Live Update to Residents-August 11, 2020
Live updates to residents on our in-house TV970 keep us informed and connected on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3 p.m. Today’s update featured John Burns, President and CEO; Glendon Kemp, Manager of Security; and Vanessa Perry, Pastoral Care Administrator.
Today’s Live Update was not available on TV970 due to a technical issue. Watch the update on TV971 hourly starting at 5 p.m. today or above.
John Burns
There have been more than 5 million cases of COVID-19 in the United States and around 162,000 deaths, with around 53,000 new cases per day. As of today, the COVID-19 data for Virginia includes:
• 1,267,512 have been tested for COVID-19, with around 10,000 tests occurring daily.
• Positive cases total 101,745, an increase of around 1,000 since yesterday.
• The rolling seven-day positivity rate in Virginia is 7.5%, flat. Henrico-7.5%, trending up. Chesterfield-9.1%, trending up. Richmond-8.1%, trending up.
• There have been 8,458 total hospitalizations.
• There have been 2,344 deaths in Virginia.
Parsons Health Center Update
Over the past few days, Westminster Canterbury Richmond learned of new positive cases of COVID-19 in a resident and two employees.
• On Friday, a Housekeeping employee who works on Parsons Health Center Second Floor tested positive after experiencing symptoms that prompted her to get tested. She is at home recovering.
• On Saturday, a Parsons Health Center Third Floor resident tested positive during routine weekly testing. This resident is asymptomatic and was relocated to the COVID-19 positive unit.
• On Monday, a Resident Services employee was diagnosed with COVID-19 and is at home recovering.
Three of the original four residents who transitioned to the COVID-19 positive unit have recovered and returned to their apartments. The last one has improved and is awaiting a second negative test result before returning home.
Residents and staff of Parsons Health Center have been tested on an ongoing basis per the recommendations from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Residents are monitored daily with temperature and symptoms screenings and checking lung sounds and oxygen levels.
Many employees have recovered. Five remain off campus in quarantine.
Avalon Update
Avalon residents were under quarantine in their apartments for 14 days after exposure to an employee who tested positive for COVID-19, per guidelines from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH). This quarantine ended this morning.
We expect that we will continue to see positive cases in residents and staff. It is important to be vigilant in protecting yourself. Wear your mask anytime you are outside of your home, both here and in the broader community. Practice social distancing. Wash your hands often. Stay home if you are not feeling well and reach out to your doctor or the Clinic for help.
Independent Living Visitation
Starting last Thursday, Independent Living residents began having family visitors in their apartments. Around 40-45 visitors came each day, Thursday through Saturday. Residents have asked for advice regarding Independent Living residents visiting in each other’s apartments. While it is not recommended, we are allowing it. Please use the appropriate precautions to protect yourself, including disinfecting after visitors leave. It is safer to visit outdoors, so please take advantage of the many spaces where you can gather outdoors while the weather is nice. Assisted Living visitation is available by appointment only. Parsons Health Center remains closed to visitors for now.
Vaccination Planning
We have been asked about planning related to a COVID-19 vaccine. When a vaccination is developed, how will Westminster Canterbury make it available to residents and staff? There is no vaccine available nor has there been any guidance as to how and when it would be made available to healthcare providers. As soon as details are available, our Coronavirus Task Force will develop a plan to acquire and distribute in coordination with VDH.
Absentee Ballot Update
The November Presidential Election is quickly approaching. At this point, we plan to hold the election on campus as we typically do. Things can change quickly, so we encourage you to fill out a Vote by Mail Application to request an absentee ballot. Detailed instructions for this are in The Tales.
It is reported that some Virginians received mail-in ballot letters with the wrong address on the return envelopes. We spoke with the registrar for our area, and they assured us that if you did return this application, the applications will be forwarded to the proper location. If you have not filled out an application yet, we encourage you to follow the process outlined in The Tales, which has the correct address information. If you have questions, please contact Resident Services at ext. 6082.
Child Development Center Playground Project
This week, the Child Development Center playground is getting improvements. We will be improving its safety by removing existing mulch areas and converting them into artificial turf areas. This will provide additional safe play areas for the children. We planned to start this project in March, but it was delayed due to COVID-19. Work began today and will continue through Friday, August 14, daily from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m., depending on the weather.
The hallway from the Child Development Center/Parsons Health Center Entrance to the Information Technology office is closed during the project work hours. Emergency Exit doors are closed. Temporary walls are in place to protect the workers and pedestrians in the area. You may bypass this area by using the hallway that passes from the Avalon entrance to the back of the Child Development Center Playground, Parsons Health Center offices and Employee Lounge. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Glendon Kemp
Telephone Scams
A new type of fraudulence has emerged with fraudsters calling claiming to be COVID-19 tracers. They will try to collect your personal information and get a credit card number to sell you a test. A real tracer would only call if you have recently contracted the virus. They would never ask for your personal information, especially your credit card information.
We continue to hear about telephone calls from fraudsters claiming to be from the Social Security office. They call from telephone numbers that resemble Westminster Canterbury numbers, beginning with 200. Please remember that the Social Security office will only correspond through the mail, never via a phone call or email.
Vanessa Perry
Matthew 6:31-34
So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Prayer
Oh holy one: We come to you today to thank you for the blessings you have bestowed upon us. We know that sometimes we take your love and your grace for granted, and we dare not let another day go by without thanking you for keeping us in your loving arms. We have had some tough days and maybe will have more to come. We have been tested, and some nights we may be so exhausted and so stressed that we can’t even sleep. We have worried about the what ifs and the tomorrows, but right now we turn it over to you Lord. We turn over the anxiety, the fears, the sorrows. Let us focus on your promise to keep us, to always be by our side and to make the right paths clear. Let us focus on the good. Let us, just for a moment, focus on the higher level of community that has formed both here and in other communities and families. Let us hold on to that and draw on its strength. That strength is enough to carry us through one more day and one more night. For we love you and thank you for what you will do. All these things I pray in your precious name, Amen.