7 Apr 2020

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everyone can see we’re together

Truly, everyone can see that we’re together in this fight to end the pandemic. To that end, our community’s businesses, services, organizations have stood up to help us through this time. That may mean virtual exercise classes, music instruction, Catholic Mass, Shabbat services, online films, even a virtual museum visit. Scroll through below and see what fits your needs and interests.

Along with other organizations providing essential care and services to our and our loved one’s well being, the Alzheimer’s Association – Hudson Valley Chapter has also gone virtual to ensure that families have the information and tools they need. Click through for their roster of programs.

Still needed: VOLUNTEERS! It’s never been more true that It Takes a Village! RideConnect, a program of Family Services of Westchester, has been providing volunteer based transportation for 10 years to older adults to get them to essential medical appointments. At this time, they are working hard to help keep our seniors safe at home. But right now, they need more volunteers to do essential shopping such as groceries, and medication pick-up, so those most as risk can stay at home. When we last checked in on RideConnect, they let us know they had helped 100 seniors get their groceries in just that day we spoke. Wow! Also, please share this information, especially to those older adult neighbors who do not have access to family in assisting them during this critical time. If you are interested in helping in any capacity, contact Maggie Traynor at 914-760-2779 or via email at: maggie.traynor@fsw.org

Our friends at The Osborn in Rye have created a new section to their website that offers virtual tours, museum views, live streaming of religious events, operas, shows (who can resist an up close with Riverdance!), crafts and exercise videos (including tai chi for beginners and gentle stretch). It’s proving to be a huge hit with their residents and now you can access it as well. For the full selection, click thru here and enjoy!

Amid the unprecedented restrictions placed on senior living facilities due to COVID-19, the Wartburg senior residential community in Mount Vernon is now employing a unique virtual concierge system that utilizes voice technology to keep seniors informed, engaged, and connected to their families. Developed by the New York City startup Soundmind, the system allows Wartburg staff to deliver up-to-date information about the community through a securely managed network of Amazon Alexa devices. Since being integrated into Wartburg’s nine independent living cottages in February, residents have used the platform on a daily basis to get updates on community events, hear daily meal menus, play games and listen to music, and place requests with staff — simply by using their voice. Residents can also call family and friends with ease, which is essential at a time when visitation has been prohibited and group activities have been curtailed due to social distancing mandates. “This is a transformative moment, and there will be a new normal,” says David Gentner, Wartburg President and CEO.

The Hudson Valley Writers Center has moved many of it’s activities online, to accommodate social distancing. Check out their classes and writing groups that enable writers to connect with others in the community, share ideas, get feedback, edit and socialize with their peers and mentors. Classes are offered as one day workshops via Zoom, as well as six week series starting in April. Topics vary. For more information, click here.  

And to recap other curated offerings during these challenging days, take a look through the below:

Burke Rehabilitation Hospital wants to help you keep a healthy routine during this time where we are being requested to stay at home. Remaining active is important to our physical and mental wellbeing during this time which can feel isolating and lonely. Join the staff of the Adult Fitness Center in these home workouts on Burke’s YouTube channel. Videos will be added weekly, so please check back for new ones.

Although this catastrophic virus seems to have stopped us all in our tracks, there are some things that continue.  Providing for the care needs of our aging loved ones does not stop.  Decisions still need to be made and educational and planning must continue.  Medicaid Solutions is able to continue to assist families with planning and strategies for meeting care needs as well as applying for Medicaid if needed.  Colin Sandler is able to do video and phone conferences in order to facilitate this process.

The Jacob Burns Film Center has let us know about another wonderful viewing opportunity – a result of the COVID crisis – that you’re unlikely to find elsewhere. When the City of Austin had to cancel this year’s festival, hundreds of filmmakers lost the opportunity for their work to be seen. Together, Mailchimp and Oscilloscope Laboratories have created a digital home for this incredible slate of short films including Blackheads and Dirty (available soon)—so you can watch them from wherever you are. We are proud to support the efforts of Oscilloscope Laboratories & Mailchimp in their partnership to launch the #SupportTheShorts platform, a free website now streaming the Official SXSW 2020 Short Films. You can also find new releases in the Jacob Burns Virtual Screening Room.   including Once We Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band, Saint Frances, Corpus Christie and And Then We Danced.

