Live Update to Residents-April 20, 2020
Daily Live updates to residents on our in-house TV970 have become a popular way for us to stay in touch while social distancing! Today’s update featured John Burns, President and CEO; Sherry Grady, Vice President Facilities Management; Taryn Young, Fitness Specialist; Lynn McClintock, Director Pastoral Care.
The following updates were shared during the live briefing on TV970.
John Burns
In the United States today, there are 746,625 confirmed cases of COVID-19. This is an increase of 114,000 since Friday. There have been 39,083 deaths. As of this morning, the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) reports:
• 56,735 people have been tested for COVID-19
• There have been 453 positive cases since yesterday. Total positive COVID-19 cases in Virginia are 8,990. Positive cases are down for the past three days
• 1,500 have been hospitalized
• 300 total deaths
• 1,324 have recovered
• We have 598 cases in Henrico County, 236 in the City of Richmond, 331 in Chesterfield County and 91 in Hanover County.
If you follow the local and national news, you may be hearing tragic news from long-term care organizations that are struggling to prevent and contain COVID-19 cases in their communities. Westminster Canterbury Richmond is committed to continuing a strong posture to protect our campus. We are committed to being transparent and will share updates with you on a regular and consistent basis, as we have done since the coronavirus pandemic began.
Resident Update
Our second resident with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis has tested negative twice, so she is no longer under isolation. She continues to recover.
Ukrop’s Food Delivery
Residents have a new grocery option, as they can now order Ukrop’s food online and have it delivered. Log on to Touchtown Community Apps, click on the Social Media & Web app, then click on the Ukrop’s Food Delivery link. The link will take you to their site where you can order and pay for your purchases. All orders must be placed before noon on Wednesday in order to make the delivery on Friday. Orders placed after noon on Wednesday will be delivered the following week on Friday. Items will be delivered to Azalea and distributed to residents by our staff.
NOTE: When paying for your order, be sure to use the address affiliated with the credit card you are using as your delivery address. If you use a different address it will cause an error in processing. As part of the payment process, under Limited Delivery Service, click on the down arrow by “Select Delivery Area” and choose “Resident of Westminster Canterbury Retirement Home.” You may also order by going to https://ukropshomestylefoods.com/order-online/. Call Resident Services at ext. 6082 if you have questions.
Mail
Starting tomorrow, USPS will start delivering mail again. Tower residents can get their mail from their usual mailboxes. It will no longer be delivered directly to their apartments.
Masks
If residents would like to have a cloth mask, you can contact Resident Services at ext. 6082. If you have a cloth mask, please wash it regularly.
Sherry Grady
Lower Level Resident Access
Residents should avoid going to the Lower Level. Many vendors and contractors use the Lower Level. If you have questions about a work order, please call Theresa at ext. 6241 or submit a Maintenance Request in Touchtown rather than visiting her office.
Renovations
Several renovations in apartments throughout the campus have begun. We have strict precautions in place to reduce exposure. If you come out of your apartment when contractors are being escorted through the hallways, please wait inside your apartment until they have left the area.
Contractors will adhere to our noise policy. Noisy work may begin at 9 a.m., quiet time is from Noon-2 p.m. daily, and noise restrictions go back into effect at 5 p.m. If you have any questions, please contact Owen Sharman, Move Coordinator, at ext. 6220; or Tom Henning, Director of Construction Management, at ext. 6033. We appreciate your patience as we make apartments ready for new residents.
Crane on Campus
There will be a large crane on campus this Thursday, parked in the parking spaces in front of Sales for approximately five hours to remove debris from the Courtyard Roof due to the HVAC/Hot Water Heater project.
Azalea Garden Center Plant Orders
Plants ordered through the Azalea Garden Center Process will be delivered:
Glebe/Garden/Tower Residents – Wednesday, April 22, at the Tower Pergola at 1 p.m.
Courtyard/Homes on the Green Residents – Friday, April 24, at the East Parking Lot at 1 p.m. If there is inclement weather on Friday, plants for Courtyard residents will be located under the bridge in the Courtyard for pick up. Homes on the Green residents will have their plants delivered to them.
