family.  Please feel free to reach out to me or Bob Beckham directly if you have any questions or concerns.  253-752-6621.

jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


 June 25

As we head into the last week of June, the summer weather is gracing us with glorious sunshine that is lifting spirits.  We hope that everyone has the opportunity to get outside and soak in the Vitamin D.  Residents on our campus have been sitting out in the sunshine as well and taking walks with their Personal Concierge team members and with our Activity and Wellness team members.

We are happy to report that we have tested all staff, assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care residents for COVID and all have tested negative.  We have also worked with an independent contractor to test nearly 75 percent of independent residents that volunteered to be tested, and those tests were all negative as well.  In all we tested 331 residents and staff and all 331 are negative.  Thank you to everyone who continues to follow recommended regulations.  These results reflect all the hard work!

Governor Jay Inslee announced a statewide mandatory face covering order that will take effect Friday, June 26.  The order requires face coverings when people are indoors in a public area, and outdoors in a public area when six feet of physical distancing cannot be maintained.  FTJ team members have been required to wear face masks in all the buildings and around campus.  We have also been strongly encouraging the wearing of face masks for residents as well.  Now it is mandatory.

A plan to reopen various activities and programs at FTJ is in the works.  These plans will be based on pending guidance from regulatory authorities as there will be new guidelines necessary to maintain the safety and wellbeing of residents and team members.  We will continue to evaluate guidance to determine when additional opportunities will be made available.  These activities will be limited in size, masks will be required, and social distancing will be observed.  Residents, please see more specifics in the weekly Tobey Topics.

Thanks again to all of you who were able to participate in our Grads, Dads, Summer Fun Family Drive Through Parade.  It was such a fun day for everyone!  If you’d like to see the video, please go to

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3Gt3lbCLKU&t=16s

As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham. 253-752-6621.

jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


June 19

Testing for COVID-19 took place this week in order to comply with the state mandate to test skilled nursing, memory care and assisted living residents, and every employee.  These tests were provided by the State of Washington.  We are happy to announce that all staff and residents tested negative for COVID-19!  I want to congratulate our team, residents and families who have been diligent with complying with all the precautions during this difficult time.  These results show the efforts everyone is making.  Thank you!

We have worked with an outside lab vendor to be on-site Tuesday 6/23 from 8-11am to provide testing for independent residents.  While this is not part of the state mandate, we wanted to provide a convenient testing opportunity for independent residents.  The deadline has passed to sign-up for testing.  If you have already signed-up please wear your mask and remember to bring your ID and Medicare card.  

We are as anxious as you are for things to return to ‘normal,’ but we continue to take a slow and measured approach to reopening in order to keep our community safe and healthy.  The virus is still a threat, and we remain vigilant in all efforts to protect everyone who lives and works here.   We also remain closed to visitors due to mandates, but encourage family and friends to reach out to their loved ones by phone or virtual means to keep in touch, boost spirits and ease the effects of social distancing.  Our leadership team continues to evaluate how programs and spaces will be utilized; details will be shared as they become available.

 We want to thank you for your cooperation over the last few months.  We understand that it has been a challenge for everyone as we have worked together to limit the spread of the COVID-19.   Your support means the world to us.  

A reminder that the Wellness/Fitness Center is open for residents who want to exercise in the gym.  There is a sign-up schedule for social distancing purposes, and the equipment is disinfected after each use.

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who joined in the Grads, Dad’s Summer Fun Family Drive Through Parade yesterday.  It was terrific to see everyone, and I know our residents were thrilled to see their family members!  The weather was great, and fun was had by all.  We also want to say HAPPY FATHER’S DAY to all our resident, staff and family member fathers!  Have a wonderful Father’s Day! 

As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham. 253-752-6621.

jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO

 


June 10, 2020

As most of you are aware there is a state mandate to complete COVID-19 testing of all skilled nursing and assisted living/memory care residents and staff. We have been in contact with the Washington State Department of Health to arrange for this testing. Franke Tobey Jones will be testing all skilled nursing, assisted living and memory care residents along with all FTJ staff and contracted/agency staff. Testing will begin with residents on Monday, June 15th. Staff testing will begin in the afternoon on Monday and continue into Wednesday morning, June 17th, if necessary.

While this test is not required for residents, we strongly encourage all residents in our care areas to consent to testing.  The good news is that the test swabs are a nasal swab which does not require deep insertion into the nose to obtain a specimen. Positive test results will stay confidential and only need to be reported to the individual and required health jurisdictions.  As a reminder, we continue to be COVID-19 free at FTJ, though as residents and staff are tested it is likely there may be one or more positive tests results. A summary of results will be made available on FTJ’s website.

