Two Sanford Senior Living campuses have expanded visitor restrictions due to the sustained increase of COVID-19 cases across the Midwest.

The new restrictions began Wednesday night at the WoodsEdge and Baker Park Senior Living campuses and allow only essential visitors, including facility employees, contractors, and consultants need to keep operations running, government officials, and immediate families or friends for a critical or time-sensitive event like hospice and end-of-life care. Visitors who are not end-of-life-visit related or medically/operationally necessary are encourage to seek other means of communication, such as telephone or video messaging with residents.

Sanford is also restricting group activities and individuals’ potential for exposure. They will actively screen all individuals entering the building and restrict entry to those with respiratory symptoms or possible exposure to COVID-19. All individuals entering the building will be required to wash their hands and/or use hand sanitizer at entry.

Cuyuna Regional Medical Center also announced it is closing its Care Center and Heartwood Senior Living Community to visitors to ensure those who live and work there remain safe and healthy. All community events and classes scheduled at Heartwood have been canceled indefinitely.

By — Nathan Green