CAI-NJ July 2020(w)

MANAGEMENT TRENDS

SENIOR SENSE… and SENSIBILITIES By Elaine Warga-Murray, CMCA, AMS, PCAM RMG, Regency Management Group, Inc., AAMC

A ge restricted communities are still thriving as human life expectancies increase. However, adults living in senior communities are faced with new challenges because of COVID-19 and a new awareness of germ transfer. New routines of sanitary procedures, understanding social distanc- ing and the wearing of masks mark the opening of common facilities and amenities such as clubhouses, pools, fitness trails, shuffleboard courts, and tennis courts. Maintaining a sense of community while establishing new guidelines for facility usage is certainly different, since statewide quarantines were established in early spring. Keeping a realistic appreciation for people wanting to “return to way things were” and ensuring that “common sense” prevails requires planning and good clear communication. Every senior community needs to establish guidelines now before opening all amenities for resident use; and needs to communicate those guidelines effectively and install signage reminders in appropriate locations. Some easy suggestions include: • Residents should wear masks when entering the clubhouse. An entry sign on the access doors can clearly state that residents should wear masks when entering the facilities. • Limit group size when scheduling use of the clubhouse for meetings. • All residents should maintain social distancing when sitting in public areas and/or during meetings. • Residents should use provided antibacterial/antiviral wipes before and after using any common equipment (gym equipment, card tables, ceramic or craft room supplies, elevators, remote control devices, vending machines etc.). • Restrooms can be modified with tape and signage for 50% capacity of sinks, urinals etc.

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"Wearing a mask protects others – whenever someone speaks, droplets are vaporized and can travel and land on common area surfaces."

• If pools open, chairs and tables should be sanitized before and after use and a limit of how many people may use the facility can be established. Appropriate signage should be ordered and displayed. • There should be “contactless” interaction with all club- house and management personnel. A place to leave notes or requests could be provided so that no one must hand anything directly to another person. • The use of vending machines should have a note requir- ing wiping all buttons with a provided sanitary wipe before and after use. • Associations will need to include the following in their clubhouse budgets: disinfecting spray and wipes; dis- posable masks and additional signage. Masks and dis- infecting sprays and wipes do not have to be provided individually to residents; however, staff can be provided appropriate materials for maintaining safer conditions. CONT I NU E S ON PAGE 34

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