We are also working with an outside vendor to come on-site and provide testing to all independent living residents. While this is outside the state-directed mandate we still feel it is important to provide a convenient testing option to those independent living residents wanting to be tested. As this plan comes together we will provide more information.  There are also several drive through testing sites available nearby if you choose to get tested on your own.

We are still encouraging residents not to leave campus for any reasons except critical medical appointments.  This applies to everyone living in all areas of our campus:  independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care. 

As the state and local area begin to move into re-opening phases, FTJ will continue to follow specific guidelines for senior living communities with other timelines.  However, we are working on plans to begin moving into Phase 2.  Stay tune for more details as they become available. 

Just a reminder, we will be hosting our Dads, Grads, Summer Fun Family Drive Through Parade next week on Thursday, June 18 at 2:00 p.m.  We’re all looking forward to a wonderful afternoon!

Thanks to everyone for your continued diligence to keep both residents and each other safe and healthy.  As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham. 253-752-6621.  

 jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


June 4, 2020

This is truly a difficult time in our nation and the world.  We are moved by the protests happening now and the circumstances it took to get here.  Fundamental social problems along with the impacts of COVID-19 cause further reflection of the national state of affairs.   We are thankful to those who provide leadership and strength in support of our community.  And we are especially thankful to the amazing FTJ staff who come together each day to serve our residents and each other.  We pray for peace and health in these times of turmoil and unrest.

A Federal mandate was recently announced stating residents and employees at each of the 15,000+ nursing homes (skilled nursing) in the United States must be tested for COVID-19.  State officials extended this mandate for Assisted Living facilities with Memory Care.  Therefore, Franke Tobey Jones must now test each Nursing Home, Assisted Living  and Memory Care resident and staff member by the end of June. 

Based on language received, this is not a voluntary test, but instead a mandatory test provided by the State of Washington.  The good news is that the test swabs are a nasal swab which does not require deep insertion into the nose to obtain a specimen. Positive test results will stay confidential and only need to be reported to the individual and required health jurisdictions.  There are still many details that are being worked out, but we wanted to make sure we communicated as much as we know for now.  As a reminder, we continue to be COVID-19 free at FTJ, though as residents and staff are tested it is likely that one or more positive tests will come back. A summary of results will be made available on FTJ’s website.

We hope that everyone has now received the invitation to the FTJ Grads, Dads, Summer Fun Family Drive Through Parade.  This will be held on June 18th (weather permitting) at 2:00 p.m., and we hope all residents and family members will participate including grads who would like to wear their cap and gown!  Let us know if you have any questions.

We have received questions regarding visits with your loved one.  Franke Tobey Jones continues to follow the state’s mandate not allowing visitors to retirement communities. This mandate will remain in effect until at least June 30th despite the community outside of Franke Tobey Jones moving to Phase 2 and beyond. We recognize the restrictions are challenging and difficult, but they are necessary at this point in time.  Our team members, residents and resident family members have done an outstanding job in keeping both residents and employees COVID-19 free, and it is because of everyone’s diligence in observing the mandated protocols. We ask for your continued patience and strict adherence to these rules and restrictions.  We will be starting to send FTJ COVID updates every other week from here on out unless we need to communicate with you before then.

As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham our COO.

253-752-6621.  jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


May 28

We hope that everyone had a nice three-day Memorial Day weekend and had the opportunity to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country.  It is truly humbling. 

Speaking of holidays, we are excited to announce that a Grads, Dads, Summer Family Drive By Parade is in the planning stages.  The last FTJ parade was so much fun, we are looking forward to hosting another one!  We will be honoring FTJ team member grads, team member and resident dads, and family member grads and dads.  The date and time will be Thursday, June 18 at 2:00 p.m., though we are trying to be a bit flexible to take into account the weather.  We’d love to have FTJ resident family members participate, and grads can wear their cap and gown.  Look for more information either through your FTJ Personal Concierge or in the upcoming COVID updates.

You may have heard on the news that staff members and residents at care facilities/communities will need to be tested for COVID-19.  A testing plan is being created but many details are not yet known.  The Washington State Department of Health and the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department will be providing further guidance. Further information will be provided once a testing plan is finalized.

