There’s a lot to consider before re-opening the dining room in your community. Here are a few key considerations and best practices.
A few basic points…
- Prohibit sick employees in the workplace
- Establish strict hand washing practices that include how and when to wash hands
- Monitor cleaning and sanitizing surfaces frequently
- Continue to wear appropriate face coverings
For the dining room…
- Stagger dining times to decrease the total number of people in the dining room
- Encourage everyone (even residents) to clean hands before entering the dining room
- Disinfect surfaces like doorknobs, tables, and carts regularly
- Consider modifying the dining room layout by adding space between tables and chairs, adding physical barriers, and encouraging social distancing
- Avoid sharing items such as menus and condiments, simplify or remove centerpieces from tables
Other considerations…
- Residents who are experiencing symptoms or not feeling well should continue in-room dining without coming to the dining room
- Follow a procedure in your community for newly admitted residents to receive testing and/or a designated quarantine period before participating in group dining
- Avoid setting tables with glasses or tableware before time of service to minimize potential contamination
- Consider adding additional spaces for seating such as activity rooms
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