Community Update for week of 8/22/2022

August 24, 2022

Update to residents on 8/23/2022

Afternoon Exchange

Thursday, Aug. 25, 4:00 pm in the Auditorium and on KOTV: Come to hear what’s in the news about lots going on in the community including Oberlin Community Services (Executive Director Margie Flood), putting the Spotlight on our 2020-21 Pandemic Heroes, and a shared upcoming training opportunity for residents/staff.

Annual Disclosure Statement Presentation

Friday, Aug. 26, 4:00 pm in the Auditorium, on KOTV and via Zoom. Please join this important meeting to better understand the financial results of the Kendal at Oberlin community as well as the services provided under the different contract types. We’ll review the information included in the Disclosure Statement and update the status of Kendal at Oberlin’s current financial position. The Zoom link is https://kendal-org.zoom.us/j/85046650885  Meeting ID 8504 6650 885.

Kendal & Neighborhood Movie Night – Friday, Aug. 26, 8:30 pm

We used to have an ice cream social for our neighborhood but this year we are planning a Family-Fun movie on Friday evening, Aug. 26 starting about 8:30 pm on the big North Pleasant/Maple lawn. It’s for all our Kendal family and neighbors including College Village Apartments. Included will be ice cream novelties (possibly ice cream sandwiches?) The movie will be “Wall-E” by Disney-Pixar, released in 2008. Bring your own chair (or blanket) and enjoy this show under the stars on the lawn at the corner of Maple and Pleasant Streets. I look forward to seeing our enlarged family for this fun event. – Barbara

Ohio Department of Health Unannounced Survey

Last week the Ohio Department of Health was at Kendal to conduct an Annual Survey of our Skilled Nursing Facility in the Stephens Care Center. The Annual Residential Care/Assisted Living Survey was conducted by the Ohio Department of Health this past June. These surveys are always unannounced.

Due to the pandemic, our previous Skilled Nursing Annual Survey was conducted 36 months ago – we were 21 months beyond the normal survey window of 9-15 months. This survey was also the first annual survey that included the revisions to the Skilled Nursing Federal Requirements of Participation in the Medicare Program that were put into effect in November 2019, as well as all COVID-related regulations.

I am pleased to share with you the results of our Skilled Nursing Annual Survey:  Kendal at Oberlin was found in Full Compliance with Federal Medicare Certification and State Licensure Nursing Home requirements (zero deficiencies), excluding Life Safety requirements. The average number of deficiencies cited in Ohio Nursing Homes is 10.3 and nationwide is 8.3.

Our State Tested Nurse Assistant Training program was also evaluated and found in full compliance with all State requirements.

Our Life Safety Survey findings from Monday of last week were minor and included:

• Two small holes (slightly larger than a silver dollar) were found in a fire wall above the ceiling in a current wiring installation project. Those holes were to be sealed after the installation project was completed. The expectation now is that these wall penetrations be sealed with a temporary seal between work sessions. This will be done.

• A required semi-annual visual inspection of Fire Equipment in the Stephens Care…this is a new requirement to us and our contractor partner, Johnson Controls. These visual inspections have been documented annually; we will now document them semi-annually.

• A required 4-hour test of the emergency generator every three years by our contracted service partner. This was done in 2018 and may have been postponed by our contractor partner due to the pandemic, but still required. We are reviewing this. We test this same emergency generator every month for two hours.

Each of these Life Safety findings are being addressed/corrected and a Plan of Correction for each will be developed and submitted to the Ohio Department of Health.

We congratulate our entire Interdisciplinary Team of RNs, LPNs, Care Partners, Dining Services, Housekeeping, Social Services, Therapy, Creative Arts Therapy, Facility Services, Physicians/Providers and so many others for two successful surveys conducted by the Ohio Department of Health this summer for a job WELL DONE, especially in the midst of all the challenges we have faced!  Great Job Kendal Team!

Please do not hesitate to reach out to me, Stacy Terrell, with any questions or concerns you may have about the Ohio Department of Health Survey process.

The New Charitable Gift Annuity brochure

New Charitable Gift Annuity Brochure was just published. Check out the new photos of residents – and notice that the new rates for charitable gift annuities are very favorable. You are invited to pick up a new brochure; find them on the shelf below our open mailboxes.

