Brightview is a great place to work – and we have the awards to prove it!

During the pandemic, we’ve taken extra steps to ensure that our associates feel safe and appreciated.

• We provide several wage protection programs so our associates don’t feel pressure to come to work when they feel ill.
• All visitors, including all associates, are screened for symptoms and potential exposure to the virus each time they enter the community.
• As with our residents, baseline testing of all associates is an important tool we have to prevent the spread of the virus in our communities. We have developed a relationship with a national lab in order to provide simple, painless testing for all of our associates.
• We’ve introduced a Nurse Triage hotline that associates can call to talk about any symptoms that they or a family member may be experiencing, so they can make an informed decision about whether they should come to work. 
• We have made use of PPE, particularly wearing masks, mandatory for all associates. Masks help to prevent asymptomatic carriers of the virus from sharing it with others.
• We have provided free meals for all associates during their work hours. Our chefs are extraordinary, so this has been a very welcome benefit!
• COVID-19 has presented unique challenges for our associates outside of the community. Some spouses have been laid off from their jobs, children are home from school, and stay at home orders have made routine errands more difficult. In addition to our free meals at work, we have created an associate food pantry at each community to provide associates with grocery basics they can take home for their families.

Visitors

At the end of May 2020, our communities are just beginning to open to outdoor visits with families on a community-by-community basis. We are following very stringent criteria when evaluating a reopening plan, including the number of cases in the community and in the general population surrounding the community. With the number of cases appearing to be in decline, we anticipate reopening will happen soon. Our residents and families will be the first to know when we are able to welcome visitors into the community again.

New residents

Brightview is currently working on establishing the criteria for accepting new residents in a safe, healthy way. We paused new move-ins in April, and expect to reopen to new residents in some communities beginning in June. Prospective residents who are interested in learning more about Brightview should call the community directly for more information.

While we have had to modify the way we deliver our dining, activities, and other programs to provide for safe social distancing, the same great Brightview service and care still remains. Ever since the pandemic began, we’ve heard stories about seniors who are still living in their homes who have experienced social isolation and difficulty receiving care, groceries, medications, and having other basic needs met due to stay-at-home orders.

Family members who they may have previously relied upon for help were stretched thin with job responsibilities, children at home, and concerns about being exposed to the virus themselves. The benefit of living at Brightview is that all those things are taken care of for you! Chef-prepared meals, a helping hand when you need it, care and regular deliveries of medications, and most importantly, daily activities have all continued at Brightview throughout this crisis. A look at the feedback we’ve received from families tells the story of a company that remains dedicated to serving seniors no matter what is happening outside the doors of our communities.

The outpouring of support has been heartfelt and overwhelming. Associates from the home office, families of residents, even families of former residents have asked how they can support both our residents and our associates who are working tirelessly during this challenging time. If you want to help, here are a few suggestions. 

• Be a Pen Pal — Social distancing makes it harder to maintain connections, both for our residents and for others, including school aged kids who are staying at home. Send a card or letter to the community with a little about yourself and we’ll hook you up with a resident pen pal with hopes of starting a new friendship the old-fashioned way, by mail! Be sure to note “New Pen Pal” on the outside of the envelope on your first note to get this exchange started.
• Drop off a treat — Send or drop off pastries, donuts, cookies, snacks, bags of nuts, snack/protein bars, chips or any other treat you can imagine. Be sure to include an encouraging note of thanks for the amazing efforts of our teams!
• Stock the pantry — Many of our associates are impacted by the financial ripple effect of this crisis. Some have spouses/partners who have lost their jobs, others are incurring unexpected childcare expenses, and some are now providing breakfasts and lunches for children who previously ate at school. To help, we have set up pantries where our associates can get basic food and toiletry supplies to provide for their families. You can supplement the pantry supply by dropping off non-perishable food items, basic toiletries, diapers/wipes, and cleaning supplies. Better yet, place an order on Amazon and have it delivered directly to the community.
• Spread the word — While so many other industries have reduced their workforce and unemployment is expected to rise sharply, we are hiring and growing our workforce. If you know people who are out of work and would be great additions to the Brightview family, encourage them to check out https://www.brightviewseniorliving.com/careers. They may be surprised to learn how their skills, a passion for service, and a great attitude can easily transfer to senior living!