All Visitors Restricted and Other Important Updates

Kendal on Hudson’s Infection Control Committee continues to meet each day to further the activities related to monitoring and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Committee weighs pros and cons of operational changes daily.  There is a strong commitment to resident and staff health and safety as well as the goal of enabling as much resident independence as possible.  Our objective has been to take a measured response to what we are experiencing locally and state-wide, with an eye towards what’s happening nationally and internationally.   Bearing this in mind, note the upcoming changes and their effective dates:

 

Operational Change and  Effective Date / Time

No Outside Visitors starting Friday, 3/20/2020 at 8am

Pool & Fitness Center Closed starting Friday, 3/20/2020 at 8am

Hair Salon Closed starting Friday, 3/20/2020 at 8am

Dining Delivery ONLY starting Friday, 3/20/2020 at DINNER meal

Transportation – Essential MD only Week of 3/23/2020

 

Please read on to learn more about these new safeguards being adopted:

 

Visitors
Effective Friday, March 20th at 8am ALL visitors will be restricted from the buildings except those required for business necessity.  Examples of those allowed for business necessity include building maintenance vendors, those delivering pharmacy orders, and newspapers, and Verizon technicians.  Private duty aides are considered a business necessity and will continue to be allowed into Kendal.  All visitors entering for business necessity will continue to be screened like staff via the health questionnaire screening form upon entrance AND their temperatures will be taken as part of the screening process.

 

Fitness, Pool and Outpatient Therapy
The Fitness Center and Pool will be closed for all use as of Friday morning.  Note that all FOBs will be deactivated, and independent use of the fitness gym will not be allowed. The Fitness staff are already busy planning alternative methods for you to meet your fitness goals.  Weekly Kendal-created fitness videos will be accessible online through YouTube. As the weather improves, the Fitness Team will introduce some outdoor options for residents.  Fitness Department staff will also work to support other important services campus-wide while their primary work areas are closed.

The Outpatient Therapy gym on the T-level will continue to be open as this is a medical, physician ordered service.  The Rehab Team will be ensuring social distancing during treatment and will limit the number of patients seen at any one time. The therapy room is being sanitized routinely throughout the day and between patient treatments.  The room is also disinfected each evening by the Environmental Services Department utilizing our professional misting disinfectant machine.

 

Hair Salon
ALL Salon services will be discontinued until further notice beginning on Friday, March 20th.

 

Dining

As many of you may have anticipated, we have reached a new level of restriction in our community. In further conformance with best practices, we will be closing the Bistro to all customers effective after lunch this Friday, March 20th. We will be delivering meals to each IL Apartment daily. Please note the following details:

Each IL Resident will receive a weekly menu to fill out and return by Friday at noon with your entrée/sandwich selections for the week.

  • Each meal delivery will consist of ALL of the following items:
    •  1 green salad with dressing on the side
    •  1 fruit salad
    •  1 soup du jour
    •  1 entrée (chosen on a weekly menu)
    •  1 starch AND 1 vegetable
    •  1 piece of fruit
    •  1 dessert
    •  1 deli sandwich (chosen on a weekly menu)  in addition to the entree
  • Residents will need to provide their own beverages
  • Other than a vegetarian option (if desired), we will not offer any additional or substitute items beyond the scheduled menu.
  • Deliveries will occur daily, 6 evenings a week (Monday through Saturday) and on Sundays in the early afternoon. The evening deliveries will be between 4 and 6pm, and the Sunday deliveries will be between 11am and 1pm. Please clear off your package shelf so the bag(s) can be placed there. Please do not open your door until the delivery person has left.
  • Adirondack residents can continue to dine in the Formal Dining space, as it has been designated as an extension of the Adirondack neighborhood.

Any questions or concerns in regard to the dining program changes should be directed to, Fred Coppola at x1095, or via email at fcoppola@kohud.kendal.org.

 

Transportation
Transportation to medical appointments will continue for acute / essential medical appointments.  Residents are encouraged to contact their practitioner’s office to ensure that it is considered a necessary medical visit.  Residents will be transported one at a time (unless the trip involves a cohabitating couple).
Transportation for basic shopping needs (i.e. groceries and personal items) will continue through AND INCLUDING Saturday, March 21st.  We understand that obtaining groceries and basic supplies remains very important and that many of you use Kendal transportation for this purpose. More information will be forthcoming regarding an opportunity to procure basic grocery items through Kendal’s Dining Department beginning next week.  More details will also be forthcoming from Resident Services regarding a process by which Kendal drivers can also shop for individual needs.  Finally, staff will be available to assist you in accessing other delivery services (i.e. Pea Pod, CTown, Fresh Director) for this important task.

 

The Committee would also like to highlight these other areas of concern and offer some clarifications.

 

Group Gatherings
Large group gatherings have been canceled on campus and groups of more than 5 people are highly discouraged from gathering in one location.  Please note, however, that this does not have to be the end of all socialization.  For those of you who do not leave Kendal property, it is “ok” to consider visiting with one another in your apartments if the group size remains small (5 or less).  Therefore, it is permissible and encouraged for the good of the soul to extend and accept lunch and dinner invitations with your Kendal friends. Always use good judgment; however, if you are feeling under the weather, consider meeting at another time.

 

Travel – Short Outings and Long Absences
Travel of any type outside of Kendal is highly discouraged at this time. We can meet your basic needs here and are working diligently to minimize your potential exposure to COVID-19.

If you are considering leaving the property to get fresh air at a local park, we understand and promote this reason for leaving.  If you are headed out on a short errand to meet a basic need, please reconsider, and see if we can assist you with this.

It has come to our attention that many IL residents are considering leaving the campus to stay with family.  This is not advised.  Should the Governor issue a “shelter in place” requirement, you may have difficulty returning to the property.  Be advised that should you leave Kendal for an extended period of time, Administration reserves the right to ask you to self-quarantine in your apartment for 14-days upon your return.

The measures listed above are precautionary with the continued goal of protecting our entire Kendal on Hudson community.  We thank you in advance for your patience, and cooperation, and fully acknowledge that a social and connected community like ours will experience great frustration in the limitations posed by some of these critical measures.  We assure you that we will continue to assess the environment presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and make decisions commensurate with the information we have, and the circumstances presented.
If you have any questions or concerns, please call Lisa Wacht, Director of Health Services at extension x1083.

 

Thank you to all for your cooperation and support during this time, The Infection Control Committee

 

Please Remember These Infection Control Tidbits

• Exercise infection control by washing your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds and creating friction using soap and water.  Use hand sanitizer as an alternative if soap and water is not available. Avoid touching your hands to your face!

• Do not wear a mask if YOU are not sick.  Masks can trap germs inside…use masks only if you have a respiratory concern. Ask the RCC staff for guidance whether this is advisable for you.

• Maintain personal barriers, be very un-Kendal-like and practice “social distancing” by allowing 6 feet between you and others, as possible.  Avoid hugging and shaking hands.

• Cancel international travel, all cruises and reconsider domestic flights.  If you are traveling please advise Administration before leaving and returning to Kendal.

• If you are not feeling well, please stay home. Advise the Resident Care Center if you are not feeling well by calling ahead first (x1030).  Should you be hospitalized for ANY reason, please make sure that the RCC is aware. Kendal cannot adequately plan for your care needs if you don’t give us advance notice.