Live Update to Residents-April 29, 2021
Today’s Live Update on our in-house TV970 covered the latest news at Westminster Canterbury Richmond. It featured John Burns, President and CEO; Anita Adkins, Development Officer-Strategic Gifts & Special Projects; Scott Jonté, Director of Dining; and Lynn McClintock, Director Pastoral Care.
The following updates were shared.
John Burns
COVID-19 Updates
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have released updated guidance related to masking, visitation and testing. As more people are vaccinated, society is beginning to reopen more, allowing evolution of guidelines at Westminster Canterbury Richmond.
For those who are fully vaccinated, which is defined as a person who is greater than two weeks following receipt of the second dose in a two-dose vaccination series, or greater than two weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine, there are new guidelines.
Masking
The CDC is loosening recommendations on masking. In most cases, fully vaccinated individuals are no longer recommended to mask up outdoors, provided they are not in crowded outdoor spaces, like at concerts or sporting events. Westminster Canterbury will not require residents to wear a mask outdoors. You may decide your comfort level in being unmasked around others.
Fully vaccinated people engaging in indoor social activities in public settings should continue to wear a well-fitted mask. Most of Westminster Canterbury is considered a public setting. Masks will be required indoors throughout the hallways and at activities and events, such as in the Sara Belle November Theater. We will help remind you of this guideline.
If you are meeting privately with a group of residents, you may decide whether to wear a mask, taking into consideration your comfort level and the vaccination status of those around you. You may also eat together in the Marketplace without masks and social distancing. As a reminder, Dining is only open to residents. No outside visitors are permitted.
Visitation
In Mary Morton Parsons Health Center and Assisted Living, fully vaccinated individuals may now remove their masks when visiting indoors provided both the resident and the visitor are fully vaccinated and they are alone in the resident’s apartment. The visitor must continue to mask around other residents, staff and individuals.
Hand hygiene should be performed by both the resident and the visitors before and after contact. Visitors, regardless of their vaccination status, should maintain social distancing of six feet between people. This includes residents they are not visiting, visitors that are not part of their immediate group and employees in the facility.
Masking and Dining
The CDC is loosening recommendations for masking and social distancing in activities and dining for fully vaccinated individuals. This means that in Assisted Living and Parsons Health Center, if all individuals attending an activity or in a dining area are fully vaccinated, they may choose to forego masking and social distancing. Our residents in these areas are looking forward to dining together thanks to this change.
Updated written guidelines will be shared in the coming days.
Vibrancy! Update
There is lots of Vibrancy! news coming soon. Many team members are working on the plans behind the scenes. Throughout the month of May, we look forward to sharing more detailed information about portions of the project that will begin this summer. Next Thursday, we will share information about the Parking Deck. Scott Jonté will share details behind the exciting Promenade renovation and plans for the future of Dining. We have improvements coming in the management of how you receive packages. There are many topics to come.
Anita Adkins
Communications Updates
There are many Task Forces looking at all aspects of Vibrancy! and the ways it may impact how we provide services and programs. A Vibrancy! Communications Task Force is working with all other task forces on the best ways to keep you informed as the project progresses. This group includes Anita Adkins, Gayle Haglund, Rebecca Hatch, Eric Price, Haley Wolford and resident representative, Lucy Negus.
We are excited to announce that beginning next Thursday, we are launching Westminster Canterbury Weekly! This will be your Westminster Canterbury news and information show. Tuning in weekly is one of the best ways to stay informed.
Live Updates have been a great way to stay connected and share news related to the pandemic and changing guidance. As we move forward into brighter days, Westminster Canterbury Weekly will replace Live Update. It is where we will bring the latest information and images related to Vibrancy! and where teammates can share other news from their departments. If you miss the live broadcast on TV970 at 3 p.m. on Thursdays, watch it again daily on TV971 or the digital signs around the community at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., and 6 p.m. Friends and family can also watch on Facebook, our website blog, or YouTube. Written summaries are available after.
In addition to these weekly programs, there are other sources for staying informed. Tune into TV971 at any time to see rolling slides with announcements about upcoming events, dining information and more.
Every other week we print The Westminster Canterbury Tales newsletter with lots of community news. Pick up a copy in the Business and Information Centers or read it digitally on Touchtown.
If you use a smartphone, tablet or computer, a great way to access ongoing information is the Touchtown Community App. We will reprint information in The Tales next week about how to sign up for this. Hundreds are already on Touchtown!
• Residents receive their own login and password.
• Family members are welcome to sign up for Touchtown as well. On your smart phone or tablet, download Touchtown Community Apps from your app store. After installing, you can log in with the username –WCRfamily and password – Canterbury.
We have compiled answers to your frequently asked questions about Vibrancy! and will share it tomorrow via Touchtown. Printed copies will be available in the Business and Information Centers. We know there will be many questions about the project, so we will update these questions as we go along.
Please remind your friends of the different methods to stay up to date.
Foundation Update
Next week, Westminster Canterbury Foundation will be announcing something special coming in May. Please tune in to learn more from Gayle Haglund, Vice President Resource Development.
If you ever have questions about the Foundation and the many things your inspiring generosity makes possible at Westminster Canterbury, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Anita Adkins at ext. 6202 or any Foundation team member.
Scott Jonté
Dining Updates
Dining is working to eliminate Styrofoam and replace it with new compostable packaging. The conversion is 80% complete as suppliers struggle with the supply and demand during the pandemic. All packaging from dining should be discarded in the trash, not the recycling containers. While some packaging has the slogan, “Reduce, Recycle, Reuse,” these items should go into the trash for composting in the landfill.
Parsons Health Center
Residents from Parsons Health Center are welcome to enjoy the Marketplace at lunch. Please make a reservation by calling ext. 6030. Please remember that sitters are considered visitors. Unfortunately, visitors and sitters are not allowed in the Marketplace.
Avalon Dining
Previously, when the Promenade buffet was open, Avalon Residents could dine there without a fee or enjoy the seated service for $2.00. This was based on the principal that we served similar food in both venues. The Marketplace has an a la carte menu and is no longer offering a buffet. Each meal is made to order. All Avalon residents are provided meals in their dining rooms. Due to this, effective May 29, Avalon residents will pay for any meal purchased in the Marketplace. If you have any questions, please reach out to Scott Jonté at ext. 6356.
Lynn McClintock
Pastoral Care Updates
Join us for worship on Thursday, May 13, at 10:30 a.m. in the Sanctuary. Rev. Mary Kay Collins, First Presbyterian Church, will preach. Nancy Bain is the musician.
A Sermon for Every Sunday will air Sunday, May 2, at 4 p.m. on TV970. Ryan Ahlgrim, pastor of First Mennonite Church of Richmond, Virginia is preaching on Acts 8:26-40.
Please join us in person for Evening Prayer Services held Monday through Friday, 4:45-5 p.m., in the Montague Chapel, located in the Spiritual Center. Evening Prayer will continue to be broadcast on TV970 for those who wish to watch from home. Please arrive before 4:40 p.m.
Beginning May 6, Communion will be served during chapel services with wafers/bread only. Residents should remain seated to be served.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.