New Form for Community Events (a.k.a. “Blue Sheet”) (shared by Shirley Taylor)

The new Community Event Form (which replaces the old Blue Sheet) is now available. It should be used for all Kendal community events, i.e., public events to which the Kendal (or outside) community is invited that take place in Heiser Auditorium or elsewhere on the Kendal campus. The new form is more streamlined and more comprehensive than the old form. It is used to:

• Reserve a meeting space
• Update the Resident Community Calendar
• Indicate if an AV operator is needed
• Request WKAO and Kendalight publicity
• Indicate the setup and other resources needed to Facility Services, Dining Services, and more.

You can request a paper copy of the new form at the Front Desk. The form is also available in PDF format so you can print your own blank copy; or better yet, you can type in your information and then save/send it to the Front Desk.

Dining Update – Greg Zehe, Director of Hospitality Services & Assoc. Administrator

Labor Day Meal Service:

Please join us for Labor Day meal service Monday, September 5. The meal is open for limited guest seating (50). Each residence (Cottage/Apartment) may have no more than 4 outside guests. All guests must be vaccinated and boosted; proof will be requested at the door. Invited guests will be charged under your account as guests. These charges cannot be applied to your meal plan.

Reservations are requested. Please arrive promptly so we may best serve everyone. Waited service will be in the Fox and Fell with varied seating times. Takeout hours for 1 or 2 meals will be from 11:15am-11:45am in the Langston. Please be advised that you may have to wait for available staff for carryout orders once reservations begin.

Seating times will be in 15-minute intervals. Please choose 11:45, 12:00, 12:15, 12:30, 12:45, 1:00, 1:15, 1:30, 1:45, 2pm. Respond promptly to guarantee your desired time. If your requested time is not available, we will notify you.

Please complete the attached reservation form by Wednesday, Aug 31, if you will be dining in the Fox and Fell. The link for reservations is: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0B4FADAB2AA1FB6-group1

The Fox & Fell and Langston will both be closed for evening dinner service. Contact Marita George at 440-775-9067 or MAGeorge@kao.kendal.org with any questions. 

Produce Market Update

The produce stand will continue to be open through the season on Fridays from 11:00am to 1:30pm. Special thanks to the Resident Volunteers who make this possible!

The selection will change as the season progresses. This year, we have expanded our providers of local produce beyond Grobe’s and are working with other local farms to bring in a consistent supply with greater variety. Our local partners include:

• Grobe’s (Elyria)
• Miller’s (Amherst)
• Chef’s Garden (Vermillion)
• Tyler’s Farm (Oberlin)
• The Amish Produce Auction (West Salem)

Other Announcements

Reminder: Tour of Oberlin Preserve

You are invited to join a discussion and tour of the prairie at Oberlin Preserve, tomorrow, Wednesday, August 24, at 9 AM. Prairies are a rare habitat with many ecological and environmental benefits. Please join us to learn about the advantages of growing prairies, different strategies of management (including controlled burning), and to simply enjoy the beauty of wildlife among these gorgeous, native wildflowers and grasses.

• Shaded benches and folding camp chairs will be available.
• For those needing a ride, Kendal bus seats may still be available; otherwise, carpooling is encouraged.
• Rain date is Monday, August 29^th at 9:00.

Fitness Center Update

Pool Monitors – We need them! If you are interested in being a committed monitor for the pool area, please contact Kathy Caldwell at 440-708-6948 or duntonfarm@gmail.com. A monitor can swim as long as another person shows up, but we are asking that you sign up and stay the whole time even if someone doesn’t show up to swim. We hope to start the Pool Monitors in September. Please help us make this happen. Please never swim alone.

Current Driver’s License is Required to Vote in Ohio:

(shared by Larry Mirel) 

Betsy and I both voted in the recent primary elections. One of the election officials noted that my driver’s license would be expiring in about a month, on my birthday. He said I should go to the DMV office soon to apply for renewal. Without a valid driver’s license, you are not able to vote in the important November mid-term elections. I told him I assumed that I would get a reminder from the State of Ohio, but he said that Ohio does not send reminders. Also, it takes a week or two after applying before your new license to be mailed to you – so plan ahead. Note that a temporary license (paper documentation) from the DMV does NOT allow you to vote. We went to the DMV office in Wellington and applied for renewal. It was easy. Our new licenses arrived today.

Covid Statistics

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