Guarding Health and Safety

Paradise Valley Estates team members have worked tirelessly during the COVID-19 crisis to help residents stay safe. One team that’s been crucial to the effort is the safety team that guards the community’s front gated entrance.

One of the first actions taken in the early days of the pandemic was to close the community to all outside visitors. Before the state’s shelter in place order took effect, we required residents to shelter at home and any resident who left campus would self-quarantine for 14 days upon return to help keep COVID-19 off our Life Plan Community campus. Employees and vendors also were screened at the gate before being admitted on campus. Overnight the campus security team became the front line in keeping the virus away from the community. That Paradise Valley Estates still has no positive cases of COVID-19 on campus is a feat made possible in large part by the policies implemented by security leaders Chris Fox and Terry Botta and their security team.

Immediately after the COVID-19 threat emerged, a new screening routine was established for those permitted on campus. Anyone seeking admission would be asked questions to identify a potential exposure or if someone was experiencing symptoms. Anyone admitted past the health screening was reminded to wear a mask at all times while on campus, except when eating or drinking, and that the mask should cover their nose and mouth. Vendors on campus also were asked to stay six feet away from residents and team members. For the most part, everyone understood and supported the emergency precautions.

Knowing family visits are crucial to residents’ wellbeing and happiness, the security team got creative to support safer, face-to-face connections. Their first attempt was tables and chairs strategically placed outside the gate. Soon, family members and residents began planning masked, physically distant meetups at the gate. Eventually the meetups were so popular they included birthday parties complete with balloons and cake. On Mother’s Day, the tables were laden with flowers and cakes from family members that security sanitized and delivered on their behalf.

With restrictions easing, residents are able to leave campus and complete a health and safety screening upon return just as employees and vendors do. Terry and her team feel lucky to have been part of so many joy-filled get-togethers during the initial safety response, but they’re most proud of the defense the community mounted together. For more than 12 weeks and still counting, Paradise Valley Estates has eluded one key campus visitor: COVID-19.

Visit the Greater Good to learn how our Life Plan Community residents and team members are working hard to keep our community well and safe.