The Inside Press

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Staying Connected with Elderly Family Members

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Photo courtesy of the Empire State Association of Assisted Living

For many people, the holiday season is a time filled with joy and gathering with loved ones. Now more than ever people look forward to what the new year may bring and to bidding a (not so fond) farewell to 2020. But for many families, the challenge and difficulty of safely visiting with loved ones who live in assisted living facilities continue. How can families stay connected to one another during this time and encourage togetherness while also keeping loved ones healthy and safe?

Lisa Newcomb is the Executive Director of the Empire State Association of Assisted Living (ESAAL) and the organization represents over 300 of the 545 licensed assisted living communities in New York State. The ESAAL advocates for these communities through legislation and providing education for member administrators, directors and other management personnel. Speaking with Newcomb one gains a sense of what life has been like for residents of assisted living facilities during the pandemic as well as the steps being taken now to regain some sense of normalcy for senior residents and their families, especially as the holiday season approaches.

As Newcomb states, it has been a rough road for everyone involved from the beginning of the pandemic when there was a major lack of PPE available and a struggle to get supplies.

“One death is too many, so getting PPE is critical to any ongoing on-site visitation,” said Newcomb. As infection rates decreased, visits began to resume but, as she says, it can still be a hardship for many. “It’s taking a toll on residents and family members too. The staff are doing their best to fill in for family members,” she said, adding that no one can take the place of your own child.

Assisted living residences are known as being very social places. Many residents are mobile, active, and like to socialize with one another, with their family and friends, as well as take trips out of the facility. By July, visitation was allowed with rules in place. If anyone tested positive for Covid-19, visitation was shut down for 28 days. By September, the rule changed to a 14-day shutdown, and this has had some positive impact on visitation rates. Residents are encouraged to conduct visits outside with some circumstances allowing for indoor visits in a well-ventilated room with supervised social distancing.

Facilitating Visits

As the weather gets colder, it may become increasingly harder to visit with loved ones in-person if the rules stay as they are. Fortunately, there are other ways families can keep connected. Staff can facilitate virtual visits (such as FaceTime) with residents and family–seniors who are grandparents especially love to see the faces of and talk to their grandchildren. But nothing can fully take the place of an in-person visit especially for residents who have dementia and trouble comprehending; they may feel abandoned or forgotten by family.

There are clever ways some assisted living facilities are handling holiday visits. One facility rented a construction trailer for the next six months: it is heated, big enough for one to two visits at a time and is ADA compliant. Seeing family in-person can be the one bright spot in a resident’s day. Newcomb said she is hopeful small gatherings for Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukah will be allowed so long as there are no cases of Covid-19. In the past, holiday gatherings have taken place in the dining room with visits from community and family members.

“The rates are so low, so hopefully clusters can be controlled quickly and stopped. It has an emotional impact on the elderly–assisted living is the place to be doing things.” Residents want to get out, visit with loved ones and do activities together. “Seniors move into assisted living to live–not to be confined to their room or apartment without visitors. Activities can be done safely keeping in mind that our residents’ mental health well-being is as important as their physical health.”

As the holidays approach, let’s all remember those in assisted living, and hope they are allowed the dignity of a visit with their loved ones this season.

#CommunityStrong Inspirations

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From embracing a social justice movement to volunteerism and businesses adapting in a pandemic, the many ways New Castle stayed strong!

At a rally in downtown Chappaqua in August. Photo by Grace Bennett/Inside Press

In June, New York protestors told NBC News that they were fighting two pandemics: the coronavirus and racism. During these difficult times, New Castle residents have banded together to stay #CommunityStrong.

At the foot of the Quaker Road Bridge, there have been local peaceful protests and “parades” in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. On June 13, over 100 people committed to sparking change in New Castle attended “A Rally for Change-Stand Up Against Racial Injustice,” an event held by New Castle Against Racism, a group of Horace Greeley students and alumni.

Members of the community created several Facebook pages to combat racism. One, for example, Chappaqua Anti-Racism Dialogue Group: Reconciling Privilege, provides a space for people to educate themselves, their friends and their families, according to the group’s page description.

Additionally, on Monday, August 3, dozens of community members congregated downtown for a peaceful Black Lives Matter march. People marched with such signs as “SAY THEIR NAMES,” “BLACK LIVES MATTER,” and “YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE BLACK TO BE OUTRAGED.”

Also looking to ignite change in New Castle are sisters and former Horace Greeley High School students, Bhavya and Divya Gopinath They collected video accounts from current students and alumni who shared stories about racism they faced within the school district.