Although we are still COVID free, to be prepared, a seven-room wing in the FTJ Care Center has been set aside and equipped as an COVID isolation area.  If needed, this would be used just for FTJ residents.  The goal and hope is that we never have to use this area.  However, the truth of the matter is, with everyone being tested in the next few weeks, we anticipate that someone on campus may test positive.  Should any resident(s) test positive, necessary arrangements will be made to isolate these residents in that area of the Care Center if appropriate.  Please know that the safety and health of both residents and staff are our top priority. 

We know that as the days and weeks pass, it is getting harder and harder to stay isolated.  This is not only true for our residents, but for everyone!  We sincerely hope that the hallway and tailgate happy hours, hallway exercises, one-on-one walks, small craft sessions and resident gardening is helping to alleviate at least a bit of the isolation.

Once again, thank you to our amazing and dedicated residents, family members and team members for all you are doing to keep Franke Tobey Jones safe from COVID.

As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham our COO.

253-752-6621.  jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


May 19

This week we celebrate the birthday of our founder Mrs. Franke Tobey Jones.  In 2014, on our 90th Anniversary, the City of Tacoma proclaimed May 21st Franke Tobey Jones Day, and this is something of which we are still immensely honored.  Even during this challenging time, we continue to live our deeply rooted mission “To enrich and extend the quality of life for seniors in our community.”  We believe Mrs. Franke Tobey Jones would be truly gratified and pleased of how our residents, family members and team members have been handling the time of COVID 19.  Nothing tests the integrity of an organization more than going through challenging times, and we, as an organization and family, have come together to weather this storm to the very best of our abilities.  Saying that, we still have no known or suspected cases of COVID-19.

This week a hallway exercise program started which has been well attended. The hallway happy hours, one-on-one craft projects, FaceTime with residents and their family members and all the other things that continue to be our new normal.

We know that Memorial Day is coming up on Monday, so we would like to take this opportunity to salute and honor all the men and women who have died while serving in the U.S. military. Thank you for your service, and may God bless and keep our fallen, our veterans and active military, and the United States of America.

As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham our COO.

253-752-6621.  jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


May 13

There’s not much new information to share this week but we are happy to say that we are still all well at Franke Tobey Jones.  On Monday next week some hallway exercises will be starting in these buildings: Garden Apartments, Tobey Jones, Bristol View and Lillian Pratt.  We will engage our residents on each floor that would like to participate, spaced out and wearing masks.  During this beautiful weather, we are encouraging residents to walk outside in small groups or alone depending on what area of campus they live.  The Resident Garden is beginning to bloom, and it’s a great place for residents to walk.  We also continue the weekly Hallway Happy Hours in each building.  Of course, for these modified programs, all social distancing rules are strictly followed as well as the wearing of masks and gloves.

An FTJ resident told us, “In the midst of missing family visits, attending usual events and visiting with other residents I’m so glad to be at FTJ.  While in the outside community so many are dealing with this illness, having their lives turned completely upside down, I need not worry, and am grateful knowing caring staff will provide whatever I need.”

We would like to thank, once again, resident family members who go out of their way to thank our staff with kind and encouraging words, treats, flowers and so much love!  We can’t thank you enough for all your reassuring and uplifting thoughts.  We truly appreciate you!

“This is just a note to thank all of the FTJ family for the regular updates, and most importantly for the extra effort you are making to make my mother and the other residents as comfortable as possible during this difficult time,” commented one family member. “My mom is lucky enough to have basic computer skills (drilled into her by her three sons when we moved her there 13 years ago!) and we talk by Skype at least once a week. She never fails to mention the loving care she is receiving from the staff there. I think I have heard about the ice cream delivery at least three times!  In a time of such fear and confusion, there are no words to express my gratitude for the work your staff is doing to provide what comfort you can to my mom in her life there.”

As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham our COO.

253-752-6621.  jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


May 6

We’d like to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all of our mom’s!  We know it’s a very different and challenging Mother’s Day for all of us, but we hope that everyone can still feel a sense of joy and blessing for all the wonderful women in our lives.  We are planning some special treats for all our resident moms here at Franke Tobey Jones, because we can always celebrate how special they are to us.  Please remember that, even on Mother’s Day, we cannot allow visitations with residents.  We encourage virtual visits, phone calls, flowers being sent, special treats being delivered by grocery stores and cards being mailed.  Also, if you have a special Mother’s Day request that we can help you with, please contact your Personal Concierge.  Several of our Concierge team members do not work on the weekend, so do not delay in connecting with your Personal Concierge.

There was some confusion from last week’s COVID Update regarding deliveries that we would like to clarify.  We have not changed any of the non-visitation rules.  The same rules we have been following still continue.  Family members can come on campus for deliveries/pick-ups, they just cannot stay and visit.  Please wear a mask and maintain recommended social distancing, and work through your Personal Concierge team member to get deliveries to your resident.   We appreciate everyone’s compliance with these regulations.

