Turnstone Health & Wellness Center Reopens to Members with COVID-19 Precautions in Place

Turnstone Health & Wellness Center Reopens to Members with Covid-19 Precautions in Place

FORT WAYNE, IN (June 01, 2020) – Turnstone’s Health & Wellness Center, including its therapy pool and indoor track, has reopened for the first time since COVID-19 community health measures required the temporary closure of the facility in March. Members are now able to schedule an advance appointment to use the fitness facilities by calling (260)483-2100 or emailing [email protected].

Turnstone’s other program areas continue to operate and provide resources virtually, including occupational, physical and speech therapy telemedicine treatments, and Social Services support. The Turnstone campus remains closed to visitors and is only open to staff and clients by advance appointment. Updated service and operations information is posted online at Turnstone.org/COVID19.

“We are thrilled to welcome the health and wellness members of the Turnstone Family back to our campus this week,” said Mike Mushett, Turnstone CEO. “The facility has been rearranged and new policies are in place, but being able to continue empowering individuals towards their goals with these adaptations in place reminds us that we will get to the other side of our challenges together.”

With the reopening of its first program area, Turnstone has released a phased operations plan that outlines the gradual reopening of its other traditional programs in the coming months if pandemic developments continue in a positive direction. Turnstone continues to heed guidance from public health officials and elected leaders related to safe and responsible operations in service to people with disabilities in our community and will adjust its timelines and operations as needed.

All phases of the organization’s adapted operations plan include:

· social distancing measures,

· the utilization of personal protective equipment (PPE) including face masks,

· limited client capacity in some areas,

· enhanced disinfectant measures,

· screening policies for anyone entering the facility, and

· Codes of Conduct in place for staff and clients to define the new expectations now in place.

Additional policies and procedures specific to program areas will be implemented as traditional services on campus reopen. These customized timelines and precautions reinforce Turnstone’s measured approach to service in the current environment and its comprehensive commitment to the health and safety of its staff, client and community.

Virtual Turnstone services will continue to be offered to Turnstone clients and the community throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. These virtual efforts ensure that children and adults with disabilities continue to have access to the resources and support that are critical to their health, safety, and quality of life.

About Virtual Turnstone

Following the temporary suspension of Turnstone’s traditional face-to-face programming and services that was effective March 17, Turnstone has continued to offer services and resources via Virtual Turnstone operations in alignment with their mission to empower people with disabilities. Wellness checks continue to be conducted with Turnstone clients on a regular basis, therapists are continuing to provide treatment via telemedicine, and the social services team continues to respond to needs expressed by clients, as well as inquiries from the community.

Any community members who need assistance related to any disability needs are encouraged to contact Kathy Baer, Turnstone’s Director of Social Services, at [email protected] or (260)969-7637. Every effort is being made to fully respond to individual client needs and community requests, including those specific to the impact of the COVID19, using distance-friendly methods as everyone continues to navigate the rapidly evolving health and social landscape.

Digital resources are also being developed by program staff and will be shared on Turnstone’s website at www.turnstone.org and social media channels including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube to broaden the reach of Turnstone’s resources and increase accessibility of disability-related information for our community. Virtual access will also provide wide-ranging benefits to people across the region by removing transportation barriers and addressing the mental health risks of social isolation.