Community Update Week of 5/30/2022

February 3, 2023

Update to Residents on 5/31/2022

Happy Pride Month Kendal!

Come learn about LGBT history this month with Kendal’s Pride Bulletin board, which shows an overview of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender history throughout the decades, from the classical period all the way to the modern age! The Creative Arts Therapy Department along with KORA Resident LGBT Committee will be showing documentaries on the Stonewall Uprising, modern day Trans youth, and the story of Pat Henchel– who kept her relationship to another woman hidden for seven decades– among others.  We have created a list of documentaries and movies that we will be showing in June. Please join us as an Allie or someone who is LGBTQ+ in standing loud and proud this pride month. Celebrate the LGBTQ+ members of your Kendal family. As Harvey Milk said, “Hope will Never be Silent.”

• Documentaries: “The Stonewall Uprising” 2010 (PBS), “Growing Up Trans” 1983 (PBS), “A Secret Love” 2020 (Netflix), “Disclosure” 2020 (Netflix).

• Movies: “Joe Bell” 2021 (Prime Video), “The Birdcage” 1996 (Prime Video), “To Wong Foo” 1995 (Prime Video), “Pride” 2014 (Prime), “Heartstopper” 2022 (Netflix).

SCAM Alert:

We continue to be concerned on the number of scams targeting seniors, including many victims who are contacted directly for “tech support”. NCOA (National Council On Aging) provides the following resource with tips to prevent being a victim. 

https://www.ncoa.org/article/top-10-financial-scams-targeting-seniors. The following link is the story of Phyllis Weisberg. She was the victim of a tech support scam that ended in a $20,000 loss. https://www.ncoa.org/article/phyllis-weisberg-a-tech-support-scam-victims-story.  Always check with a trusted source before you fall for someone “helping” you and getting access to your personal confidential information.

New Discussion Group

(Submitted by Suzanne McDougal) Have you ever been stumped when trying to fill out a form or make a decision regarding healthcare? A new group is forming to hold informal monthly discussions where residents, both newcomers and old-timers, can share questions, resources, and experiences about such things, peer-to-peer. If you are interested in helping launch this group, please come to the Green Room on Tuesday, June 7, at 10 AM.

Newspaper Delivery Time & Method is Likely to Change

The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Plain Dealer have all indicated that they may be changing their delivery methods. Rather than having a dedicated delivery person, they are likely to send their newspapers through the US Mail – in which case, newspapers would not arrive first thing in the morning, but rather, mid-day when the mail gets delivered. We have been getting conflicting information from the companies so we are not sure how or when this change will take place.

Report on Racism as a Public Health Crisis and Equity Agenda for Lorain County

On Thursday, June 22, the Racial Equity Steering Committee will be making a report at Lorain Community College’s Resar Grand Room at 1:30 (1:30-3 pm). You may also attend virtually. To receive the link register directly to jlynch@policybridgeneo.org. This information would be helpful to Kendal at Oberlin as we move forward on our strategic goal addressing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging. We will be hosting discussion meetings on June 28 with options in the morning and afternoon for residents and staff.

Oberlin College Commencement

Commencement is this coming Sunday, June 5 at 9:30 am. There are 2 ways to watch. Stream the event from your computer by clicking on the link https://www.oberlin.edu/commencement/live. Or watch the ceremony on WSCC TV (921) beginning at 9:15 am. Note: The Roman Catholic worship service will be shown on WSCC beginning at 12:30; the Episcopal service will be shown at 1:45.

Dining Update

From Greg Zehe, Director of Hospitality Services & Assoc. Administrator

Memorial Day Celebration

By all accounts, this was a great event. We served over 200 people and the reservation system worked as designed. We received many compliments on the food and service. The “Community Solos” table was full and was a success. As you recall, this was suggested by residents to accommodate residents who wish to join a large table and attend the meal, like the Solo Diners program.

Job Fair at Elyria High School

Lisa Wilken and Marita George attended this event last week as our Kendal representatives. They reported a great turnout of students and we distributed most of the recruiting materials we brought to the event. We promote Kendal as a great place to work and remind students of opportunities in other areas besides Dining. Students were very interested to learn more about our new “build a tuition fund” program.

Please, No Personal Carryout Containers

The Health Code prevents us from placing your food into your personal container. We understand your good intentions, but by regulation, can only place your food into a single use disposable container or one of the green Eco containers.

We Heard You

Many residents have commented on how difficult it can be at times to get a coffee refill. We have noticed this as an opportunity in our own observations too. Lisa Wilken and her team are introducing some additional training, new assignments, and coffee stations to help us improve in this area. Your feedback is helpful as we monitor this change, thanks.

Housekeeping and Laundry Update

Window Cleaning Continues

H&B Window Cleaning will be back on campus to finish cleaning the windows in the main community areas and apartment building. More information will be coming later in June regarding cottage window cleaning.

