Reflecting on 2020 and COVID-19

More than 4 million masks, 202,000 COVID-19 tests, 715,000 resident engagement programs, and 400 vaccinations. 2020 may have been rife with challenges, but  thanks to the work  and resilience of  Atria’s  dedicated staff, residents and families, 2020 has  also had its triumphs. As the year comes to  a close, Atria is  reflecting  on the accomplishments achieved over the last year.

From  the  inventive and delightful  programs that keep residents engaged to  the COVID-19  testing strategies  that keep residents and staff  protected, #TeamAtria  is grateful for a year  that  reinforced  what it means to be a team, community and family – no matter the circumstance.

Through hurricanes, wildfires, flu seasons and now a pandemic,  agility  and  preparedness  have been key in helping Atria create  environments that are as safe as possible for older adults.

In the earliest days of the pandemic, this  meant dedicating  manpower  and resources  to  procuring and distributing personal protective equipment (PPE) to Atria  communities  and even families of residents and employees.

In March, as Atria manned and inventoried a PPE warehouse,  a partnership with Mayo Clinic Laboratories began. The collaboration has served as the cornerstone for Atria’s testing strategies and has been instrumental in keeping residents and staff safe.  Air freighters, jets and turboprops were utilized to ensure supplies  arrived the minute they were needed in  early affected areas.

As  testing kits were  being  deployed to Atria communities, an  internal team began tracking the spread of the virus behind the scenes.

Under the leadership of Atria’s Chairman and CEO, John Moore, a team began meeting nightly to track the virus’ penetration in Atria communities and across North America.

“Our charge in those meetings was to  use  our own  data to see what the disease dynamics  were in Atria communities, and  then compare that to the disease dynamics within the cities where communities are located,” said  Kyle Whittinghill, Director of Corporate Finance and Analytics at Atria. “This allowed us to  understand what the risk levels were and  how to manage and mitigate those risks.”

That data has impacted every level of  the business, allowing community and corporate leaders to  swiftly escalate or deescalate safety protocols  and procedures accordingly.

“We  were able to  implement  screening questions, PPE and infection control  measures  well  ahead of  local mandates,” said Abby Figueroa, Senior Vice President of Functional Operations at Atria.

Like everyone else, Atria residents and their families became familiar with video conferencing, group chats and  livestreams. Accordingly, Atria’s Engage Life®  team (those responsible for  creating and arranging events and programs in communities)  set  out to keep residents engaged with their families and each other throughout the pandemic.

“From the very beginning, we wanted to make every interaction count. Whether it be through video calls or going door to door, we did whatever it took to give our residents the same excellent experience, as close as we could get it to what it used to be,” said Kristin Brown, Assistant Executive Director at Atria at Villages of Windsor in Florida.

As the virus persisted and cases rose, Atria communities enforced protocols that kept people together.

“What we feel the most is safe,” said Louise, a resident at Atria Darien in Connecticut. “And even though our protocols are strict, I’ve noticed people who were not exercising begin to exercise, and that’s rewarding.”

Although keeping residents active through COVID-19 fluctuated between socially distanced activities and in-apartment programs, communities  continued to look for new ways to keep  residents  engaged.

“Interestingly enough, the pandemic reminded us that human interaction is the element we all hold so close and prioritize. We just had to look at it differently,” Figueroa said. “We had to use different resources – obviously, technology, but it was also going back to basics.”

As Atria begins hosting more and more vaccine clinics for residents and staff, all safety protocols currently in place will continue to be observed until everyone has received the required vaccine doses.

In the meantime, Atria communities will continue prioritizing resident well-being by offering opportunities for physical activity and connection within and outside of communities.

#TeamAtria wishes you a safe, healthy and happy New Year.