Starting Wednesday, February 10, Stoneybrook Assisted Living & Memory Care residents in Manhattan will begin hosting family members and friends for in-person visits. Due to COVID-19, visitation at assisted living and memory care communities including Stoneybrook has been restricted to essential caregivers since March of 2020.
“This is easily the best announcement I’ve ever had the privilege to make,” said Troy Shaw, Executive Director at Stoneybrook. “Our residents and their families are so excited to be able to visit face-to-face again, and we are delighted to welcome them back into the community.”
The visitation policy change comes after residents and staff members at the community were offered both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. After the second shot, the community waited the recommended 14 days to ensure the vaccine had enough time to be fully effective. Now, the community is preparing to welcome visitors, but there will still be safety precautions in place.
“Our residents and staff were fortunate to have been among the first to receive COVID-19 vaccinations, but we’re still following recommended precautions,” said Shaw. “Our visitation policies include testing visitors for COVID-19 when they arrive, asking them to wear a facemask, practice social distancing and more.”
Visits at the community need to be scheduled in advance and visitors are also required to pass a health screen prior to entering the community.
The COVID-19 vaccine was not mandatory for Stoneybrook residents, but Shaw says seniors did not hesitate to opt-in.