They edited the stories into a compilation and sent the video to the Board of Education and Chappaqua Central School District administrators. Said the Gopinath sisters: “It’s easy to turn a blind eye to this and say that racism doesn’t exist in this privileged community, so we made this video, so the stories don’t go unnoticed.”

These efforts to combat racism in New Castle will continue to strengthen this community.

Chappaqua Central School District Superintendent Christine Ackerman sent an email to all members of the district that said, “The events described by our former students are appalling and illustrate why we must continue to take meaningful and deliberate action to effectuate change to address racism in our society. We understand there is a gap between our espoused values and current reality. We are committed to change.”

Bhavya and Divya Gopinath also received an email from Board of Education President Victoria Tipp on behalf of the Board of Education. The Board authorized the formation of a Community Advisory Committee on Anti-Racism, Equity and Social Justice to enact change in the district.

“We believe that these steps will make a significant and positive difference, and we are committed to seeing these actions through as we keep social justice at the center of our work moving forward,” said Ackerman.

Simultaneously, Chappaqua residents have been coping with the coronavirus pandemic and the challenges that the virus presents. However, throughout it, small businesses, families and individuals have found ways to stay strong.

Telehealth Sessions

“In over 13 years of business, we have never faced a more challenging and uncertain time as this past March. What kept us strong was the commitment and passion of our team and the loyalty of our patients. In a matter of days, we were able to pivot the practice to Telehealth,” said Matt Marucci of New Castle Physical Therapy & Personal Training. “This took persistence and ingenuity on the part of therapists and patients alike. We are up and running now with stringent COVID-19 precautions, but we continue to offer the Telehealth sessions we developed back in March. We are deeply grateful for all of the community support we have received during this challenging time.”

Safety First

Another local business trying to provide access to physical activity while also staying safe is Armonk Tennis Club/Armonk Indoor. They modified their protocols with the safety of their clients as their top priority.

“We at Armonk Tennis Club and Armonk Indoor Sports Center realized soon into the quarantine how important sports are to our physical and mental well-being. As summer approached, we knew that people would want to get active again but in a safe manner. The rules and guidelines we implemented showed our tennis players and campers that their safety is our top priority, and the result has been a great summer. We understand that procedures must be modified in the fall as people come indoors, but we’re still excited about providing a safe environment for the community to learn, play, and compete in,” said Armonk Indoor representative Beau Shea.

Ultimately staying safe is a priority for many businesses. Bill Flooks from Beecher Funeral Home said that despite all the special challenges, “We have managed to get this far with Covid-19.”  On behalf of the Flooks Family, he stated: “Keep up the good work, be smart, be prudent, be safe.”

Several area photographers including Donna Mueller, Carolyn Simpson and Randi Childs are still bringing smiles to families’ faces through the acclaimed #TheFrontPorchProject.

Local chambers throughout the area have been sharing news from the county regarding federal and regional grant and loan options, about available personal protective equipment (‘PPE’) and producing e-newsletters to the community in which businesses post their services. The Chappaqua Millwood Chamber most recently launched ‘New Castle Restart’ to fundraise for grants to small businesses impacted.

Reaching Out

Additionally, during the spike in the number of coronavirus cases in Westchester County, community members banded together and rose to the occasion. Individuals and groups made masks for essential workers, those on the frontlines and the immunocompromised. A series of articles for theinsidepress.com spotlighted these extraordinary efforts.

There was also never a shortage of pizza and other welcome meals distributed to front line health care workers at local hospitals and to first responders thanks to an extraordinary response to a Chappaqua Moms fundraiser.

The Food Pantry at the Community Center of Northern Westchester donated over 7,400 pounds of food and necessities to those in need since late March according to Reverend Martha Jacobs, Senior Minister at the First Congregational Church in Chappaqua.

To stay community strong during the thick of the coronavirus pandemic, people searched for ways to help.

“I am deeply grateful to serve such a caring and engaged community as ours.  While we clergy are used to checking in on our congregants, I have been humbled by the number of congregants who have turned the tables and reached out to inquire how we staff members are holding up,” said Senior Rabbi at Temple Beth El of Northern Westchester Jonathan Jaffe. “Similarly, we were overwhelmed with offers by individuals seeking to volunteer and help in any way possible.  Such moments underscore the sense of covenantal relationship within our community.”

Smart, Agile Community

New Castle Town Supervisor Ivy Pool is impressed by the leadership she has seen both at town hall and among the residents.

