Community Update for week of 1/23/2023

January 25, 2023

Update to residents on 1/24/2023

Mask policy in Heiser Public Areas after 9 PM

Friends, we’re striving to have an intelligent policy about masking to stay safe from the continuing pandemic as well as the flu virus which, as we all know, affects older adults more than the rest of the population. Our benchmark for making masks optional has been to be at or below a 5% COVID positivity rate (as reported by the CDC). We are currently at 6.9%. That said, given how few residents are in the public areas of Heiser Community Center (lounge, library, etc.) after 9 PM, mask wearing is now optional after 9 PM in the Heiser public areas.

Afternoon Exchange:  tomorrow, Wednesday, Jan 25

Our meeting at 4 pm will be available as usual in person in the Auditorium and on our in-house TV channels. We will be focusing on “Great Expectations for 2023” highlighting the many things that are underway in both programs and physical plans for the year. Department Heads will share in providing the highlights.

Dining Update

Greg Zehe, Director of Hospitality Services & Assoc. Administrator

Clarification on Electric Carts in the Dining Rooms

The closure of the dining rooms through the pandemic allowed our policy and procedures to become less commonly known than they were previously. To be clear, there is a danger in operating electric carts in the close confines of the dining rooms — so they may only be used if necessary and then only to the table. Once there, a staff member will park the device and will return it to the resident at the end of the meal. If you are ordering carry-out, it is permissible to drive up to the entrance and place your order there. You can remain sitting on your electric cart and your order will be brought to you.

Last week for Menu Information on the old KORA platform

This is the last week that the daily menu information will be posted in the daily calendar on the old KORA website. Going forward, menu information be available on the new KORA website (a.k.a. Viibrant) at https://kaores.org/dining/  We’re excited about the look and feel of the new website and look forward to consolidating information into the new platform.

Other Announcements

Pool Monitors are there for you!

Pool Monitors are scheduled to be in the pool for solo swimmers during the following times:

Monday          10:30-11:30 am

Tuesday         10:30-11:30 am and 1:30-2:30 pm

Wednesday   9:30-11:30 am 

Thursday       10:30-11:30 am and 1:30-2:30 pm

Friday             9:30-11:30 am 

Saturday        9:00-10:00 am and 3:30-4:30 pm 

Sunday          9:30-11:30 am and 3:30-5:30 pm

When you arrive at the pool, be sure to double check the whiteboard across from the pool door to ensure your monitor is able to be present (sometimes we have conflicts). Thank you. – Kathy Caldwell

Campus Security & access to Facility Services building

Attention any residents who tend to drop over to the Facility Services office: please be aware that the exterior doors are now being secured and locked at all times. If you visit in person, just ring the door bell. Otherwise, you can always connect with FS staff by phone or email. As you may know, FS office staff are often alone in the building, and this brings more safety assurance. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Rey Carrion, Director of Facilities.

Candoo Tech – Remote training and support for Residents – new Pilot Program

Kendal at Oberlin is entering into a new pilot program with Candoo Technology. Candoo is the leading expert in providing digital training and support to older adults. They focus on the needs of older adults with technicians trained by geriatric experts. Candoo communicates patiently with easy-to-understand language, and provides onboarding materials, regular updates, and reports.

Why are we doing this? We’ve heard from many residents wanting tech support! The pandemic has certainly brought to light the additional training and support needed by residents. The Strategic Planning process captured these needs including various options for how those services can be provided — one of them being remote support and training. We are setting this up now. Stay tuned: more information to come.

Tree Pruning

Kendal Grounds staff will be assessing and performing maintenance pruning on trees throughout campus. Trees are inspected for health issues, safety concerns, and if they require maintenance-pruning. Younger trees undergo “Young Tree Training”, a pruning technique that encourages the tree to grow in healthy, good form. Pruning will continue, as conditions allow, until Spring. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Rachel Duncan at 440-775-9073 or by email at rduncan@kao.kendal.org .   

Updated Schedule for American Sign Language (ASL) Classes

You can learn ASL right here at Kendal courtesy of a class being offered through Oberlin College. Contact Michele Tarsitano if you are interested. Here is the schedule:

Jan 27, 1:30 pm- 2:10 pm: Alphabet & numbers & colors, time

Feb 10,1:30 pm- 2:10 pm: Family, activities, utilities

March 10, 1:30 pm- 2:10 pm: Food, breakfast, lunch, dinner

April 14, 1:30 pm- 2:10 pm: Basic con versation/Signing Music

Don’t forget to pick up your Lorenzo’s order on Thursday

If you pre-ordered pizza (or other entrees) from Lorenzo’s, remember to pick up your order on Thursday, Jan 26, starting at 10 a.m., in the Heiser lounge. Enjoy your meals!

COVID News/ Statistics

Governor Mike DeWine’s regular COVID Press Conferences: https://ohiochannel.org

US proposes once-a-year COVID shots for most Americans

(Washington Post) WASHINGTON — U.S. health officials want to make COVID-19 vaccinations more like the annual flu shot. The Food and Drug Administration on Monday proposed a simplified approach for future vaccination efforts, allowing most adults and children to get a once-a-year shot to protect against the mutating virus. This means Americans would no longer have to keep track of how many shots they’ve received or how many months it’s been since their last booster.

The proposal comes as boosters have become a hard sell. While more than 80% of the U.S. population has had at least one vaccine dose, only 16% of those eligible have received the latest boosters authorized in August. The FDA will ask its panel of outside vaccine experts to weigh in at a meeting Thursday. The agency is expected to take their advice into consideration while deciding future vaccine requirements for manufacturers. Read the full article here.

The other reason to wear a mask: it is Flu Season

Northeastern Ohio has the dubious distinction of having the most flu cases in the State that have resulted in hospitalization. We are about a third of the way through the typical flu season but the number of cases resulting in hospitalization are way above normal – see the red line in the graph below. Wearing a mask can help protect you from getting the flu. Source: Ohio Dept of Health 1/20/2023.