Greetings,
Spring is upon us and better weather is ahead. As COVID restrictions subside, our campus is becoming more vibrant with activity. We are moving in the right direction.
COVID-19
Across the campus, 98% of our residents, 100% of our adult day program participants, and roughly 80% of our full-time staff are fully vaccinated! Remarkable numbers all around.
Positive cases on our campus have dropped significantly. One non-vaccinated member of the German Centre staff returned from quarantine this week after testing positive for coronavirus in routine surveillance testing. Surveillance testing, while annoying, particularly after many have been vaccinated, clearly plays a vital role in keeping our campus safe and well.
Senior Place
Things continue to roll along at Senior Place. We are still restricted in capacity per DPH regulations, but we make the most of our time together. Every day seems like a family reunion!
Beatrice is a long-time program participant. At the age of four, her mother taught her to play piano. Upon retiring from a career as a lab technician, Bea put her musical talent to work and became a piano teacher. No longer teaching, she plays every evening after dinner for herself and her husband, Tim. Bea delights in performing for Senior Place clients. Here she is delivering a concert-worthy performance of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata.
German Centre
At long last, DPH lifted restrictions barring communal activities and dining, hair salon services, and in-room visits. On March 24, the dining room was re-opened to residents on Anna Bauer Place. It was a sight to behold as residents entered the dining room amid much fanfare from staff. You can view the excitement here.
In-room visits also began that same week, albeit with many restrictions, including vaccine requirements and pre-registration. For unvaccinated individuals, we continue to offer monitored indoor visits and virtual visits on iPads.
We’ve now held two successful Town Hall Meetings for families and residents. We addressed several previously-submitted questions – many which (unsurprisingly) centered on reduced restrictions for residents. We’re looking forward to our next Town Hall on April 29th.
Edelweiss Village
Residents are enjoying communal activities and dining, and in-apartment visits. Social distancing is observed at all times, and everybody is making the adjustment. We’ve also begun taking a few outdoor excursions in our van, which has delighted several of the residents. It’s amazing what a drive to nowhere on a beautiful day can do for one’s spirit!
Edelweiss Village resident Alice Gillis turned 103 last week. A small celebration was held in her honor. Several local newspapers picked up her story, including The Boston Globe, the Dedham Tab, and West Roxbury Transcript. You can read the Boston Globe article here.
A Final Thought
We are so thankful to our community for following along on this journey with us. A year ago, we never considered the possibility that we would still be under restrictions. Each day, more than two-hundred people: residents, patients, program participants and staff walk the floors of the Deutsches Altenheim campus. There is a lot of opportunity for great things to happen; I witness something amazing just about every day. I’m grateful to have an opportunity to share some of these things with you.
Stay safe and be well,
Michael B. Lincoln
Executive Director
Download the UPDATE: April 16 UPDATE