Jerusalem assisted living facility in lockdown after social worker infected

Residents of Jerusalem’s Nofim Tower assisted living facility were informed on Friday morning by a facility-wide public speaker announcement that they were restricted to their rooms, a resident told The Times of Israel. There are some 170 residents in 153 units and a small, 19-bed nursing-care unit in the tower.

Earlier in the week, residents were similarly informed through PA speakers that the facility’s social worker, who had recently returned from France, had been infected with the rapidly spreading new coronavirus and had been taken to a local hospital.

Since the social worker had participated in a series of meetings with the facility’s senior staff, including management and medical personnel, they too have since been quarantined. Another 12 residents were also initially sequestered in mandatory quarantine, and a resident’s caretaker was taken to the hospital, she said.

The resident said that the entire facility was disinfected and inhabitants’ movements were not initially restricted. Since Friday morning, however, residents were told to remain in their apartments and not to leave, even to dispose of trash, which will be picked up by staff. The facility’s kitchen is still operational, as is the small grocery, and orders may be placed from both for delivery to the residents’ doors.

So far, none of the elderly residents have been infected with the virus, said the Nofim resident. The management was unavailable to comment for this article.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Israel rose to 126 Friday morning — an addition of 17 new patients — as much of the country shut down and public life was severely curbed by the spread of the dangerous pathogen.

The nation’s schools and universities were closed as of Friday morning until further notice, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the public on Thursday night to “refrain as much as possible from gatherings in general.”

Founded in 1984 in Jerusalem’s Kiryat Hayovel neighborhood, Nofim Tower is one of the city’s first assisted living facilities. It is geared for independent, healthy elderly people and is known for its wide variety of activities, including arts, music and sports — and a large resident-run petting zoo where grandchildren come and play with the many small animals.

The structure and management company are owned by the residents themselves, who buy into a Community Interest Company (CIC) upon acceptance into the facility. Upon a resident’s death, the heirs receive the initial buy-in, which was invested into the property.

A resident who spoke by phone with The Times of Israel was philosophical about the forced, open-ended quarantine. Rahel Dan, 82, said the phone is constantly ringing off the hook and she doesn’t feel a lack of human contact or things to do.

“I haven’t finished solving the Sudoku from last week’s newspaper and this week’s is on its way,” Dan said.

Moreover, “There are no Friday meals to prepare, no babysitting. I’m totally free!” she laughed.