We understand this is an extremely emotional time for families and residents, but we have to remember why we are doing this. The residents we serve are the most at risk group.  It is the reason we are fighting so hard to do everything we can to protect the Franke Tobey Jones community, for both our residents and team members.

“The fact that we have not had a case of Covid-19 reported to date, I believe, is due to the aggressive measures taken by FTJ early on,” says Nancy Cook, Franke Tobey Jones resident.  “I salute that. And I believe the continued strict discipline and adherence to the rules is clear evidence of the wisdom of FTJ’s approach. I hope we will all continue to adhere to the FTJ guidance and stay safe.”  Mame Matteson, another resident commented, “I feel that FTJ has bent over backward to help us survive the COVID crisis; from preparing and delivering meals to Hallway Happy Hours and to running errands for us, the staff has been wonderful and has done it all cheerfully.”

Our Wellness/Fitness team members are planning exercise programs that meet social distancing requirements.  We also continue our weekly Hallway Happy Hours and Tailgate Happy Hours – this week with a Cinco de Mayo theme.  Margarita anyone?  Of course, for all of these modified programs, all social distancing rules are strictly followed as well as the wearing of masks and gloves.  Some Senior University programs are also being offered by various online methods.

Again, Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful women in our lives. “A mum is not defined by biology, but by action.”  All women are being celebrated this Sunday!

As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham our COO.

253-752-6621.  jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


April 29

As we continue with our COVID restrictions, we find our residents coping as well as can be expected.  Some are out riding their bicycles around our beautiful campus blooming with springtime flowers or flying kites on our expansive front lawn or playing musical instruments out in the sunshine all while wearing masks and social distancing.  Others are reading quietly in their apartments, taking walks around campus and Facetiming/Skyping, etc. with family and friends.  Of course, it’s not ideal, but life goes on with this new normal as we remain well and healthy.

As more time passes with these current restrictions in place, we realize our residents are getting restless and want to leave campus.  However, we state once again that we are following Governor Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” policy.  We are encouraging everyone not to leave our campus for any reasons except critical medical appointments.  This applies to everyone living in all areas of our campus:  independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care.

We also understand that families want to see their loved ones and vice versa. It is human nature to want to be with our loved ones.  We are all feeling it and know that as each day passes it’s more difficult to be apart from those we love.  However, we must continue to enforce restricting visitors to Franke Tobey Jones.  These unauthorized visits include “window visits,” “talking over the fence visits,” and any other type of casual visits that seem appropriate as far as social distancing is concerned.  However, they are not appropriate.  Our “no visitors” policy applies to every family member and every resident.  No one is an exception except for those providing medical assistance.  This “no visitors” policy is not related to the Stay Home, Stay Healthy policy, but are guidelines by the DOH, CMS and CDC in which we are complying with for the protection and health of our residents.  Deliveries can still come onto campus, but please have family members work through our Personal Concierge team members to get these deliveries to our residents.

Along these lines, if you are a family member coming to our campus to sit in on a virtual doctors visit with your loved one, this is also not allowed.  Please make arrangements to join the doctor’s appointment virtually from another location.

We  know that Mother’s Day is coming up soon.  It’s an important occasion for all families, but, as difficult as this is, we must ask that you completely comply with the no visit rule.  We encourage virtual visits, phone calls, flowers being sent, special treats being delivered by grocery stores and cards being mailed.  Also, if you have a special Mother’s Day request that we can help you with, please contact your Personal Concierge.

In the coming weeks Washington State may begin re-opening businesses. This does not mean our campus will re-open to visitors in the same timeline.  As stated above, the “no visitors” policy is in place due to guidance provided by DOH, CMS and CDC and not the stay at home order. Given the higher risk the virus poses to our residents, we are intentionally planning to continue our aggressive measures to reduce potential exposure to our residents. We will continue to monitor and evaluate how and when to modify these procedures. We are aware of the strain this causes for residents, families and friends, and we share with you the desire to get back into a normal routine.  However, our goal is to always ensure everyone’s safety, so we urge you to please continue to follow our policies and procedures.

Again, we genuinely appreciate the support that we have received from our families, residents  and team members.

As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham our COO.

