Our Current Visitation Policies
Edit: As of 1/25/23:
Our commitment to ensuring the safety of our residents remains paramount - and we have adjusted visiting policies accordingly. To make things accessible for everyone, we are striving to keep it simple while maintaining a healthy atmosphere. Here’s what we ask of all of our visitors:
Upon arrival, fill out the surveillance survey (current temperature, reason for visiting, have you recently traveled etc.)
If you have a sore throat, cough, or any other respiratory symptoms, we require you wear a mask while visiting our residents.
Our community is dedicated to providing a safe and healthy environment. By being aware of our residents' well-being, we can ensure their safety and security - thank you for your help!
We are excited that you may be visiting us soon!
Edit: As of 6/24/21:
If you are interested in Touring, the summary of the information below is as follows:
Please call us ahead of time to schedule a visit: (972)-824-7572
When you arrive, we will do a normal screening involving taking your temperature and ensuring that you have not recently traveled internationally or been exposed to someone with symptomatic COVID in the last 14 days.
During your visit, for the safety of our residents, we ask that you please wear a mask throughout your visit.
Children under two are not required to mask.
Thank you so much for your understanding and consideration, and we look forward to having you visit us!
Edit: As of 4/14/21:
If you are interested in Touring, the summary of the information below is as follows:
Please call us ahead of time to schedule a visit: (972)-824-7572
When you arrive, we will do a normal screening involving taking your temperature and ensuring that you have not recently traveled internationally or been exposed to someone with symptomatic COVID in the last 14 days.
During your visit, for the safety of our residents, we ask that you please wear a mask throughout your visit.
Thank you so much for your understanding and consideration, and we look forward to having you visit us!
For potential families and friends who want to visit a loved one at Abba Care:
COVID Policy Update
4/14/21
Please schedule ahead of time.
Please continue to wear your masks, and observe yourself for symptoms. You will still have to answer the survey questions:
Do you have symptoms of COVID (cough, fever, sore throats, other respiratory symptoms)?
Have you had contact with someone with symptomatic COVID in the last ten days?
Children above two years old will be required to mask and will be asked to observe the same rules. Children under two will not be required to mask.
You may (and we prefer) that you visit with the resident in their rooms.
We understand that on your way you can’t help but interact with other residents. A friendly hi is welcome and even encouraged! We kindly ask that you also please do your best to minimize extra time spent in the community living spaces on your way to your resident’s room.
You may visit in the Activity room by reservation. Please contact your manager to reserve.
You may visit in the dining room after 6 PM. This gives us time to clean and sanitize the room before any visits. Even then, please try to minimize extra interactions with other residents who may be in the dining room who you may not be visiting specifically on this visit.
Social distancing is at the resident’s behest.
Thank you for your understanding! Hopefully, this will clarify and simplify the current rules and regulations -- this may change as soon as the Texas weather, but we will keep you all updated. Thank you for your patience!! Thank you for your interest in visiting Abba Care. As the state of the nation and the regulations in regards to COVID continue to evolve and change, we’re continuing to update our policies accordingly. Please patiently work with us as we create the best, safest space for our residents as the global fight to end COVID’s effects on our society continues.
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As of March 24, 2021, the state of Texas issued a new change in regulations on assisted livings. We still want to exercise caution as there are still a lot of precautions necessary to ensure the safety of our residents. However, we are happy to give our residents the opportunity to safely visit with their families and friends again.
Our latest update based on the most recent state regulations:
All visits must be scheduled.
Visitors are allowed in our activity room which has a plexiglass setup.
Essential caregiver visitors continue -- up to two can visit at a time.
Visitors do not have to physically distance if the resident agrees.
Visitors must wear masks throughout the visit.
Residents are encouraged to wear a mask, but may remove the mask to eat and drink. Visitors are asked to refrain from eating or drinking during their visit.
Visiting areas are cleaned before and after the visit.
Documentation of a COVID-19 negative test or a COVID-19 vaccination status are not required to enter the facility.
All visitors are still subject to screening tests which will involve a temperature check and ensuring that you have not recently traveled internationally or been exposed to someone with symptomatic COVID in the last 14 days.
General visits must be for residents with negative or unknown COVID-19 status.
We hope you’ll help us continue to create safe visiting spaces for our residents as we slowly begin to reopen! Remember to please contact us to schedule an appointment to visit, and please let us know if you have questions.
Sincerely,
The Staff and Caregivers of Abba Care
Edit: As of 11/13/20:
With an increase in cases in Garland, we are no longer allowing outside and outdoor visitation. We will lift these restrictions as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience and understanding during these times.
