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Enlivant is the first senior living provider to earn the WELL Health-Safety Rating for facility operations and management for its entire portfolio, the company announced Wednesday. The rating recognizes the entire portfolio of 215 senior living communities of the Chicago-based company for its commitment to promoting a safer and healthier environment for its employees and residents.
The WELL Health-Safety Rating, from the International WELL Building Institute, is for new and existing buildings and spaces and focuses on operational policies and maintenance protocols to address health and safety challenges during the pandemic and beyond.
Enlivant indicated that the company had implemented several programs and initiatives to promote healthier environments in its communities, including a COVID-19 vaccination program that achieved a 95% vaccination rate among staff and residents. The provider also adopted enhanced cleaning and sanitization efforts, emergency preparedness programs and health service resources for staff members.
“This rating reinforces the facility management and operations procedures that Enlivant has installed over the years, and it validates Enlivant’s commitment to a culture of good health and safety for everyone in its communities,” Enlivant CEO Dan Guill told McKnight’s Senior Living. “It recognizes that Enlivant truly lives and walks the values it espouses, and that we are committed to creating a safe and healthy community for all our people — residents, employees and everyone who we work with day in and day out.”
The rating is based on evidence-based, third-party verified measures and best practices for safety. It includes 22 strategies to help companies keep spaces clean and sanitized, provide essential health benefits and services, communicate health and safety efforts, prepare for emergencies, and assess air and water quality.
The WELL Health-Safety Rating is the result of feedback from IWBI’s Task Force on COVID-19 and Other Respiratory Infections — a group of almost 600 public health experts, virologists, government officials, academics, business leaders, architects, designers, building scientists and real estate professionals — established in March 2020 to respond to the pandemic.
Projects undergo an annual review to validate ongoing operations and maintenance. IWBI said the rating complements health-based government guidance and requirements.
Guill said the seal is evidence of Enlivant’s ongoing commitment to “providing healthy and safe environments where our employees and residents can thrive.”
“Due to our vaccination and safety programs, our communities are among the most protected against COVID-19 in assisted living and memory care, and we’re thrilled to receive this validation of our leadership from IWBI,” he said.
IWBI President and CEO Rachel Hodgdon said Enlivant’s achievement “sets a high bar” for other providers.
Enlivant said the WELL Health-Safety seal will be displayed onsite at all 215 communities and across all employees’ sales and digital communications.
