Updated November 30th, 2020
Dear Sholom residents, tenants, staff and families,
Because our surrounding counties’ COVID-19 positivity rates are over 10%, Sholom is instituting increased visitation restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. At this time, all Sholom’s locations are restricting visitations. Essential caregivers and compassionate care visits are only allowed on a case by case basis at Sholom’s locations at this time. If you are an essential caregiver or compassionate caregiver, our interdisciplinary team will be reviewing the services you provide to determine if internal staff can perform services temporarily in order to further protect our seniors at Sholom.
Per Minnesota Department of Health guidelines, we will continue twice weekly COVID-19 testing of residents and staff in our skilled care centers until area COVID-19 positivity rates drop below 10% and we have two consecutive weeks with no additional COVID-19 positive results. At our housing locations, we will continue weekly testing until we have two consecutive weeks with no additional COVID-19 positive results. At this time, many of the COVID-19 positive residents and staff are asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms.
Many people are becoming very weary of the COVID-19 restrictions and unfortunately, the state of Minnesota and surrounding states are seeing an alarming increase in positive COVID cases. With the approach of Thanksgiving and other holiday gatherings, for the safety of our residents, tenants and staff, please continue your diligence by wearing a face covering, maintaining six feet of physical distance with others, washing hands frequently and observing Governor Walz recent restrictions.
To reduce virus spread at holiday celebrations, please consider the following before attending a gathering in order to limit your exposure risk:
- If you are at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 or live with someone at increased risk, you should avoid in person gatherings with people who do not live in your household.
- Avoid larger gatherings of more than five people and consider attending activities that pose lower risk.
- Avoid indoor gatherings with poor ventilation
- Avoid gatherings where attendees are traveling from a distance
- Avoid gatherings where the surrounding area’s COVID positivity rates are high
At our St. Louis Park location, Sholom Home West has four residents and thirteen staff members with active, positive COVID-19. Knollwood Place Apartments has three residents and two staff members with active, positive COVID-19. Roitenberg Family Assisted Living has one staff member with COVID-19. Menorah Plaza has seven residents and three staff with active, positive COVID-19. Hodroff Pavilion for Memory Care and Menorah West have no active COVID-19 resident or staff cases.
Our Shaller Family Sholom East Campus in St. Paul has five residents and ten staff members with confirmed cases of COVID-19 at Shirley Chapman Sholom Home East. Phillips Center for Memory Care has one resident with COVID-19. Bentson Family Assisted Living has one staff member with COVID-19. Weinberg Apartments has no active cases of COVID-19 in staff or residents. Our homecare and hospice team has one staff with COVID-19.
For the most up to date information, please refer to https://www.sholom.com and click on the link: COVID-19 updates and resources.
Our priority is to keep everyone safe and healthy. Because of the high risk to our residents, MDH continues to recommend anyone over 70 years old to continue isolating at home, wearing masks and practice physical distancing as much as possible.
We need your partnership to get through this pandemic as a community. We appreciate your continued support and patience as we strive to serve our community and loved ones.
Barbara Klick, RN, MBA
Sholom CEO
