Wayzata assisted living facility will not reopen after COVID-19 outbreak
(FOX 9) - Meridian Manor, the assisted living facility in Wayzata that relocated residents due to a COVID-19 outbreak, announced it will not reopen, and residents will instead receive care at other facilities.
According to a release from Transforming Age, the nonprofit that runs the facility, Meridian Manor will not reopen "as a result of multiple negative impacts of COVID-19."
On April 18, the Minnesota Department of Health Emergency COVID-19 task force directed Meridian Manor to transition all residents to other providers due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases within the facility. As of Monday, a total of 21 residents have tested positive for COVID-19 out of the 59 total residents. Two residents have passed away due to complications with COVID- 19. Thirteen team members have also tested positive and are quarantining at home.
Meridian Manor is providing professional moving services to all residents at no cost. Residents are also being offered complimentary rent at other communities within Transforming Age that have no known cases of COVID-19.
“We express our deepest gratitude to our heroic team members and our partners for keeping our residents safe,” said Torsten Hirche, President and CEO of Transforming Age. “We thank the Minnesota Department of Health for their vital assistance. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Meridian Manor community, our residents and their families.”
According to the Minnesota Department of Health, people aged 70 years old and above make up 25 percent of the state's confirmed cases and 84 percent of the deaths. Minnesota's youngest COVID-19 patient is a 4-week-old infant, while the oldest is 109 years old. The median age of the Minnesotans who have died from COVID-19 is 86. The age range for the state's deaths is 44 to 109 years old.
At least 28 percent of Minnesota's COVID-19 cases are in congregate care facilities, such as nursing homes, assisted living facilites and group homes. Officials have now begun identifying congregate living facilities that have seen COVID-19 cases.