Families Taking Care of Families: Renaissance of Annandale’s COVID-19 Preparedness Prioritizing Frontline Staff Morale, Safety and Support

ANNANDALE, Va. (April 1, 2020) – Renaissance of Annandale and its network of 14 assisted living and memory care sister facilities across the Southeast, have embraced “a family affair” approach to empowering its frontline team members as they face the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This means going out of our way to provide our team members with the tools and support they need--safeguarding their physical and spiritual well-being. They are caring for our seniors in an unprecedented challenging time, and they have the full support of the entire family that is Legacy Senior Living,” said Bryan Cook, co-founder and president of Legacy Senior Living, which operates Renaissance of Annandale.

Examples of this, Cook, explained, include how Legacy Senior Living is helping its caregivers take care of their own families by exploring childcare options financed through its nonprofit Legacy Care Fund.

Legacy Senior Living is tapping into their vast network of protective equipment sources to include a six-state volunteer network of residents, church groups, family members and friends who are hand-sewing supplemental cloth masks, which provide additional protection and longevity for actual medical masks.

Other measures include daily incentive program rewards, team member appreciation car washes, and group lunches which also support local businesses.  

Onsite chaplains are working overtime to provide spiritual support and encouragement not only to residents but to team members as well.

“At the end of the day, we’re in the business of taking care of people. Our team members are our family too, and they are the ones on the front line caring for residents. Our mission to serve means that we must be fully prepared so that our team has ample support, and everything they need,” said Barry Ray, co-founder and CEO of Legacy Senior Living. 

Preparations and Training across All 14 Sister Facilities

“Legacy Senior Living’s support center, located in Cleveland, Tenn., is ready to distribute essential provisions to any of our network of sister facilities throughout the Southeast, including meals, water and medical supplies and equipment. While the nuances of this terrible virus are new to us, disaster preparation is not. Despite the shortages being felt throughout the healthcare industry, we believe that our mission continues to serve our residents and team members well and deliver excellence each and every day,” said Cook. 

Legacy Senior Living recognizes the importance of longstanding relationships with reliable vendors, church networks and local health care agencies in caring for its family of caregivers. 

To safeguard the health of its family of caregivers and residents, Legacy Senior Living has trained its staff on all relevant policies to combat the spread of COVID-19. Safety measures include daily reviewing changing conditions or the presence of respiratory illness in those communities on every shift and participating in daily calls with government and healthcare partners to understand the latest updates and current information related to the Coronavirus pandemic. 

Legacy Senior Living started purchasing personal protection equipment on March 3 and has continued to work with multiple vendors to secure necessary gear. Facilities have access to blue isolation gowns and a variety of masks (N95, KN95 and surgical). 

“We are very thankful for our vendor partners who have helped us locate PPE, sanitizer and cleaning supplies to keep our residents safe and healthy, but I am most thankful for all of our team members who have worked diligently and tirelessly to keep our residents active, healthy and and in great spirits,” said Blake Ray, director of asset management for Legacy Senior Living. 

As per CDC guidelines related to COVID-19, visitors are restricted in all 14 senior living facilities. Legacy Senior Living communities include:

• Concordia Retirement Center – Bella Vista, AR

• Grace Senior Living of Douglasville – Douglasville, GA

• Harbor at Hickory Hill – Prattville, AL

• Harbor at Opelika – Opelika, AL

• Legacy Village at Park Regency – Moultrie, GA

• Legacy Village at Plantation Manor – Thomasville, GA

• Legacy Village of Cleveland – Cleveland, TN

• Legacy Village of Jacksonville – Jacksonville, AL

• Legacy Village of Tifton – Tifton, GA

• Renaissance Assisted Living of Greene County – Stanardsville, VA

• Renaissance Marquis – Rome, GA

• Renaissance of Annandale – Annandale, VA

• Renaissance Senior Living of Vero Beach – Vero Beach, FL

• Sycamore Springs Senior Living Community – Elizabethton, TN

Additional information will be posted at this link: https://www.legacysl.net/coronavirus. More information is available by contacting Legacy Senior Living, (423) 478-8071. 

PHOTO CAPTION 1: Deidre Yates, executive director of Legacy Village at Plantation Manor in Thomasville, Ga., sews supplemental cloth protectors as part of Legacy Senior Living’s Coronavirus readiness measures across six states. A network of residents, church groups, family members and friends are sewing cloth protectors which will be used to cover actual medical masks to protect them and get more life out of them. 

PHOTO CAPTION 2: Management team members at Legacy Village of Cleveland, including Christina Clevenger and Jason Gibson, serving hard working front line team members with an appreciation car wash as they arrive at the facility. 

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