253-752-6621.  jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


April 23

First of all, we’d like to thank all the family members, residents and team members who participated in the FTJ Drive Through Springtime Parade last Friday.  The turnout far exceeded our wildest expectations!  We especially appreciate everyone’s efforts in keeping residents six feet apart and wearing a mask.  It was amazing to see the line of cars stretching as far as the eye could see down Vassault street, and seeing all the fun decorations, signs and balloons on the cars was just terrific.  The best part was seeing the SMILES on everyone’s faces and the tears of joy!  In the midst of this pandemic and these uncertain times, it was such an uplifting, heartfelt, fun and happy day for everyone involved.  One of our team members said it best, “If anyone wonders what love looks like, all they had to do was watch the parade.”

As you know, we are still healthy at FTJ, and we credit this to our residents, family members and team members who are taking extraordinary precautions both at work and at home to stay healthy and well. 

Recently we have noticed some family and friends visiting campus. We want to reiterate that visitors are prohibited at Franke Tobey Jones, and this includes visitors to our independent residents. We absolutely cannot say this strong enough!  It only takes one person to bring the virus here, and we simply do not want to take that risk.  The ‘No Visitors’ rule is for everyone’s health and safety.  It is for your protection.  Residents can coordinate with their Personal Concierge to receive packages from their family members.  The only visitors allowed on campus are selected vendors and those who are providing care to residents.  These visitors must be screened before entering any of our buildings and must wear a mask.  Everyone at FTJ wants to remain healthy, and it takes all of us to comply with the rules to make this happen.  Thank you so much!

Also, as a reminder, the CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings, this includes all residents. We want to thank those who have donated fabric or are sewing masks for our independent residents. This is so appreciated!  Residents in our care areas have been given medical masks.  All team members are also required to wear a mask at work which FTJ has supplied. 

We have noticed more residents taking advantage of the recent sunshine and warmth by taking walks around our campus that is beautifully blooming this time a year. 

Again, we are truly grateful for our staff who are taking such good care of our residents in this challenging time, and for our residents and family members who being so kind and patient during our visitor restrictions.

 As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham our COO.

253-752-6621.  jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


 April 15

We continue to be vigilant in implementing the various guidelines from CMS, CDC, state and local authorities.  It’s no time to put our guards down and, yes, it sure is beginning to feel like a new normal!  We are still blessed to have no COVID-19 at Franke Tobey Jones.

This week the Interstate 5 electronic road signs say, “Staying at home is saving lives.  Keep it up!”  It IS so vitally important that we continue social distancing, restrict visitors, wash our hands and wear face masks.  Face masks are required for all FTJ team members and are highly recommended for all residents. Face masks are considered an additional layer of protection, though they will not prevent the spread of COVID-19 without doing other protective measures such as washing your hands and maintaining physical distance.  We have several people currently sewing face masks, and these will be delivered to residents that don’t have them when available.

We have been implementing some fun “social distant” resident pick-me-ups such as Hallway Happy Hours and special Easter treats.  Our Director of Dining played Ice Cream Man last week (bringing ice cream bars to residents) with authentic ice cream truck music!  All wearing masks and gloves of course. 

Thank you to our entire staff.  All have been real troopers and so sincere in implementing the new regulations and keeping safe while here and while at home.  We can’t thank you enough for your diligence in helping us thwart off the COVID-19 virus. And thank you to our resident Personal Concierge team for your extra help in keeping our residents connected with their family members. 

We hope to see all family members participate in our Springtime Parade this Friday, April 17, at 1:30.  We will try to get as many residents as possible out on the parade route!  This should be a wonderful event and lift all of our spirits!

As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham our COO.   

(253) 752-6621.  jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely

Judy Dunn,

President and CEO

“Every situation in life is temporary.  So, when life is good, make sure you enjoy and receive it fully.  And when life is not so good, remember that it will not last forever and better days are on the way.”  Coco Calla


April 7

As we continue our COVID-19 restrictions it seems by all indications that Washington State is flattening the curve, and this is good news!  But, we must all stay vigilant to keep the curve going in the right direction.  We thank all of our residents, team members and family members who are helping keep our Franke Tobey Jones community safe.

According to Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, effective last Friday, April 3, all staff working in long-term care must wear a mask at work.  For clinical staff, a mask must be worn during their entire shift and cannot be a homemade mask.  All non-clinical staff must wear a mask at all times while at FTJ when moving through any part of any building where residents reside.  FTJ is supplying masks to all our team members.

We are also recommending to all our residents that they wear masks when out of their duplex/apartment.  Because not everyone has a mask, we have been reaching out to numerous sources to obtain homemade masks and hope to have some on campus in the near future for our residents who need one.