“New Castle is a smart, agile community that has time and again demonstrated our leadership in a range of areas. The coronavirus cluster that occurred at the HGHS graduation and related events was a wakeup call for all of us. To defeat the outbreak, we needed to come together as a community and double-down on our social distancing efforts and enforcement,” said Pool. “The outbreak didn’t happen just anywhere–it happened in New Castle, a community of leaders and achievers who were determined to do something.”

Determined to stop the spread, Pool and the rest of the town board passed the first local legislation in the state that required people to wear face masks whenever social distancing is not possible.

“With this new law in place, our police officers have a tool to enforce social distancing, and our community has responded beautifully to our calls to “mask up!” said Pool. “Coming together in the face of adversity is who we are; leading by example is what we do. We are #CommunityStrong.”

New Castle’s Town Board Perseveres Through the COVID-19 Pandemic

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April 3, 2020  Chappaqua, NY– It seems like many moons ago that New Castle’s town board–spirits running high and sleeves rolled up to serve New Castle–gathered for a packed inauguration ceremony on January 27 when the idea of social distancing could not have been more remote, or the idea of working ‘remotely’ was not on anyone’s mind, either. It’s safe to say too that no one that evening was thinking of how local public officials might navigate a global pandemic hitting home come mid spring. But here we are, with town boards everywhere, and New Castle being no exception, thrust into the roles of informing and leading residents on the best personal safety practices as they keep abreast of and share highlights specific to New Castle, and include near daily updates from the county, state and federal sources.

With all this on my mind, and on many of my neighbors’ minds, I decided to engage in a conversation to see how my own hometown board is faring.

Speaking for the Town of New Castle, Deputy Town Supervisor Jeremy Saland explained the board has been closely consulting with first responders–the Chappaqua and Millwood Fire Departments, the Chappaqua and Ossining Volunteer Ambulance Corps–and with other ‘essential’ town hall staff who remain engaged in moving town business forward, too… all the while juggling multiple family responsibilities and/or even personal crises themselves.  

“It is a responsibility that we accept–delegating different things to different people…  But it’s also important to remember that everyone has a role, everyone plays a part,” Saland shared. “We also all need a good bit of levity to maintain our mental health, so I like to say, ‘all hands on deck’ sure, but also ‘all clean hands on deck’– we all  have come together; everyone has really been fabulous and pulling their weight.”

To that end, Saland described Ivy Pool’s leadership during this period as “exemplary.”

“She has been conferencing weekly with other Town Supervisors to ascertain how she can protect and best serve our respective residents: said Saland. “Both she and I have been on multiple conference calls a week with the County Executive advocating for our municipality, seeking clarity on critical issues and asking the important questions.

“Ivy has been a pillar for New Castle managing the municipality along with the incredible efforts of Jill Shapiro, our Town Administrator.”

In the meantime, as residents all collectively hope for the best but steel for the worst, they are grateful for town hall efforts that include updates shared several times a week via Town of New Castle eNews. The updates are also posted to social media on the Town of New Castle Facebook page and a second page called New Castle Community Discussions.

Regarding the impact on small business, board members Lauren Levin and Lisa Katz are working in consultation with the Chappaqua-Millwood Chamber of Commerce too on a variety of initiatives to help small businesses, and/or directly with area businesses themselves, many of whom are assuming volunteer roles, too. Katz also said she has been fielding general questions from the public about COVID-19 especially those regarding the new social distancing.

Similarly, led by Jason Lichtenthal, town residents are rolling up their sleeves via the New Castle Volunteer Match delivering goods and services to those most in need, too, on account of the COVID-19 impact. In the meantime, town board meetings have gone virtual; basically, town board members, town staff and first responders are all working cooperatively and largely from home following stay at home health and safety guidelines too while assuming their respective roles and responsibilities.

New Castle Town Board on the evening of the 1/27/2020 Inauguration ceremony (left to right): Deputy Supervisor Jeremy Saland, Lisa Katz, Supervisor Ivy Pool, Laura Levin and Jason Lichtenthal  Photo by Carolyn Simpson

Keeping regular and vital business moving forward is a key goal too–whether a simple reminder to fill out the U.S. Census or issuing the town tax bill, which was recently sent out.  Essential staff includes those preparing town documents. “They can’t just sit. Whomever can work among support staff are doing things from home. The goal is to keep moving things forward. The County and the Westchester County Board of Legislators have proposed a plan to assist taxpayers and address penalties that we continue to review.”

