COVID-19 Roadmap To Keeping Bloom Senior Living Safe
 
I. Bloom "Pandemic Rapid Response Plan" During COVID-19

Since Bloom first began responding and adapting to COVID‑19 in late February, Bloom has let our Bloom Beliefs (Do The Right Thing, Be Positive and Deliver Wow, Make Memories, Be Better Each Day and Earn Trust) drive our decision‑making for our teams, residents and community at large.

That has meant being here for Bloom residents and their families as they depend on assistance in new ways: to provide continuity of care and service, to stay connected as we have stayed apart, to stay creative at a time when we all need some entertainment, to stay healthy at a time when health is so front of mind and to stay flourishing / blooming when we long for more than just safety.

And it meant taking the unprecedented step to effectively close our Bloom communities in order to protect the health and well‑being of our teams and residents.

In particular, throughout March and April 2020, in response to the urgent need to protect Bloomers from the virus and save lives, Bloom pro-actively and aggressively initiated its Bloom Pandemic Rapid Response Plan and implemented a variety of protocols including, among other things, restricting access to its communities, screening essential visitors and associates, cancelling group activities and dining, limiting resident movement / rooming-in-place within the community, tracking anyone experiencing symptoms, isolating residents, testing through Bloom's partnership with an FDA approved laboratory and practicing social distancing. At the same time, Bloom rolled out a variety of new clinical and operational programs in order to keep our residents safely aging in place at Bloom as opposed to transitioning to higher levels of care, which has worked per our data through May.

II. Bloom "Back On Track Plan" During COVID-19

Until there's a vaccine or effective treatment, COVID-19 will continue to be a threat to our health and we must learn to live with this new reality and begin to safely take steps forward. One of those steps is to reopen and get back on track. That does not mean just opening our doors today!

As previously reported, Bloom has been developing a strategic and balanced approach for reopening, as well as, getting excited about some of the things we can do in the interim to get our residents back to a new normal routine within the communities and ultimately our families back in the community when it’s safe and appropriate. Testing, detailed above, is just one component. 

As part of the Bloom Back On Track Plan , Bloom will take a gradual and phased approach, based on guidance and data from County, State and Federal public health officials, which will enable us to slowly lift restrictions while carefully monitoring risks and needs with the ability to adjust our approach as needed. Public health experts have cautioned that COVID-19 could continue to pose a threat for as long as one to two years, although we have a more optimistic outlook. The road ahead may not be linear. At times, we will take steps forward; and, at other times, we may (or may not) have to pause or even take steps back if necessary to protect our Bloom community. Being a family company with a conservative capital structure, ownership intimately involved in operations and a dedicated team focused exclusively on COVID-19 day and night, Bloom is well positioned to be flexible and adapt as necessary. But this important chapter will require patience, composure, persistence, cooperation and partnership of all Bloomers (residents, families, partners); and based on the overwhelming support and collaboration we’ve experienced thus far as a community -- Bloom knows that goes without saying. We must continue to act as one -- fighting to keep our Bloom community safe, healthy and flourishing, while protecting our friends, families and neighbors. We will get through this together!

A. Phases Of Bloom Back On Track Plan During COVID-19

The gradual reopening of Bloom communities throughout Florida , Indiana , Louisiana , Ohio and South Carolina will be implemented in phases on a state-by-state or community-by-community basis. Phases will gradually become less restrictive as they progress. Key milestones must be reached before Bloom can transition to the next stage of recovery. The timeline for the beginning of each phase is dependent upon public health data that will guide our decisions, as well as, mandates from County, State, Federal, and Licensing authorities. Even if local mandates grant reopening, Bloom may take a more conservative approach guided by our own data analysis. Please bear in mind that as our Bloom communities continue to gradually reopen -- they may look a little different

B. Key Indicators:

Bloom has defined five key public health indicators that will enable our company, consistent with what County, State and Federal public health experts should be reviewing, to to determine whether COVID-19 is improving, remaining status quo or worsening in various markets and guide actions accordingly including the tightening/loosening of restrictions and moving through phases.

1.    Decrease in newly identified COVID-19 cases (downward trajectory of documented cases over a 14-day period).
2.    Decrease in emergency department and/or outpatient visits for COVID-19 like illness.
3.    Critical care bed and ventilator capacity.
4.    Testing capacity for COVID-19.
5.    Contact Tracing.

C. Phase I:

Bloom will continue to limit community access to one access / exit point. We'll continue to prohibit all non-essential visitors, including family/friends and vendors. That said, “Memory Making Stations” are being built (check Facebook to see a sneak peak) to accommodate resident/family visits outside in a safe manner (in addition to the virtual Bloom Skype Program). Deliveries should continue curbside. Essential visitors who access the community and interact with residents will continue to adhere to strict protocols regarding screening, personal protective equipment and hygiene. Communal activities of residents will resume provided strict social distancing standards are maintained. Outside entertainers and resident outings remain prohibited. Communal dining will remain restricted. Residents at high risk for choking will continue to eat in the dining room with precautions and maintaining a strict 6 ft. distance from other residents. Bloom will continue its thorough environmental cleanings multiple times daily. We continue to urge residents not to leave the community.

D. Phase II:

Bloom will continue to limit community access to one access / exit point. We'll continue to prohibit all non-essential visitors. Deliveries should continue curbside. Essential visitors who access the community and interact with residents will continue to adhere to strict protocols regarding screening, personal protective equipment and hygiene. Communal activities of residents will continue provided strict social distancing standards are maintained. Outside entertainers and resident outings remain prohibited. Communal dining will resume provided strict social distancing standards and general food safety practices are maintained. Bloom will continue its thorough environmental cleanings multiple times daily. We continue to urge residents not to leave the community.

E. Phase III:

In the third and final stage, Bloom will be fully reopened and turn attention to reimagining itself in a post-COVID-19 world. Bloom will permit visitation to resume through one central point of entry, but may limit occupancy and will be focused upon giving everyone lots of space. All visitors will be subject to screening protocols and guidelines, which will be posted in highly visible areas. Visitation hours may be established by the community. All visitors will be required to wear a face mask at all times while they are in the community, practice social distancing (remain 6 ft. apart while in common areas) and practice proper infection control hand washing practices. Outside entertainers and resident outings will resume under certain conditions.