Live Update to Residents-June 10, 2020
Daily Live updates to residents on our in-house TV970 keep us informed and connected. Today’s update featured John Burns, President and CEO; Pat Kawana, President of Residents Association; Gayle Hunter Haglund, Vice President Resource Development; Whitney Woodruff, Manager Life Enrichment; and Jenny te Velde, Chaplain.
The following updates were shared during the live briefing on TV970.
John Burns
As of today, the COVID-19 data for Virginia includes:
• 395,972 people have been tested for COVID-19. Positive cases total 52,177.
• The rolling seven-day positivity rate in Virginia is 9.0%, Henrico is 11.9%, and Richmond is 14.9%.
• 1,155 are currently hospitalized.
• There have been 1,514 deaths associated with COVID-19.
• 6,826 people have recovered.
Tomorrow, we will do an overview of our next steps and talk about Step Four that begins Monday, June 22. Next week, we will share written information of the details.
As part of Step Three, the CVS Pharmacy and massage services will restart on Monday, June 15. Beverlee Arnold will be here on Friday to share more details about the CVS reopening.
Massage Services
Massage services will resume the week of June 15 by appointment only. The new temporary location will be Tower Apt. 116. There will be increased safety and cleaning measures. Carolyn has been reaching out to her regular clients. If you are interested in an appointment, please call ext. 6794 and leave a message. She will be in touch with you. Please be patient as we work through new procedures to make this a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.
Pat Kawana
Pat Kawana, president of the Residents Association, shared the following message.
My message is about Abundance! Since we were quarantined since March 16, we have experienced many kinds of Abundance. Our employees have given us an Abundance of Care for almost three months. And we have shown an Abundance of Gratitude in appreciation for their dedication in services to us. Since the beginning of our journey with coronavirus, we frequently hear the mantra “Abundance of Caution,” from John Burns, our President and CEO.
Today we are thankful that our leadership staff has continually reminded us, during our quarantine, of the necessity for this Abundance of Caution. Residents and staff, together, complied with the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Virginia Department of Health and Westminster Canterbury’s Coronavirus Task Force.
Our retirement community has Independent Living, Assisted Living and Healthcare levels of care. Some residents I spoke with thought the guidelines were too restrictive for independent residents. Independent Living residents are included in the umbrella of coronavirus guidelines because we are all at the most vulnerable age susceptible to this very contagious virus. Research studies have indicated that most seniors have an average of five underlying medical conditions, and that would include most of us living here.
By the successful efforts of resident and staff compliance with these imposed guidelines, the gate was opened, and this past Monday, June 8, 199 residents were able to drive off campus! Now, more than ever, we must keep repeating the phrase Abundance of Caution to ourselves. We must be on our guard as we begin to reach out into the larger community. We owe it to ourselves, and we owe it to our resident neighbors, friends and staff. Parsons Health Center and much of Assisted Living are still quarantined. Many Independent Living residents here do not have cars, and therefore do not have the privilege of leaving campus, unless by paid transportation.
It is important that we are alert and aware of our surroundings, that we protect ourselves by wearing masks, from getting too close to other people and using hand sanitizers. This will keep us from being exposed to their coughing and sneezing. Our masks will protect them from our coughing and sneezing, also. I believe that each time we leave our campus and return, we will be most grateful to come back to a “safe place.” We will have the assurance that our home will still be operating with an Abundance of Caution!
Thank you.
Gayle Haglund
Communication Updates
Thank you to the nearly 200 people who participated in the Communication Survey. We are still reviewing the results and will use those to adjust our schedule as we go forward. The survey is still active on Touchtown Community Apps if you would like to respond in the next few days. Please make sure you refer to the latest weekly schedule when planning your TV970 watching as the schedule does change somewhat each week.
Several family members have asked how to access Touchtown Community Apps on their smart phones, tablets or computers. For tablets or phones, go to the App Store on your device and install the Touchtown Community App. On your computer, open your internet browser and go to www.communityapps.com. On all devices, you will need to log in with a username and password. There is one username for all family members: WCRfamily. Password: Canterbury. If you have additional questions, please email touchtown@wcrichmond.org. In the future, we plan to do a Communication Survey for family members.
Foundation Update
Westminster Canterbury Foundation is inviting you to a Live Virtual Gala on Thursday, June 18, at 7 p.m. This one-hour program will feature live performances and highlight what the gifts of all generous donors make possible at Westminster Canterbury Richmond. Please join us whether you’re a regular donor or not. You’ll hear music from Desirée Roots and Ryan Corbitt and some other fun and interesting segments. See more details in The Tales.
Whitney Woodruff
Changes to Deliveries from Family and Friends
Currently, deliveries from family and friends take place at the Azalea Mall Parking Lot. Effective Wednesday, June 17, these deliveries will be made on campus! Family and friends may make deliveries on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1-3 p.m. They should not arrive prior to 1 p.m. as they will not be permitted on campus until 1-3 p.m.
Independent Living residents will be able to briefly see their family or friends who are making the delivery. Courtyard and Homes on the Green drop-offs will take place at the Courtyard Entrance. Tower, Garden and Glebe drop-offs will take place at the Tower Entrance. Assisted Living and Parsons Health Center items will be dropped off at the Courtyard Entrance, and staff will deliver the items to the appropriate apartment.
Independent Living residents should coordinate with the person making the delivery to ensure that the resident is available to meet them and collect their items at a specific time. Independent Living residents will be responsible for picking up their items and taking them back to their apartment. Please be sure that your deliveries are a manageable size for you.
Those making the delivery are not permitted to exit their cars and are required to wear a mask. We will not be screening and temperature checking the drivers, so we ask that they stay in their cars. Staff volunteers will be available to assist residents with getting items out of the cars if needed. To keep the flow of traffic moving smoothly, each transaction should take less than five minutes. Staff volunteers will assist with this new process to ensure that traffic does not bottleneck. If someone delivering is waiting more than five minutes for the resident to arrive, they will be asked to leave their items with a staff volunteer.
Ukrop’s and Libbie Market deliveries will be dropped off at the Courtyard Entrance where residents should arrive to pick up their orders shortly after 1 p.m.
Residents are asked not to sit and visit at the Courtyard and Tower Entrances from 1-3 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday to help avoid congestion and ensure safety and social distancing. A written memo will be shared with all the details later this week. Please wait until you receive the memo to call with questions.
Jenny Te Velde
A worship service will take place on Thursday, June 11, at 10:30 a.m. on TV970. Rev. Deacon Logan Augustine will preach. The bulletin may be found in the June daily prayer booklet or on Touchtown Community Apps.
Psalm 23, a paraphrase from The Voice
The Eternal is my shepherd, He cares for me always.
He provides me rest in rich, green fields
beside streams of refreshing water.
He soothes my fears;
He makes me whole again,
steering me off worn, hard paths
to roads where truth and righteousness echo His name.
Even in the unending shadows of death’s darkness,
I am not overcome by fear.
Because You are with me in those dark moments,
near with Your protection and guidance,
I am comforted.
You spread out a table before me,
provisions in the midst of attack from my enemies;
You care for all my needs, anointing my head with soothing, fragrant oil,
filling my cup again and again with Your grace.
Certainly Your faithful protection and loving provision will pursue me
where I go, always, everywhere.
I will always be with the Eternal,
in Your house forever.
“The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Berry
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.