Edit: As of 11/5/20:
Visitor Policy Update
11/5/20 As our country and county continue to adapt to our growing knowledge and understanding of COVID - 19, policy makers continue to adjust regulations accordingly.One of those adjustments regards the visitation policies of assisted livings. Please read and observe our new visitor policies below:
Outdoor Visitation
The state is allowing outdoor visitation as long as the assisted living is currently COVID free. As of 11/5/20, our community is currently COVID free.
For the safety of our residents, visitors are required to wear a mask and maintain a 6 feet distance from residents. Visitors are required to answer surveillance questions and will have their temperature checked on arrival.
Please call ahead if you intend on visiting our community.
We thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to seek the best for the safety of our community and its families.
Indoor Visitation
For the safety of our residents, we still do not allow indoor visitation.
At this time, only essential caregivers, staff, and healthcare workers are allowed in the building.
We will continue to update our policy as the situation regarding COVID 19 changes.
Please understand that with our policies we seek to prioritize the health and well-being of all of our residents. At this time, while we are glad to provide residents with ways to interact with family and friends, we want to balance that with a need to protect their health and the health of other residents within the community. We look forward to the day when we will once again be able to enjoy fellowship with each other without the need for masks and extra precautions. Until then, we thank you for your patience, and we ask that you continue to partner with us to safeguard our community.
DATED POLICY
Edit: As of 4/30/2020: As of this time, no residents at Abba Care have COVID - 19. Per the mandate of the City of Garland health department, to protect the safety of our residents, Abba Care is on strict lockdown. The new openings do not affect Abba Care’s current policies, and we remain strictly vigilant in our procedures to protect our residents’ health and wellbieng. Only essential visitors are allowed. Only the following healthcare providers will be allowed entry: nurses, caregivers, and physicians. If you are interested in inquiring about availability or admission please contact Victoria at (972) 824-7572.
For pictures and updates on residents, please feel free to contact us at john@abbacares.com or check our Facebook for updates. We do our best to showcase a few residents every week and show that our residents are still living well despite everything going on!
All deliveries: please ring the bell to drop off at the designated area.
As soon as we are able, we will try to find a way to SLOWLY, CAREFULLY allow more visitors in. Until then, please be patient with us, and help us do our best to prioritize our residents’ health and welfare.
For more information specifically surrounding COVID-19 and Texas Health and Human Services, please visit their website.
3/12/2020
Here at Abba Care the wellness and quality of life of our residents takes utmost priority. With the onset of COVID-19 and our community’s susceptibility to the virus, we are bolstering our efforts by implementing some temporary but essential guidelines and policies for all of our visitors and staff.
Although Dallas and Garland are not currently in the minimal to moderate infection phase, we are taking pre-emptive measures and implementing the more assertives strategies per the CDC community guideline suggestions for assisted livings.
Here are some updates and policies on how we are addressing COVID-19 in order to safeguard our residents, their families, and our staff:
OUR VISITORS
In order to maintain our values of protecting our customers and staff amidst the current disruption of COVID-19, we are instating new visitation policies. These policies apply to visitors, potential new residents, volunteers, as well as health care professionals.
Here is a general checklist for your visit at this time:
1) Have you or any of your household/family members travelled to any of the following countries the last three months:
China
Hong Kong/ Macau
South Korea
Iran
Italy
Japan
Spain
2) Have you been on a cruise within the last three weeks?
3) Do you or any of your family/household members have any of the following symptoms?
Fever
Cough
Shortness of Breath
If you answered yes to any of these questions, we ask that you re-schedule your visit for another time. Please feel free to contact the nurse director, Victoria, to decide on a better time to visit our homes: victoria@abbacares.com .
OUR STAFF
Upon the writing of this policy (3/12/2020), we have no COVID-19 cases at Abba Care Assisted living. We are doing our best to do our part to protect our families and residents.
All staff have retrained in infection control.
All staff with fever, cough, or shortness of breath (or any other flu-like symptoms) will be asked to take off. If fever lasts two days, medical attention will be sought by the employee.
All staff must receive a release from a physician before returning to work.
Our staff have been highly advised to refrain from going on cruises or plane travel to prevent catching the coronavirus from other sources unknown as of yet.
All staff with house members who have traveled on a cruise or taken the plane are asked to notify the Manager so we can monitor everyone’s health for the presence of symptoms.
We are upping our efforts as far as general sanitation and disease prevention policies. We are providing hand sanitization at all stations as hand sanitizer comes available.
OUR VOLUNTEERS
We are currently implementing mild social distancing and have requested most of our volunteer and entertainment groups to refrain from offering their services for the next month.
All these policies will remain in effect until April 1st. As the situation changes, we as a company will update our policies while remaining vigilant by prioritizing the protection of our residents and our staff. We ask that you remain patient and flexible with us as we navigate these trying times to help keep our vulnerable population safe. Together, we can get through this while making sure we protect those in our community who especially need our vigilance.
Thank you for your understanding,
The staff of Abba Care