Our Personal Concierge program continues to be a success in connecting residents with their family members and answering questions and requests from family members as it pertains to their loved ones at FTJ.  We continue to implement many, many Facetime sessions daily; deliver groceries, sundries, homemade treats, cards and more to our residents; and communicate with family members regarding the latest COVID-19 information that we have.

We continue to follow and enforce all COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines provided by the Department of Health, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) and the CDC.

Again, we are truly grateful for our staff who are taking so many precautions while caring for our residents, and for the support we’ve been receiving from our residents and family members during this uniquely challenging time.  We know that it is genuinely difficult for everyone to be isolated, but everyone’s efforts are paying off.  Our quote of the week is from Isabel Allende ~ “We all have an unsuspected reserve of strength inside that emerges when life puts us to the test.”  Isn’t this so true!  We are resilient in times like these and forge our way everyday through uncertainty, challenge and change.  We will all get through this together, ever more grateful when we get to the other side.

As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham our COO.

253-752-6621.  jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


March 26, 2020

We are so happy to say that there are still no cases of COVID-19 at Franke Tobey Jones.  We continue to follow guidelines from the state government and the Centers for Disease Control.  We are also regularly updating our COVID-19 protocols to ensure the continued safety of our residents and staff. 

We are grateful for the support we’ve been getting from our residents and family members during this uniquely challenging time. We thank the family members and friends of our residents who have been understanding of our new policies set in place to protect our campus from this serious threat.  We also have deep appreciation for our staff who are taking so many precautions while caring for our residents. 

As you are well aware by now, visitors are not allowed on our campus.  The only exception is in end of life situations.  To help keep the connections between our residents, families and staff strong during this time of visitor restrictions, we have implemented a Resident Concierge program for all residents. The Resident Concierge team members have been in touch with residents and families/POAs to answer questions and to be the liaison for items the resident may need. Our team members are also helping to facilitate Facetime and Skype conversations between residents and family which has worked very well. 

We are encouraging our resident to not leave campus and to practice social distancing while on campus.  Also, to wash their hands often and use hand sanitizer as well as to not go from building to building.  Furthermore, our staff are required to undergo COVID-19 screening daily before starting their shift including checking temperature and answering questions about COVID-19 signs and symptoms. Staff that show any signs of illness will be sent home.

 Our dining rooms are closed where appropriate, and residents are either picking up their meals or meals are being delivered to the residents.  And while all of our group activities and events remain cancelled, we are still providing individual activities and engagement to residents. We are continuing to practice high frequency cleaning, especially on high touch surfaces such as railings, tables, chairs, etc. 

Our Point Defiance ~ Ruston Senior Center is also closed; however, we are supporting our community by providing lunches for pick up and check-in phone calls from our Senior Center staff members.

What we know for sure is that in adversity – together we are better, stronger, and smarter than we are alone.  Nothing is stronger than all of us pulling together. Thank you for your continued understanding and support as we face these challenging times with team work, communication, care and dedication to our precious residents and team members.

As always, if you have questions, please either call me or Bob Beckham our COO.

253-752-6621.  jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO


March 16, 2020

Dear Residents and Family Members,

We are thankful to report that there are still no known or suspected cases of COVID-19 at Franke Tobey Jones.  Please know that maintaining the health, wellness and safety of your loved ones and our team members is our number one priority. We continue to do everything possible to protect our residents and staff and to be positioned to respond quickly and effectively should it impact someone in our setting. Staff and vendors are being monitored routinely for signs and symptoms and will be managed accordingly following recommended CDC/DOH protocols for testing and further treatment as needed. 

In accordance with the updated federal guidelines we are also implementing the following:

Effective March 16th

  • Visitors
    • All visitors are prohibited
    • Exceptions will be made for end-of-life situations
  • Vendors
    • Vendor deliveries in LP will be dropped off at the front desk
    • Non-essential medical providers will not be allowed to visit residents (podiatrist, dentist, etc.)
  • Activities
    • All group activities throughout campus will be discontinued in Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing
    • Memory Care activities will continue with social distancing implemented when possible
  • Wellness Center
    • All group classes are discontinued
    • All personal training sessions are discontinued
    • Resident use of the Wellness will continue
  • Transportation
    • Transportation will continue to be provided for residents for medical appointments only
  • The Rez
    • The Rez will remain open as scheduled

