Christian Health Care Center in Lynden reopened its doors on a limited basis March 24 for indoor visitation. Outdoor visitation has been in place since August 2020, and now family and friends can schedule appointments in advance to see their loved ones in person.
The decision to cautiously allow visitors inside CHCC — made possible by the state’s relaxing of restrictions on indoor visitation — has been one that CHCC leaders have not taken lightly.
On one hand, CHCC residents have a deep need to interact more closely with their family and friends, and indoor visitation helps facilitate that. On the other hand, reopening CHCC’s doors after staff worked so diligently over the past year to protect residents — keeping COVID-19 from gaining a foothold in the facility during that time — understandably has been difficult.
“The past year has been one of incredible sacrifice,” said Heather Lewis, director of nursing services at CHCC. “Not only have residents and their loved ones had to sacrifice regular visits, but staff, too, have had to sacrifice their normal lives outside of work to help protect each other and those who live here. It has been extremely tough on us all.”
“We are simultaneously happy for our residents who can have indoor visits with their loved ones,” Lewis said, “and cautious about undoing the work we have all done since last March to protect each other. I am nervous, to be honest.”
As a local health care center with decades of service to Lynden and Whatcom County, CHCC is devoted to the overall well-being of the community it serves, said Tonja Myers, CHCC’s administrator. That has been a driving motivation since COVID-19 first landed in Whatcom County in March 2020.
“The sacrifices made by all of us — residents, family members, community members and CHCC staff — have been for each other,” Myers said. “Our primary goal at CHCC is to care for our residents, certainly, but we also want the entire community to be healthy and well.”
Throughout the pandemic, the health of the community has had a direct impact on whether CHCC could expand activities and re-establish visitation. Even now, COVID-19 rates are still too high; until cases are reduced in the community, CHCC will remain limited in what services are available for those who live here. The community’s health plays a major role in daily living and operations at CHCC.
Lynden and nearby communities have rallied to the support of CHCC and its staff and residents, Myers said. Many pledged to making lifestyle changes to help stave off COVID-19. Many more donated hundreds of items and services to support residents and staff.
“It has been heartwarming to experience the incredible support of the community,” she said. “Practicing diligence in protecting those who live at CHCC has been one way to repay that support.”
CHCC leaders have carefully weighed the guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the state of Washington’s Safe Start for Long-Term Care, and the Whatcom County Health Department in establishing plans for visitation. Regular updates related to COVID-19 have been posted and shared throughout the pandemic to help keep the community informed.
As the vaccines are rolled out and the pandemic continues to change shape, guidance is regularly shifting, Myers said. If Whatcom County’s COVID-19 positivity rates get too high, visitation again may need to be curtailed. However, for now, CHCC continues to facilitate both indoor and outdoor visits for residents and their loved ones.
For current information on visiting a person who receives care at Christian Health Care Center, please check https://chcclynden.org/visitation/. For news about other pandemic-related changes, check https://chcclynden.org/alert/.