August 1, 2020
After developing and implementing a written policy as required by the NYS Department of Health, outdoor visits at Ingersoll Place began this past Wednesday. For the most part, residents and their families enjoyed seeing each other in person – even with six-feet distancing in place.
There were a few glitches on day-one. We underestimated the angle of the sun in the East Garden and made temporary adjustments with oversize patio umbrellas. A pop-up canopy is now being used to provide additional shade. We also observed communication problems experienced by some residents due, primarily, to impaired hearing. The wearing of masks and maintaining the required distancing is making conversation difficult for some residents and their visitors. A couple of possible “fixes” are being trialed including the use of an oversized white board and erasable markers; also, facemasks with transparent mouth panels. A prototype of the mask was adeptly assembled by Nurse Kim (Kim Towne, RN) who joined Ingersoll’s staff in April. We will continue to explore options that may help improve the visitation experience and welcome post-visit feedback from residents and their loved ones.
Testing for COVID-19 continues on a weekly basis for all staff. There are no positive cases to report.
The buzz, “Bingo is back!” circulated through Ingersoll this week as residents learned that one of their favorite past times was being added to the August activities calendar. Traditional bingo cards will be replaced by disposable paper versions and residents will be given crayons to track their numbers. The game will be played
hallway-style
with residents seated outside their doorways adhering to safe distancing as Activities Department staff calls out the numbers.
This past Wednesday, Ingersoll’s Food Service Department prepared a spectacular luau feast featuring barbecue-style chicken and pork, fried rice, egg rolls, macaroni salad and more! A lighted pink flamingo greeted residents as they entered the dining room, grass skirts swayed on some of the staff members and colorful leis were presented to one and all. Many residents were overheard as they expressed their thanks to their dining rooms servers and compliments to the chefs.
On Friday, we welcomed two new residents – a married couple – to the assisted living side of the house and have several other prospective new residents in various stages of the pre-admission process. COVID-19 testing of all incoming new residents is required prior to admission as is a quarantine period as an added precaution.
It’s become commonplace to use the phrase “new normal” in describing the changes in daily life as we all try to adapt to the impact of COVID-19 in our homes, schools, businesses, places of worship and beyond. Here at Ingersoll Place, we are continually tapping into the creative energies of our staff, soliciting input from residents and their families and seeking guidance from healthcare officials to ensure the best possible care and quality of life for everyone under our roof.
Thank you for your continued encouragement and support.
Please continue to direct non-urgent questions and concerns to Ceil Mack, 518-370-4419, ext. 303.