Starting with the noon meal on March 17th

  • Tobey Jones Building Dining 
    • The dining room will be closed to dining
    • Meals will be available for pick up only from the dining room
  • Assisted Living Dining
    • The dining room will be closed to dining
    • Meals will be delivered to the residents in their rooms or can be picked up from the dining room
  • Skilled Nursing Dining
    • The dining room will be closed to dining
    • Meals will be delivered to the residents in their rooms
    • Residents requiring assistance or observation during meals will be assisted/observed by clinical staff in their rooms
  • Memory Care Dining
    • The dining room will remain open to dining
    • The dining area will be expanded to include the Activity area to allow for more social distancing
    • No more than 2 residents will be allowed per table
  • Garden Apartments
    • The continental breakfast will be discontinued
    • GA residents who dine in TJ can also pick up meals from the TJ dining room

We are working on a plan in which staff members will serve a group of residents as their conduit between family and residents. They will assist with coordination of laundry, pet care and grocery delivery, etc. as well as passing along any clinical information or questions to our Resident Care Supervisors. Our Resident Care Supervisors will work with families and residents regarding medications, medical appointments and all other things clinical. We will be in touch as this plan is finalized.

We understand this continues to be a burden and is a significant change to Franke Tobey Jones operations.  Please help us keep our residents and team members healthy. We recognize how difficult this will be yet limiting residents to potential exposure is a crucial element of containment.  We’d also  like to once again thank all our hard-working staff for being so dedicated in helping to keep Franke Tobey Jones safe.

If you would like to receive COVID-19 updates, please go to our website to sign up, www.franketobeyjones.com.  Or, email your email address to Christine Hall at chall@franketobeyjones.com to be added to the COVID-19 update list.

If you have questions, please contact Judy Dunn, President & CEO, or Bob Beckham, Chief Operations Officer at 253-752-6621 or email:    

Judy:  jdunn@franketobeyjones.com or Bob:  bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

 

March 13, 2020

Dear Franke Tobey Jones Residents and Family Members,

We are thankful to report that currently there are no known or suspected cases of COVID-19 at Franke Tobey Jones.  In concern for our residents and team members, and in anticipation of more stringent federal regulations, visitors will not be allowed on the Franke Tobey Jones campus starting Monday, March 16, 2020.  This includes private companions.

We understand this is a burden to our residents and families.  Please help us keep our residents and team members healthy. We recognize how difficult this will be, yet limiting residents to potential exposure is a crucial element of containment. While this is a significant change to the operating practices of Franke Tobey Jones, we are dedicated to making the adjustments needed to prioritize and protect the needs of our residents and the staff who care for them.

  • Residents are strongly encouraged to not leave the Franke Tobey Jones campus.  For physician appointments or other urgent needs, please call our front desk at 253-752-6621 for assisted living, and 253-756-6234 for the Care Center.
  • If you are involved in your loved one’s care or assisting with medications and have concerns, also please contact the appropriate front desk and we will have a team member reach out to you.
  • Please bring supplies or any items for your loved one to the assisted living front entrance between 8 am and 7 pm. 

We understand that this will be a difficult time for our residents and families.  We encourage alternate ways of visiting with your loved ones, such as phone, face time, email, and skype. 

You may have many questions. We will update you as soon as we have more information to share.  Please go to our website for the most up to date information.  If you would like to receive COVID-19 updates, please go to our website and sign up for these.  www.franketobeyjones.com   Or, email your email address to Christine Hall at chall@franketobeyjones.com and she will put you on the list to receive COVID-19 updates.

We’d also like to thank all our hard-working staff for being so dedicated in helping to keep our communities safe.

If you have questions, please contact me or Bob Beckham, Chief Operations Officer.  253-752-6621. 

Judy:  jdunn@franketobeyjones.com

Bob:  bbeckham@franketobeyjones.com

 

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO

March 11, 2020

Dear Franke Tobey Jones Resident Family Members,

While we do not yet have a confirmed case of the coronavirus (COVID-19) at Franke Tobey Jones, the news about the spread of this new virus, and the risks it poses for those who become infected, is concerning to us all. Please know that maintaining the health, wellness and safety of your loved ones and our team members is our number one priority. We continue to do everything possible to protect our residents and staff and be positioned to respond quickly and effectively should it impact someone in our setting.

We are closely monitoring the latest information from the Washington Department of Health (DOH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and we are working with state and local public health and emergency preparedness officials to strengthen our preparation for a possible outbreak of coronavirus. We are also adhering to Governor Inslee’s Proclamation 20-06 issued on 3/10/2020. That proclamation requires the following:

  • All residents in assisted living, skilled nursing and memory care are limited to one (1) adult visitor per day. This does not apply to end-of-life situations. Contracted care providers are not included in the one visitor per day limit. All visits must take place in the resident room only.
  • All visitors must be screened prior to entry for signs and symptoms of COVID-19. This includes completing a questionnaire regarding your potential exposure to COVID-19 and having your temperature checked.
  • All visitors must sign-in each day. New sign-in requirements include showing ID, providing contact information and recording your time in and time out.