Commenting on the pandemic and its impact here at home: As of April 2, the town board confirmed the number of positive cases in New Castle: 51.  Saland emphasized that “while the numbers are important, they don’t tell the whole story.”

 “You also have to be smart when you look at the numbers; we are in Westchester, where the numbers, especially those in the hardest hit municipalities of New Rochelle, Mount Vernon and Yonkers, are outpacing everyone in the state–outside of New York City. “We must keep taking the steps necessary to mitigate who will get this illness.” The bottom line,” Saland added, “is that the borders between counties, cities and towns are superficial, and we all have to follow the best practices to stay safe.”

A key goal has been to protect the health of first responders in the frontlines as they institute safety protocol in their interactions with the general public. Saland said there is also a mechanism in place that facilitates assistance between departments and even other municipalities.  It is referred to as “mutual assistance between first responders.”

The general population of New Castle has been generally very cooperative; the New Castle Police Department remains vigilant and ‘on top of’ any trouble, he said, if issues arise. He said it’s important to remember too that sometimes an incident reported online in social media is not necessarily as it is described, either; rumors easily spread. Officers will be deployed as needed to investigate.

I asked about sanitation schedules, which are contracted out these days by SaniPro. “There is nothing that would indicate that will stop or that they will alter their schedule.”

The U.S. Post Office continues to provide its service, too, at their Chappaqua and Millwood locations. The Town does not coordinate with them, said Saland, as “they answer to the federal government.”

Finally, I asked Saland how he is personally managing.  He immediately tipped his hat to his wife Leslie Saland, a physician treating patients, who is also working from home with three kids. “She is doing a yeoman’s job. I won’t ever take credit for my wife’s work. She is as smart and kind as she is giving and hardworking,” he said.

Saland also noted: “I have the same fears and concerns as everyone else. I started my own law firm. After years as a prosecutor, I built it into a successful and thriving practice. As New York City and New York State shut down, I took a frightening hit.”

We are all truly in this together, he said: “As I stated on inauguration night: there is no difference between ‘us’ (the town board) here and ‘you’– we just happen to run for public office. Everyone needs to do their part in maintaining child-care, education, mental health and general wellness. We need to be kind and respectful to one another, all the while knowing that we are going to get on the other side of this. There is a mountain to climb but we will summit it together.”

“It’s critical that residents understand, and I’m stating this with complete sincerity, that the town board, first responders and town staff are genuinely doing their best and want to see this community not just merely get through this but to be in an even better place when we are done.”

“People should feel good and comfortable and confident about that cooperation: we are fortunate that we have a concerned, educated community that cares about each other beyond their doorstep and property lines. That’s critical to effectuating the government and country’s role to minimize the spread and break us free from the grip of COVID-19.”

I hesitated to ask, but did: “Are you bracing yourself for tragedies in this town?”

Saland answered: “Can I honestly say that we are not going to have a loss of life here? And assert that there are not going to be very sick people here, either? No, I can’t say any of that. Things may be very, very bad, for some, and that would be extremely unfortunate, but if we follow all the guidance, the chances of that are greatly reduced.”

The crisis in fact hit home for Saland over the past week as his family met the critical health needs of his dad. “My father was diagnosed with cancer a month ago, and surgery was scheduled for him to remove a kidney and part of his bladder at a New York hospital. Surgery was cancelled because the doctor was concerned because of COVID-19 patients at the hospital and the risk it posed to his health.”

“Fortunately, after the hospital canceled and another could not perform the procedure even though he was about a month away from their physician suggested deadline, a team at the upstate University Hospital in Syracuse came through. “This past Friday, we got the call from Syracuse, and he drove up that night before undergoing surgery the following morning.

“Other than the expected post-surgery pain, he is doing well and has a positive attitude. I haven’t seen him and likely can’t for some time, just as my mom couldn’t go with him to the hospital,” said Saland. “He was alone, because he is one of those people with immunocompromised health for whom we all have to do our part to safeguard.” 

 

 

Fireman’s Day Parade: Chance to Honor First Responders

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On May 31, Pleasantville children and parents alike crowded the streets, excitedly watching our volunteer firefighters and their fire trucks parade through the town in the annual Fireman’s Day parade. However, being a volunteer firefighter isn’t just parades and celebrations. Our local volunteers work hard every day to ensure the safety of their community members. Whether they’re responding to a house fire, a carbon monoxide detector going off, accidents, or downed wires after a storm, the brave Pleasantville volunteer firemen selflessly sacrifice their time, and often safety, to keep their friends and neighbors out of harm’s way. Each year, the parade presents a way for the community to honor the men and women who risk their lives to keep everyone safe.

