Friends House

Friends House joins Covia Communities! To learn more visit https://friendshouse.org/friends-house-joins-covia-communi/.

We got Valentine's Day off to an early start today at Friends House. Dining Director Vicky Detlefsen and Kitchen Manager Maribel Flores put together a beautiful display with their usual warm service. May you all feel the love this weekend.

Our recent vaccination clinic went off beautifully under the sun, and we are pleased to announce that Friends House's residents, staff and caregivers are well on their way to becoming fully vaccinated.

A letter from Executive Director Michael Cataldo regarding positive Covid cases at Friends House: January 11, 2021 We have received notification that 3 residents and 2 staff members have tested positive for Covid-19. We immediately contacted the appropriate Governmental Agencies and are following all of their guidance. ... I would like to thank you for your patience with the COVID-19 testing process. It was with short notice that a program was established to test 100% of residents and staff. Friends House will need to continue weekly testing until we no longer have an outbreak on campus. The schedule for next week will be available by Thursday, we will be testing on Monday-Tuesday again. The schedule will be emailed or printed to the residents' folders and posted in the lobby. We have conducted our contact tracing and have notified anyone who might have been exposed and have taken the appropriate actions. We are working closely with the Sonoma County Department of Public Health. Your safety is of the greatest importance to us. We want to assure you that we continue to take all available steps to control the spread of infection, based on the recommendations of the Department of Public Health and our own best practices for infection control and prevention. Please contact me if you have any questions. Sincerely, Michael Cataldo Executive Director Spring Lake Village

When you're walking the paths of Friends House on a glorious day and you stop and realize you're surrounded by so much beauty, it's hard not to feel like things might just be looking up. Happy New Year everybody.

Here's Chef Daniel hanging his ornament during the annual Employee Appreciation Holiday Gathering today. Friends House employees felt very grateful to our residents who showered us with a lot of love today. The love is indeed mutual. Happy Holidays to all.

The Friends House Halloween Parade and Pumpkin Decorating Extravaganza went off without a hitch today. Wacky costumes and silly pumpkins were all the rage, and many of us took a moment to strut our stuff and smile big smiles. Fun was certainly had.

Clara Allen's Oct. 5 update is now up at Friendshouse.org detailing how we aim to welcome residents back home tomorrow, and a change of date for our Kaiser flu shot appointment.

Visit Friendshouse.org to read about plans to return to Friends House Tuesday, Oct. 6 if everything stays safe. That information and more from Executive Director Clara Allen ... we're looking forward to welcoming everyone back home.

Visit Friendshouse.org to read Clara Allen's Oct. 1 update regarding the environmental survey of our facility, our tentative return date, and how much we cannot wait to see you all (hopefully tomorrow). Stay well everyone.

Visit Friendshouse.org to read Clara Allen's update regarding the downgrading of our evacuation order and the tentative date our residents are scheduled to come home.

A message from our Executive Director Clara Allen has been posted here https://friendshouse.org/updates-from-friends-house to the Friends House community. We hope you are all staying safe and positive during this challenging time.

After evacuation orders were delivered to Friends House by local officials due to the threat of wildfires in the area, all residents evacuated successfully either to the residences of friends or family, or by bus to an evacuation site in Petaluma. Since this morning, 18 Friends House residents have either been transported or are awaiting transport from Petaluma to the Downtown Sacramento Residence Inn at Capitol Park (phone, (916) 443-0500; 1121 15th St., Sacramento, 95814). For more updates, visit www.friendshouse.org.

Due to the fires in the area, all Friends House residents safely and successfully evacuated at around 5:00 a.m., Monday September 28. For updates, visit Friendshouse.org. To all staff, contact your supervisor for status updates.

Today the Friends House community took part in a bit of an impromptu parade where everyone was encouraged to wear something fun and wild. It was a way for us all to stretch our legs and wear a goofy hat or spin a rainbow-striped parasol. Good fun was had today under the sun.

Some useful information at the County of Sonoma website regarding this weekend's heat advisory. Residents of Friends House are milling about in cool commons rooms today, and filling up at our hydration station in the lobby. We're keeping cool and safe here, and we hope you all are too.

Today we unveiled our new visiting station! Families and loved ones can once again connect with our residents safely in a cozy, private setting. Our visiting station is open 6 days a week, and some Saturdays, in 45-minute increments. To schedule a visit, contact Emele at the front desk ... (707) 573-4500.

The Friends House 'Getting to Know You' exhibit in our lobby is growing, and it's a way that many of our residents and staff are able to tell a story about our lives. Each person anonymously selects a work of art or a special something from his or her background, and the community at large can make a guess as to whom the item originated. It's a way for us to stay connected and lively!

One of the ways we have been coping during this time of isolation here at Friends House is the creation and cultivation of a new garden. Dubbed the "Sunny Garden," nearly a dozen raised beds have been planted and are currently thriving. Both residents and staff alike are tending to their plots in the glorious sunshine, and it sure does the body and mind some good.