Published on March 12, 2020
*UPDATED ON 4.15.2021 at 4:25 p.m.
The following precautions apply to all Phoebe Ministries’ Independent Living, Personal Care, and Health Care Center communities.
The well-being and comfort of our residents and staff is Phoebe’s top priority, and we maintain strict policies and procedures to help prevent the spread of illness throughout our communities. Our employees are trained in best practices to help prevent the spread of communicable illnesses, including COVID-19. We are following our infection-control policies, and will monitor this evolving situation. In response to the recent spread of COVID-19, Phoebe is taking proactive precautions to mitigate exposure among our communities.
Phoebe’s COVID-19 Update phone line is 610-794-6049
Sept. 17, 2020- Click here for a message from Phoebe’s President & CEO on COVID-19
April 20, 2020– Click here for a message from Phoebe’s President & CEO on COVID-19.
Weekly Update for Phoebe Allentown as of 4.15
Weekly Update for Phoebe Berks as of 4.15
Weekly Update for Phoebe Richland as of 4.14
Weekly Update for Phoebe Wyncote as of 4.14
Letter to Residents and Families– National Guard at Phoebe Allentown 1.7.2021
The Campus update letters are posted at least weekly, and more often if cases are reported.
We have worked with both CVS and Rite Aid to administer the COVID vaccine to our Health Care Center, Personal Care, and Independent Living residents and frontline staff. These vaccine clinics were completed on March 8, 2021.
Our own Phoebe Pharmacy can now obtain and administer the vaccine. This allows us to vaccinate new admissions, new hires, and those who did not get the vaccine during the earlier clinics. We will also be vaccinating our Retirement Housing residents.
We will be reaching out to you in order to get consent for vaccination of your loved one, if they are not able to give consent themselves. Vaccination is strongly encouraged in order to protect all of the residents we care for. Please note that even if your loved one has already had COVID-19, a vaccination is still recommended.
For more information about the benefits of receiving this vaccine, please follow this link to the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/vaccine-benefits.html
Please view this helpful information from the CDC:
Long-Term Care Residents and Loved Ones: Answering Common Questions About COVID-19 Vaccines
Mom’s Vaccinated: When Can I Visit Her Nursing Home?
The health and well-being of our residents and staff is Phoebe’s top priority, and we maintain strict policies and procedures to help prevent the spread of illness throughout our communities. Phoebe campuses are open for in-person visitation, following all processes put in place by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the PA Department of Health, and the PA Department of Human Services.
Please note that visitation depends on multiple factors at each campus: If county positivity rates for new COVID cases are over 10% AND less than 70% of the current residents are vaccinated, visitation may be restricted for unvaccinated residents. if there are active cases within the Phoebe community, testing of residents and employees will be completed to determine which, if any, areas may be open to visitors.
Visitation status, visitation hours, and duration of visits vary per neighborhood, so please visit the page of the community you would like to visit to check the status and schedule an appointment.
For the safety of our residents and staff members, visitors are required to follow the below COVID-19 infection control protocols:
Phoebe does not require that visitors be tested or vaccinated to visit with loved ones. We encourage visitors to become vaccinated when they have the opportunity.
Visitations will take place inside residents’ rooms or in common areas, as directed by the individual facility. If weather permits, visitors can take walks or go outside on the grounds with their loved ones.
Family members can also transport their loved ones to and from medical appointments, regardless of vaccination status, while adhering to infection prevention principles. It is preferable that unvaccinated residents use transportation arranged by the facility.
Outings for non-medical reasons will be allowed for residents that have been fully vaccinated. To prevent the possible spread of COVID in our communities, unvaccinated residents wanting outings must have approval by administration.
If you would like to visit an independent living community, please reach out to the community manager or Executive Director for that campus to learn what processes for visitation are in place.
Please visit the page of the neighborhood your loved one resides in for visitation hours and to view the schedule.
Phoebe Allentown Health Care Center (closed for visitation)
Miller Personal Care at 19th and Chew
Phoebe Berks Health Care Center
Phoebe Berks Village Commons (reopen for visits 4/28)
Phoebe Berks Village Gardens
Phoebe Richland Health Care Center
Phoebe Richland Meadow Glen (PC & Memory Support) (reopen for visits 4/28)
Phoebe Wyncote Health Care Center
Phoebe Wyncote Personal Care
Scheduled visits will be prioritized for residents with cognitive or medical decline or those expressing/exhibiting signs of loneliness. Visits will be scheduled and spread out fairly to ensure that each resident is able to receive visitors and that the schedule is not monopolized by any party.
Because COVID-19 is highly contagious and is spread mainly from person-to-person contact, Phoebe has put in place preventive measures to reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19. However, Phoebe cannot guarantee that its staff, residents, volunteers, visitors, and others will not become infected with COVID-19.
If an area of a building is closed to visitation due to COVID cases, we continue to allow “Compassionate Care Visits.” Residents who qualify for compassionate care visits may include:
If you feel your loved one meets the criteria for a compassionate care visit, please call the administrator or nurse manager at your loved one’s community. Through a person-centered approach, we will work with residents and their families/caregivers to identify the need for compassionate care visits.
Phoebe Allentown Health Care Center reopening plan
Miller Personal Care at 19th and Chew
Phoebe Berks Health Care Center
Phoebe Richland Health Care Center
Phoebe Wyncote Health Care Center reopening plan COMING SOON
We encourage families to utilize Connecting Hearts virtual visits using Zoom.
Residents who live at Phoebe independently have been provided with facts related to coronavirus, along with preventive resources and information on protecting themselves and others from respiratory illness. We have communicated visitation guidelines to these residents. If you would like to visit an independent living community, please reach out the community manager or Executive Director for that campus to see what stipulations for visitation are in place.
Residents who reside in any of Phoebe’s senior affordable housing communities are required to wear masks and socially distance from others anytime they are in common areas of the building. Additionally, any senior affordable housing communities with active COVID-19 cases recommend residents halt incoming visitors unless caregiving is provided. If we are informed of a positive case in a community, residents will be notified with a letter, and the Department of Health will also notify anyone who was in direct contact with the affected individual to instruct them to quarantine for 14 days. Questions can be directed to the building manager or to the Phoebe COVID phone line.
Phoebe will test the following residents:
Phoebe will test the following staff:
We continue to complete universal testing for our employees and residents in our Health Care Centers and Personal Care Communities, in line with the PA Department of Health and PA Department of Human Services mandates.
At this time, we are conducting mostly virtual tours of our communities. In-person tours can only be accommodated for those needing immediate moves and are limited to the prospect and one guest. All individuals touring must meet specific screening protocols before being allowed in the building.
At Phoebe Allentown, we allow families, friends, and representatives to drop off or have items delivered for residents. The drop off table is located on the Trexler covered patio and there is signage at the table with a sheet to be filled out.
Miller Personal Care at 19th & Chew will now be accepting drop offs Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.
Phoebe staff will take the following precautions to ensure safe delivery of any items dropped off:
Please reach out to Phoebe Berks, Phoebe Richland, or Phoebe Wyncote directly for their drop-off procedure, or call the COVID line at 610-794-6049.
Effective April 1, 2020, no laundry is to be done by families. This is related to containing possible spread of infection through clothing, and is a temporary measure. On your next bill, please note that there will be no invoicing for laundry temporarily until further notice.
If you have any questions or concerns, please call our COVID-19 contact line at 610-794-6049.