This year, the parade coincided with some local news pertaining to helping spur volunteer efforts. In order to make volunteer firefighting an equal opportunity for all who choose to be involved, NYS Senator Pete Harckham recently announced the passage of two new bills by the New York State Senate. These bills, S5418 and S5419, both aim to protect volunteer firefighter disability benefits in order to make sure that they will have access to critical disability benefits and medical treatments warranted by their duties. It is important that the NYS Senate passed these bills as it acknowledges the peril volunteer firemen put themselves into every day in order to save the lives of others. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer for the Pleasantville Fire Department, applications are available online through their website, pleasantvillefire.org.

New Castle Town Board Pushes for Action on Gun Violence Prevention

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In the aftermath of the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, which left 17 people dead, New Castle Town Board members sent two separate letters to New York State Senator, Terrence Murphy (R-NY, District 40) seeking his support on a slate of gun control measures. The letters dated February 16, 2018 and March 28, 2018 make specific references to proposed bills currently under consideration in the New York State Senate.

In the letter dated February 16, the Town Board cited three examples of how gun violence has impacted the Chappaqua community over a span of approximately 20 years. The letter went on to request Senator Murphy’s support for certain measures, such as legislation that keeps firearms out of the hands of those who have been convicted of domestic violence charges and the surrender of shotguns and rifles when an order of protection is issued in a domestic violence case.

In a follow-up letter dated March 28, the Town Board sought Senator Murphy’s support of nine proposed bills that would strengthen the SAFE Act (New York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act of 2013). The SAFE Act prevents criminals and the mentally ill from purchasing firearms, requires a universal background check on gun purchases and imposes the toughest assault weapons ban in the country. Some examples of the proposed bills to bolster the SAFE Act include a ban of bump stocks, stronger background checks and allowing the state government to access mental health record from the home state of non-resident gun license applicants. New Castle Town Supervisor, Robert Greenstein stated: “We are firmly committed to advocating for stronger and more effective gun control laws.  This requires the assistance and cooperation of our state representatives, which is why we wrote the letter.”

According to a February, 2018 NBC News poll, 66% of people favor stricter gun laws in the country, with nine out of 10 Americans agreeing for universal background checks. As cited by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, from 2012-2016, an average of 116,255 people are shot every year due to guns, while 96 fatalities result from gun violence every day.

New Castle Council Member Ivy Pool noted that at least three public meetings addressing gun violence have been held since February and that the town has also held events to raise awareness. For example, on March 3rd, Mom’s Demand Action gathered at Chappaqua Station to discuss opportunities for local area residents to get involved in the efforts to end gun violence on the local, State, and Federal level. Over 50 people attended.

When asked to comment about his stance on combatting gun violence, Senator Murphy’s Director of Communication, Michael Jefferson stated: “Senator Murphy will continue building productive partnerships with schools, community organizations, and his fellow legislators to ensure every child who enters the doors of a school can do so with the peace of mind that they are and will remain safe.” Jefferson outlined a multitude of bills that Murphy is sponsoring in order to combat gun violence.

For example, Bill S7811, would establish a School Resource Officer (SRO) education program to reimburse school districts outside of New York City and $50,000 for the hiring of a SRO. In addition, Senator Murphy also proposed Bill S7813 which makes school shootings an act of domestic terrorism and Bill S7790 that provides state education aid for school district that expend resources to improve security and safety technology. However, Council Member Pool stated that while Senator Murphy’s office acknowledged receipt of the February 16th letter, there were no specific responses to the Town Board’s requests. “It was unclear whether Senator Murphy supported the gun violence prevention legislation for which we were advocating,” Pool stated.

As well as seeking support from the New York State Senate for the slate of gun control bills, the Town Board has been working on local measures to strengthen gun control in New Castle. Pool has presented her fellow Council Members with a package of local legislative proposals and laws that they can pass to promote gun safety within the community. “We are currently researching these ideas, and determining their legality and applicability for our town. The first proposal we are tackling is the regulation of gun shops, which might include both the location of FFL (Federal Firearms License) dealers as well as local licensing.”

Greenstein stated, “The Town Board firmly believes that gun control, and making sure our schools remain safe, are local issues… we will continue to lobby for legislative changes on the state level that will make New Castle safer.”