The story of 2020 is still unfolding, but for Phil Mikelatos, vice president of operations for Prospect Companies, a senior living provider in the Coachella Valley, no challenge was more important than COVID-19.

It required a new way of thinking and a new approach to both team members and residents, he told Desert Magazine.

“We gave team members time off to care for family members whenever they needed it,” he said. “Because of our protocol system and our open communication with team members, we are able to monitor COVID-19 on a closer basis,."

The pandemic brought the company closer to residents, their families and even their physicians, Mikelatos said.

”We’ve been able to spend a lot more one-on-one time with residents, which has made a huge difference with them,” he said.

The company is now helping residents write their life stories.

“For a lot of residents, the main reason they moved to a community like ours was because of the social aspect,” Mikelatos said. “During COVID, a majority of residents were spending more time in their rooms. That means we had to get a little more creative in our activities program and our dining program.”

For example, the company began offering food from area restaurants to make the menus more interesting.

“On Tuesdays, we might have Smash Burgers; on Thursdays, we might have food from a local taco restaurant,” he said. “This is creating a positive environment for them.”

A majority of the residents have patios and balconies, so the company has provided plants for the residents to keep them active.

The company, which owns Legend Gardens Assisted Living in Palm Desert and Horizon Independent Living in Cathedral City, has created outdoor areas where residents can visit with friends and family members while maintaining social distancing.

The company remains active in community organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association and the Riverside Unified School District.

Prospect actually grew in 2020, a tumultuous year worldwide.

“We are really excited for our company,” he said. “We are looking to bring on more team members since we’ve gone into a more one-on-one social plan for our residents. A lot of people had to lay off people, but we have not. We have actually brought on more team members, which is wonderful. Luckily, we’ve had continuous growth during this because of our relationships with the community.”

When he’s not working, Mikelotos finds times to enjoy living in the Valley.

“When I have a free Saturday, I’m usually in downtown Palm Springs or Palm Desert or hiking in the nearby area,” he said. ”The nice thing about the Coachella Valley is that you have so many options.”