A Request from your Housekeeper

Once again this week, we had some extremely warm days. Several residents had lowered their home’s temperature before their housekeeper arrived. This thoughtful act makes a big difference to our housekeepers. Thank You!

Laundry News

We had a good turnout for the laundry tour. Residents usually find these interesting so please know that if you missed this tour, there will be another one in June. I will share the next date when it is available, and a sign-up sheet will be placed by the mailboxes at the Front Desk.

Other Announcements

Attention Kendal Artists and Writers

Have you written a creative piece, poem or short story on aging or an older adult? Have you painted a portrait, taken a photo or created an illustration that defines (or redefines) aging?  Generations Today, the magazine of the American Society on Aging, is calling for submission of art of all types from now until September 12. Pieces selected will appear in the November-December issue. Send picture of painting or copy of poem to Alison Biggar, Editorial Director, American Society on Aging. Her e-mail: abiggar@asaging.org  More info? Contact Thelma Morris.

Don Parker shared this poem

in light of last week’s Afternoon Exchange discussion about privacy concerns. We know it can be frustrating when something happens medically to someone in our community that brings an ambulance on campus. It can be a neighbor, swimming buddy, dining companion, etc. but it always leaves you with uneasy thoughts. This poem was originally published in 2012 and fits our community well. Thank you, Don.

 Flashing Red Lights

Flashing red lights catch my eye,

            a medic van is over there

Blinking, winking, flashing Urgent.

            Who, I wonder, needs their care?

Silently it came among us,

            flashing lights its only clue

That something dire had paid a visit,

            and, again, I wonder who?

‘Round the corner comes a gurney

              pushed by two men dressed in white;

Figure wrapped in blankets on it.

            I crane my neck for better sight.

At this distance I can’t make out

            who it is or what the plight.

I can only gaze and wonder

            at the blood-red flashing light.

With its load of precious cargo

            on a mission yet unknown,

Van pulls out with lights still flashing,

            leaves me pondering, alone.

Van recedes into the distance,

            flashing lights fade out of view.

Who? the answer still evades me.

            Somehow, if I only knew.

Then I sense the bigger question,

            why is it I want to know?

Is it empathy I’m feeling?

            is it really apropos? 

Curiosity is one thing,

            quite another is my need

To know another person’s problem

            so my own tends to recede.

Then I think, the one who suffers

            should decide what would be best

To share with trusted friends around

            who hear the good and drop the rest.

I should pause and then consider

            how community is shared;

We should face our trials together

            but they must not be compared.

So do not ask for whom the lights flash,

            for our turn is coming too.

Don’t inquire for whom they flash–

            They flash for me, they flash for you.

© Don Parker, May 6, 2012

Covid News and Statistics

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

Experts worry about how US will see next COVID surge coming (The Associated Press, The Chronicle-Telegram)

NEW YORK — As coronavirus infections rise in some parts of the world, experts are watching for a potential new COVID-19 surge in the U.S. — and wondering how long it will take to detect.

Despite disease monitoring improvements over the last two years, they say, some recent developments don’t bode well:

As more people take rapid COVID-19 tests at home, fewer people are getting the gold-standard tests that the government relies on for case counts.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will soon use fewer labs to look for new variants.

Health officials are increasingly focusing on hospital admissions, which rise only after a surge has arrived.

A wastewater surveillance program remains a patchwork that cannot yet be counted on for the data needed to understand coming surges.

White House officials say the government is running out of funds for vaccines, treatments and testing.

“We’re not in a great situation,” said Jennifer Nuzzo, a Brown University pandemic researcher.  Scientists acknowledge that the wide availability of vaccines and treatments puts the nation in a better place than when the pandemic began, and that monitoring has come a long way.  For example, scientists this week touted a 6-month-old program that tests international travelers flying into four U.S. airports. Genetic testing of a sample on Dec. 14 turned up a coronavirus variant — the descendant of omicron known as BA.2 — seven days earlier than any other reported detection in the U.S.

Some good news

U.S. cases, hospitalizations and deaths have been falling for weeks. But it’s different elsewhere. The World Health Organization this week reported that the number of new coronavirus cases increased two weeks in a row globally, likely because COVID-19 prevention measures have been halted in numerous countries and because BA.2 spreads more easily. Some public health experts aren’t certain what that means for the U.S.  BA.2 accounts for a growing share of U.S. cases, the CDC said — more than one-third nationally and more than half in the Northeast. Small increases in overall case rates have been noted in New York, and in hospital admissions in New England. Dr. James Musser, an infectious disease specialist at Houston Methodist, called the national case data on BA.2 “murky.” He added: “What we really need is as much real-time data as possible … to inform decisions.” Read more:  https://chroniclet.com/news/296811/experts-worry-about-how-us-will-see-next-covid-surge-coming/