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Three new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed at Sunrise of Pleasanton, forcing the senior living community to implement a series of precautions for at least two weeks to limit potential spread, including locking down to “essential” visitors only.
The positive tests were registered in two staff members who are not care providers and one resident at the Pleasant Hill Road complex, according to emails sent on Friday to Sunrise residents and families, copies of which have been obtained by the Weekly.
It was unclear if additional cases developed since Friday or whether the three original cases were connected to each other. An email to Sunrise officials for comment was not returned as of Tuesday evening.
“After continued consultation with the Alameda Health Department due to our 3 current positive cases, we have been instructed to effectively place the community under restrictive operations to minimize potential exposure,” Sunrise officials told residents and their families via email.
“While this may be unprecedented for some, this is a situation that our community has previously experienced and we will continue our best efforts to have the community return to normalcy as soon as possible,” they added.
An assisted living and memory care facility for seniors on Pleasant Hill Road, facing the corner of the Foothill Road-Stoneridge Drive intersection, Sunrise of Pleasanton experienced multiple instances of positive COVID-19 tests early on during the pandemic. It is unknown whether the facility has recorded any confirmed COVID-related deaths, in part because it is not deemed a skilled nursing center under the state’s definition for coronavirus case tracking.
The three new cases this month prompted Sunrise to close and lock building doors to all visitors, except those deemed as “essential.”
Families can schedule window visits to speak with their loved ones from outside, according to the Sunrise emails. All residents are being told to remain inside their suites, with meals served in their rooms and activity programming done door-to-door.
“We are strongly discouraging families from visiting at this time. However, under essential circumstances it can be permitted with these precautionary measures,” Sunrise stated. “Visitation will be limited to the residents room and you will be required to wear full PPE during the duration of your visit. Full PPE includes: gown, mask, face shield and gloves.”
According to the emails, the new protocols will remain in place until Sunrise records two consecutive weeks worth of negative results among residents and staff members under mass COVID-19 testing, in line with guidance from the Alameda County Public Health Department. That would mean the earliest return-to-normal date would be Aug. 20.
This run of new COVID-19 cases comes at a time of transition for Sunrise.
Former executive director Melissa Malek stepped down “with a heavy heart” on July 22 after four years, citing a desire to spend more time with family at home, but successor Tracy Burke — who is transferring from Sunrise in Santa Rosa — is not scheduled to take over as executive director in Pleasanton until Aug. 15, according to an email Malek sent to the Sunrise community last month.
“It has been an absolute pleasure serving Sunrise of Pleasanton as the Executive Director over the last 4 years. This was especially true through the difficulties of the recent pandemic,” Malek wrote. “I am leaving with the upmost respect and confidence in Sunrise to continue the great continuity of care in our community.”
Editor’s note: The California Department of Public Health only reports case data for skilled nursing facilities and not other communal living centers without a nursing function, so Sunrise of Pleasanton and similar facilities are not part of the CDPH data cited locally and statewide with COVID-19 case and death counts.
