COVID-19 is at senior living centers and Ovation does not escape the trend 

Ovation Communities, like many senior living providers, has seen instances of COVID-19. 

Ovation Communities operates Ovation Jewish Home and Ovation Chai Point in Milwaukee and Ovation Sarah Chudnow in Mequon.  

The local Jewish senior living facilities have reported several infections among employees and residents on a COVID-19 blog. Among the three facilities, only Ovation Jewish Home has reported infections among both residents and employees. Infections at the other facilities have been limited to employees. 

Ovation Communities is not alone. At least 48 long-term care facilities in Milwaukee County have reported COVID-19 infection among residents, according to Wisconsin Department of Health Services data. Statewide, that number is 219. 

A May 15-22 survey of nearly 320 Midwestern senior living centers found 59% reported COVID-19 in residents, while 66% reported it among employees. The survey was conducted by Ziegler, a privately held investment bank that focuses on senior living and health care.  

The state of Wisconsin has lower COVID-19 numbers at long-term care facilities than in much of the rest of the country, said John Sauer, president and CEO of LeadingAge Wisconsin, a group representing Wisconsin senior care centers.  

Many senior care centers in Wisconsin are doing “an amazing job,” he said. That includes those that are carefully managing infections. “The villain is the virus, not the caregivers who are providing care,” he added. 

Ongoing safety precautions at Ovation Communities include screening residents; placing positive residents in private rooms; dedicating staff to care for COVID-19 residents; screening all staff for symptoms; rigorous cleaning and disinfecting; use of personal protective equipment including N95 masks; and more. 

“We’re doing everything that we can to monitor our residents and our employees.” said Michael Sattell, president and CEO of Ovation Communities. “We’ve been completely transparent with all our residents, family and staff.”  

That transparency has gone well beyond any regulatory requirements, he said.  

Ovation Communities is committed to serving residents and families and it is looking for ways to safely reopen to visitors, for the emotional well-being of their residents, Sattel said.  

He said Ovation Communities is strongly focused on “the well-being of our residents.”