We are also implementing increased measures that include:

  • Cancelling large group activities, events, residents trips and outings.
  • Limiting use of our Wellness Center to residents only.
  • Screening all staff and vendors each day for signs and symptoms of COVID-19 including a symptom and exposure questionnaire and temperature checks.

In addition to the bullets above, we are also focused on infection control best practices with our staff and residents.  Staff have been trained on the symptoms of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), CDC recommended infection prevention techniques, and have clear protocols for staff to stay home and not come to work if they are ill or symptomatic.  Residents are being routinely monitored for signs and symptoms and will be managed accordingly following recommended CDC/DOH protocols for testing and further treatment as needed.

You are a key partner in keeping yourself and others healthy—wash your hands often; avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth; and if you are feeling ill, we ask that you not visit at this time. Communication is key, and we will continue to update you on important news or emerging issues. Please visit our website www.franketobeyjones.com for regular updates and to sign-up for notifications.  Please do not hesitate to contact me or Bob Beckham with any questions or concerns you may have.

Sincerely,

Judy Dunn, President & CEO

March 10, 2020

Regarding our Point Defiance ~ Ruston Senior Center

Due to the high susceptibility of seniors to the Coronavirus (COVID-19), the Health Department is recommending that all individual’s 60 and over stay at home.  In following their guidelines, the Pt. Defiance~Ruston Senior Center will be suspending our classes until further notice.

At this time, Catholic Community Services (CCS), will be serving pick-up meals out of the back (kitchen) door Monday through Thursday.  If you use the Shuttle and cannot get here, we may be able to deliver your meal.  Call (253) 756-0601 to inquire about delivery. 

We will keep you updated through email notifications to those on our email list or you can check our Facebook page.  If you are not on our email list, please provide an email address so that you will be included in the notifications.

We will be making welfare checks periodically to check on our participants.  Staff will be in the office and you are always welcome to call (253) 756-0601 during office hours. 

It is our hope that you all stay healthy.  Please forgive any inconvenience that this might cause.

Thank you,

Your Point Defiance ~ Ruston Senior Center Staff

March 9, 2020

While we do not have a confirmed case of the coronavirus (COVID-19) at Franke Tobey Jones, the news about the potential spread of this new disease, and the risks it poses for those who become infected, is concerning to us all. Please know that maintaining the health, wellness and safety of our residents and staff is our number one priority.

  • We have emergency preparedness and infection prevention and control plans in place, which address how we prepare for and manage infectious disease outbreaks. We are incorporating new information on coronavirus into those procedures as it becomes available. Our staff are trained in infection control practices and follow established protocols based on that training.
  • We have clear protocols for staff to stay home and not come to work if they are ill or symptomatic, and we are asking residents to self-isolate if they are symptomatic.
  • We are closely monitoring the latest information from the Washington Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and we are working with state and local public health and emergency preparedness officials to strengthen our preparation for a possible outbreak of coronavirus.
  • We are limiting visitors into our buildings as well as screening them for possible symptoms if they absolutely need to enter our buildings.
  • We are cancelling some group activities.
  • The Admissions Team will be in contact with anyone scheduled to tour our campus as well as screen any drop-in tours.
  • We are contacting off-site caregiver companies and caregivers that regularly visit our campus to ensure that they are following the same protocols as our staff.
  • In dining the following changes will occur:
    • Discontinuing all self-service food and beverages
    • Multi-use items such as salt and pepper shakers will be replaced with single use items.
    • Table linens will be discontinued for more effective sanitizing of dining tables

Regarding our Point Defiance ~ Ruston Senior Center:  Large group activities, including craft classes, strength and balance, yoga, line dancing, tap dancing, etc. are cancelled until further notice. For now, AARP tax prep will take place by appointment only.

Communication is key, and we will continue to update you on important news or emerging issues. Please continue to visit our website for regular updates. You can also sign up below to receive updates.

March 4, 2020

Since our last letter to you, there have been additional cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) confirmed in King and Snohomish Counties.  Our hearts are with those who have been affected by this outbreak.

It’s important to emphasize thus far the vast majority of cases have experienced relatively mild symptoms, such as fever and cough.  Currently no one at FTJ has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

We take the safety of everyone seriously and want to share with you how Franke Tobey Jones is responding to this changing situation.