Avalon Entrance
A temporary shelter has been constructed at the Avalon main entrance. Residents are encouraged to use the second set of doors to exit the building if possible.
Taryn Young – Wellness
Stress Relief/Self-Care Tip of the Week
Thank you for watching the fitness classes that air on TV970 at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Please keep in mind that you should go at your own pace, particularly with the new workout. If you need to slow down, try listening for two beats of music per movement.
Watch the video for a demonstration of a new breathing exercise, “breath in six directions.” We begin with visualizing our spine lengthening in both directions up and down as we inhale. Try to maintain that length as you exhale. Then imagine your trunk widening side to side through the ribcage and waistline on the inhale. Try expanding front and back on the inhale. Finally, put all 6 directions together and feel the space you create inside the body. This breath in six directions can calm us, connect us to our body and create space for our internal organs to work more efficiently.
Today’s CV-19 Challenge Move is Rounding and Lengthening the Spine. This movement is great way to promote mobility of the spine. It can energize or relax us.
This week’s self-care tip is to Just Dance. Dancing does not have to be learned – it is one of the first movements we develop as babies and one of the first forms of communication. The health benefits are huge:
• Dancing helps us improve posture and increase range of motion, flexibility, muscle tone, balance and stability.
• It increases bone strength and blood flow and strengthens the heart.
• Dancing improves our mood, improves memory, and is good for the brain.
Feel free to call the Wellness team if you have questions.
Lynn McClintock – Pastoral Care
Live chapel services will resume at 10:30 a.m. on Thursdays on TV970. The bulletin will be in The Tales, at Tower and Center Desks and on Touchtown Community Apps. Evening prayer will start Monday, April 27, at 6:30 p.m. on TV970.
“Every storm runs out of rain.”
Maya Angelou
WE ARE NOT IN THE SAME BOAT…(Author unknown; adapted)
I heard that we are all in the same boat, but it’s not like that.
We are in the same storm, but not in the same boat. Your ship could be shipwrecked and mine might not be. Or vice versa.
For some, quarantine is optimal: a moment of reflection, of re-connection, easy in flip flops, with a cocktail or coffee. For others, this is a desperate financial and family crisis.
In some homes, a sole occupant faces endless loneliness. In others, family members are getting peace, rest and time with each other — while in still others, quarantine means an increased danger due to domestic violence.
With the $600 weekly increase in unemployment some are bringing in more money to their households than when they were working. Others are working more hours for less money due to pay cuts or loss in sales.
Some families of 4 just received $3,400 from the stimulus while other families of 4 saw $0.
Some were concerned about getting a certain candy for Easter while others were concerned if there would be enough bread, milk and eggs for the weekend.
Some want to go back to work because they don’t qualify for unemployment and are running out of money. Others are angry at those who want to break quarantine.
Some are home spending 2-3 hours/day helping their child with online schooling while others are spending 2-3 hours/day to educate their children on top of a 10-12 hour workday.
Some have experienced the near death of the virus, some have already lost someone from it and some are not sure if their loved ones are going to make it. Others don’t believe this is a big deal.
Some have faith in God and expect miracles during this 2020. Others say the worst is yet to come.
So, friends, we are not in the same boat. We are going through a time when our perceptions and needs are completely different.
Each of us will emerge, in our own way, from this storm. It is very important to see beyond what is seen at first glance. Not just looking, actually seeing.
We are all on different ships during this storm experiencing a very different journey.
Psalm 107:29
He stilled the storm to a whisper;
the waves of the sea were hushed.
Prayer
Mighty God, who speaks a word of peace to calm our troubled sea;
Caring God, who nudges us away from fear and toward faith;
Ever-present God, who fills us with awe;
We recognize that we have questions that don’t have easy answers.
We look for the day when this storm is over—even as we acknowledge our unease about what the world will look like afterwards.
Strengthen our hearts for the challenges that lie ahead.
Open our ears in these days to hear the word you speak.
And may you grant everyone in this storm a sense of your presence with us.
Open our eyes to see you in our boat—today.
This we pray, In Jesus’ name. Amen.