COVID-19 protocols relaxed at Chateau, not at Saxony

On Tuesday, Chateau Girardeau senior retirement community, 3120 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, reopened its main building to visitors.

It is the first easing of restrictions since Chateau's pandemic-driven lockdown was put in place March 14.

The reopening, according to Chateau's president and CEO Keith Boeller, is a limited one and applies only to the community's independent living (I/L) residents.

"Each I/L resident has identified up to four visitors with a maximum of two visitors per resident at any (one) time," said Boeller.

Chateau, opened in 1979, is non-denominational but traces its roots to Cape Girardeau's First Presbyterian Church, which provided feasibility study funding to look into creating a Christian-based senior living community.

Today, Chateau has 150 independent living residents.

Boeller added that all permitted visitors will be asked "appropriate screening questions along with a temperature check."

Boeller notes Chateau's assisted living and skilled nursing areas remain in lockdown -- no inside visitors permitted -- because they are "specifically regulated."

No change

By contrast, Saxony Village is not relaxing its COVID-19 protocols.

Director Scott Sprandel said his community's independent living senior residents are still not permitted to receive visitors from the outside.

"It doesn't seem safe just yet (to permit visitors)," Sprandel said.

Saxony Village, which also has 150 I/L residents, was opened in 1994 at 2825 Bloomfield Road.

Those who need a higher level of permanent care are lodged in the Lutheran Home, Saxony's sister facility next door.

The Lutheran Home provides a daily COVID-19 update on its website, thelutheranhomecape.com, showing how many residents and employees in skilled nursing and assisted living have tested positive for coronavirus since the pandemic began.