What you can do to help protect seniors

As Illinois begins Phase 4 of its reopening and we embark on our new normal, it's important we all remember that the COVID-19 pandemic isn't over - and least of all for the most vulnerable among us.

Forty-three percent of the country's COVID-19 deaths have come in senior care facilities, according to The New York Times.

These are not just statistics - these are our fathers and mothers, our sisters and brothers, friends and loved ones.

We must do everything in our power, even as we start to trickle out of our homes, to protect and support senior communities.

Nonprofit facilities like Plymouth Place and a coalition of six senior living communities throughout Chicagoland will continue to do our part - meeting and exceeding health department guidelines, staying in constant communication with our stakeholders and bringing new technology to this fight.

But we need your help, too. Here's how:

• If you have a relative or loved one living in a retirement community, consider reaching out to them more frequently. They need to hear from you more than ever to maintain their social, emotional and mental well-being.

• If you don't have to be out of the house, consider staying in. Senior living staff are working around the clock to care for residents, but they still need to live their lives and make use of essential services. We all need to protect them at grocery stores, pharmacies and schools.

• Be a role model for your family and friends. Wear face coverings and follow social distancing guidelines. If your family and friends see you doing it, they're more likely to do it, too.

We're all eager for the day that senior living residents can embrace their loved ones again. Together, we can help make that day a reality sooner rather than later.

Jay Biere

CEO, Plymouth Place Senior Living, LaGrange Park