Community Update for week of 12/5/2022

Update to residents on 12/6/2022

Stephens Care Center COVID Update

The number of new COVID cases in Lorain County in the last week is 545. This is double the number of new cases recorded in the prior week, which was 279.

Here at Kendal, we currently have only one remaining resident in COVID isolation in the Stephens Care Center (SCC). We are grateful that all recent cases have been mild. All SCC residents, SCC staff, SCC volunteers and other Kendal staff working in close proximity to Independent Living residents continue to participate in our twice per week COVID testing cadences. PCR testing was conducted yesterday. We expect results from the laboratory by the end of the day tomorrow (Wednesday). If all tests come back negative, we will begin lifting some of the current mitigation protocols we put in place on November 28 in the SCC, including the pauses in communal dining and group activities.

Currently, now that the outbreak is subsiding, SCC residents (excluding Jameson House residents) who are not isolated or under quarantine, may come down to the Heiser Community Center briefly – while practicing COVID safe protocols such as masking and social distancing — to enjoy the decorations, the library and seeing neighbors and friends (social distanced). This group of SCC residents is permitted to grab a meal in the Langston or Fox and Fell and take it back to their room during this recent outbreak.

Again, we hope to scale back the mitigation protocols we put in place November 28 very soon.  We thank everyone one for your patience as we have worked together to prevent the further spread of COVID on the Kendal at Oberlin campus.

Kendal Early Learning Center Recognized as an Intergenerational Program of Distinction

We are proud to share that Generations United has designated our Kendal Early Learning Center, once again, as an intergenerational Program of Distinction. The Generations United’s Program of Distinction designation serves as the U.S. benchmark for intergenerational programs and is based on the criteria that underpin the effectiveness of high-quality intergenerational programs.  Kendal is described as being in an elite class with this stature. Congratulations to our KELC Staff, as well as the many residents, parents, and families who participate and volunteer in the center.

Shop Local to Support Our Town

Need a gift and want to support Oberlin merchants? Oberlin Gift Certificates are a great choice!  Purchase $50, get $5 FREE! (through 12/23). The recipient can choose where to dine, shop, and purchase services from 33 local member businesses! Available online at oberlin.org or stop by Oberlin Business Partnership office at 23 East College Street (next to the Apollo Theatre) Mon-Thurs 10-4 or Fri 1-5pm.

Ruminations on the Life and Writings of Henry David Thoreau

Wed., Dec. 7 at 7:15 p.m. in the Auditorium and on KOTV. Presentation by resident George Blomgren. Although Henry David Thoreau died 160 years ago, his writings and the life that inspired them are still of great interest. Two books, based entirely on his journal writings, were published for the first time in 1993 and 2000. Some of the little-known facts that they reveal about his eccentric life had a profound effect on his literary output and are relevant to the current interest in his work.

Special broadcast of the Oberlin & United Nations partnership concert!

Last Friday, Oberlin Conservatory Orchestra, College Choir, and Musical Union played an exclusive concert for the United Nations General Assembly at Carnegie Hall! Oberlin College will broadcast the same program, recorded live on Tuesday, November 29 in Finney Chapel, so others can hear it too. The program includes Adolphus Hailstork Fanfare on “Amazing Grace”; Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor; and Beethoven Symphony No. 9. The broadcast will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, December 7, at 8:00 p.m., as a YouTube Premiere. The program will only be available as a one-time broadcast. Watch it by going to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXOYjZkZrQw. It will also be on our internal channel, WSCC.

Empty Mugs Concert

A holiday favorite! This year featuring the brass musicians and Oberlin Choristers. Saturday, December 10, at 1 PM at The First Church in Oberlin. The concert will be at 1 PM followed by the hand-made pottery sale from 2-4 PM. Proceeds benefit Oberlin Community Services.

Walking Safely After Dark at Kendal

Toni Merleno, Risk Manager

We are now well into the early darkest season of the year as our daily sunlight hours grow shorter until they reverse after the winter solstice.  It is again time to advise all our nocturnal resident pedestrians to avoid walking in the Kendal roadways—please use the newly striped walking paths. It has been reported by resident drivers at night and early morning hours of seeing residents walking on the road without wearing reflective or light-colored coats. In addition, they are not walking against the traffic’s flow which is a basic safety practice.

Walkers: Don’t expect car drivers to see you if you choose to ignore this advisory.

Drivers:  Keep your speed down to the posted 20 mph limit when cruising Kendal’s roadways and be alert for pedestrians walking in the road.

Take a minute to watch the brief video below from the New York State Department of Transportation regarding safe walking at night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsVhdUv409s

We all need to alter our habits of walking and driving with the seasonal changes. Please: Let’s not have any needless accidents this winter season! –Thank you.  

When to Use the Swimming Pool with a Monitor

Friendly reminder that if you are a swimmer without a buddy – you can still use the pool when there is a monitor there. The pool is open to swim with a monitor at the times listed below. If there is a particular time you want to swim and we don’t have a monitor, please contact Kathy Caldwell. Come and swim!