Millenium Medical and Rehab still has you covered. They remain open for in-person visits to help you manage your pain. They are also operational for telemedicine. Their acupuncture and Chinese medicine experts are available to help.

Our world has turned upside down in a very short amount of time.  We have all had to adjust and adapt to this new world and trying to make the best of it is an ongoing challenge.  The Chelsea senior living residence is doing their best to continue to support future residents while they follow the stay-at-home directive.  Instead of in-person visits, they have moved to virtual tours and video messaging.  They are also using this time to help and thank our local healthcare partners by sending meals and supplies – they’ve also been making cloth masks for the folks on the front line. These healthcare workers and our first responders deserve an extra thanks.  The Chelsea Bus has been making local trips around town with signs of hope and good cheer.  Through all this, we are all ever hopeful and looking upward to opening The Chelsea at Greenburgh very soon!

   The Rye YMCA has a new Senior Resource page, linking out to everything from exercise classes on YouTube – including balance, core workout and stretching, to how to make a no-sew face mask along with 22 Ways to Leave Your Home without Leaving Your Couch. Catch it all here.

 

 

Tranquility Spa is running a Client Appreciation sale from April 3 thu 9. Buy gift cards at a discount for use when life is at its new normal. Also a wonderful way to support a long-standing Westchester family business that’s had to temporarily shutter.  These gift cards are also a great way to thank those who have helped you during these challenging days.

The Music Conservatory of Westchester is keeping the music playing by offering private lessons online with its expert, accredited faculty. While New York State seems closed for business and schools are moving to online learning, this nonprofit community music school is continuing everybody’s music study via interactive video platforms such as Zoom, Skype, and FaceTime. By persisting through these circumstances with virtual lessons, students of all ages and teachers have the opportunity to continue making progress as well as regain a sense of normalcy with their weekly lesson schedules. For more information, visit: https://musicconservatory.org/get-started-with-virtual-lessons-at-mcw/

One thing we have all learned during this time of “social distancing” – if we didn’t already know – is having the ability to stay in contact with our family members and our friends is essential, not only for our own sanity but to be able to stay home and remain safe. ClearCaptions is a NO COST program for people with a hearing loss that necessitates the need for captions.  If you, a friend or a family member are in need of a home phone or iPhone app that shows you the words of a conversation that you are struggling to be involved in, please let Windy Long know. She is happy to drop a phone off at your home and walk you through installing it (which is not difficult) via a phone conversation. If you have an iPhone and are in need of captions to be able to communicate, it’s as simple as contacting me, downloading the app and Windy will walk you through the set-up process which takes only minutes. You do need to have an active landline number, magic jack etc. with a dial tone. You also need to have WiFi in your home as that is how our captions come across the screen of the phone. If you are needing the iPhone app, all you need is your iPhone, 5S or newer. Please send Windy a text message or call her at 646-745-4318.

Dr. Joon Lee of See Beyond Medicine responds to the frequently asked questions concerning Covid-19 starting with: 1. If I have been in contact with a positive person but am asymptomatic, how long will I be able to spread the virus to others? The answer: 14 days. You should self-quarantine for those 14 days to keep those around you safe. Learn about testing, nutritional advice and more by clicking through here.

 

The courts may be closed, but the offices of Attorney Susan G. Parker are still open. Susan suggests that now is the time to get your estate planning in place or make changes to existing documents. For a limited time, she’s also offering a free 15-minute phone consultation. Is it time to rethink your current documents. Are your beneficiaries still the same? Do you want to maintain the same executor or do you no longer even have a relationship with that person? How old is your power of attorney and does it properly address your current situation? Remote document signings also available. Contact her at susan@susanparkerlaw.com or 914 923 1600.

 

Image Lyrics: Sister Sledge

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