  • Sunday – 9:30-10:30; 3:30-5:30
  • Monday 10:30-11:30
  • Tuesday – 10:30-11:30 1:30-2:30
  • Weds- 9:30-10:30 10:30-11:30
  • Thursday – 1:30-3:30
  • Friday 10:30-11:30
  • Saturday – 9-10 am 3:30-4:30

Dining Update

Greg Zehe, Director of Hospitality Services & Assoc. Administrator

Meal Plan Selection – Due Next Tuesday

It is that time again. Please use the link below to select your new meal plan for December 19, 2022 through March 18, 2023. Please be aware that the 6% increase in dining dollars and away credits presented in the 2023 Service Charge information are reflected. Meal plans should be chosen by Tuesday, December 13 at 4pm. Thank you from Your Kendal Dining Team. https://fs10.formsite.com/97rJJN/1k6apw9hj7/index.html

Better for the Environment, and Better for Your Wallet

We are running low on the green plastic carryout containers. Please return any that you may have. They cost about $8 apiece and we don’t want to have to order more if we don’t have to! Also, please note it is best not to use these in the microwave as that causes the plastic to breakdown. Thank you.

COVID News/ Statistics

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

Is it long COVID, or dementia, or both? 

Published November 29, 2022, by Constance Sommer in Neurology Reviews. (Shared by Judy Appleton.)

In early September, about a week after recovering from COVID-19, Barri Sanders went to the bank to pay a bill. But by mistake, she transferred a large amount of money from the wrong account. “I’m talking about $20,000,” she said. “I had to go back [later] and fix it.”

Ms. Sanders, 83, had not had confusion like that before. Suddenly, the Albuquerque, N.M., resident found herself looking up from a book and not remembering what she had just read. She would stand up from her chair and forget what she meant to do.

“I kind of thought it was just the aging process,” she said. Combined with sudden balance issues, insomnia, and a nagging postnasal drip, the overall effect was “subtle, but scary,” she said.

After 5 days of this, she went to bed and slept the whole night through. She woke up in the morning to find her balanced restored, her sinuses clear, and the mental fog gone. What she’d had, she realized, wasn’t a rapid start of dementia, but rather a mercifully short form of long COVID.

Somewhere between 22% and 32% of people who recover from COVID-19 get “brain fog,” a nonscientific term used to describe slow or sluggish thinking. While this is disturbing at any age, it can be particularly upsetting to older patients and their caregivers, who fear they’re having or witnessing not just an after-effect of a disease, but the start of a permanent loss of thinking skills. And some scientists are starting to confirm what doctors, patients, and their families can already see: Older patients who have had COVID-19 have a higher risk of getting dementia or, if they already have mental confusion, the illness may worsen their condition.

Read the full article here: https://www.mdedge.com/neurology/article/259831/long-covid/it-long-covid-or-dementia-or-both?ecd=WNL_eve_221130_mdedge

MDEdge reports the an early, larger than expected, surge in flu-like cases

(Shared by Don Parker.)  Reports of respiratory illness continued to rise as the 2022-23 flu season maintained its early surge through mid-November, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Nationally, 6% of all outpatient visits were because of flu or flu-like illness for the week of Nov. 13-19. Those figures are the highest recorded in November since 2009. “Seasonal influenza activity is elevated across the country.” The CDC has estimated that “there have been at least 6.2 million illnesses, 53,000 hospitalizations, and 2,900 deaths from flu” during the 2022-23 season [so far]. Adults 65 years and older have the highest cumulative rate, 25.9 per 100,000, for this year, compared with 20.7 for children 0-4; 11.1 for adults 50-64; 10.3 for children 5-17; and 5.6 for adults 18-49 years old.

COVID STATISTICS as of 12/6/2022  
VACCINATIONS# VaccinatedPopulation% of Pop
Kendal at Oberlin vaccinations 
Residents Vaccinated340340100.0%
Staff Vaccinated (some have Medical or Religious Exemption)21521898.6%
Total Residents + Staff vaccinated55555899.5%
Lorain County (Vaccinations Started)212,66968.6%
Ohio (Vaccinations Started)7,534,09364.4%
  
KENDAL AT OBERLIN – COVID CASES (Cumulative)12/6/2022Increase 
Residents 
Independent Living Resident Cases573 
Stephens Care Center – Residential Care273 
Stephens Care Center – Skilled Nursing40 
   Residents Subtotal88 
Staff 
SCC Staff and Volunteer Cases1021 
Other Staff Cases771 
   Staff Subtotal179 
Total Residents + Staff267 
Current # in Isolation, COVID Positive4 
Total # of COVID, Beyond Isolation266 
  
LORAIN COUNTY – COVID CASES (Cumulative)12/5/2022Increase 
Total in Zip Code 440742,65826 
Total Lorain County84,607545 
Current CDC Lorain County Positivity Rate9.5%HIGH
Deaths 
Total Lorain County9671 
Age Range Breakdown:  20-29: 5.  30-39: 7.  40-49: 23.  50-59: 73.  60-69: 190.  70-79: 273.  80+: 396
Note: Cumulative = since start of pandemic. Increase = since last week.

Contact Information


If you have any questions or concerns,  please contact Stacy Terrell, Chief Health Services Officer, at 440-775-9811