Kendal on lockdown

Needs facemask donations

Kendal at Oberlin has gone on lock-down in an effort to slow the spread of novel coronavirus.

Meanwhile, the chief executive of Kendal at Oberlin is asking anyone hoarding medical supplies — including facemasks — to consider donating the items to facilities that need them most.

The senior living campus, which has 345 residents at 600 Kendal Drive, Oberlin, had a “hard closure” at 1 a.m. March 23.

Residents will be self-contained in their homes and will not leave.

No visitors are allowed in and residents will leave only for critical medical purposes.

“This significant step is to prevent the spread of COVID-19 to our residents, whose age demographic is at the highest risk to get this virus,” said Kendal at Oberlin CEO Barbara Thomas.

The situation is not ideal, but Kendal residents understand the health risk. Many are exploring new technology to stay in touch with family and friends, Thomas said.

“There’s a lot of living here, which is what makes it difficult to ask people to stop doing what they do so well,” she said. “Our goal is that we keep this community safe and have as few people impacted as possible.”

She also penned an open letter asking anyone with a stockpile of medical supplies to consider sharing them via donation.

“Those of us who live independently can take more dramatic steps to safeguard ourselves against the virus,” Thomas said.

“While many distressingly choose not to, we can self-isolate and avoid altogether potentially exposed people and places. The same cannot be said for the millions of older Americans living in life plan communities, assisted living communities and nursing homes. Their continued health depends not only on decisiveness, coordination and luck, but also on the availability of resources … resources that are becoming alarmingly scarce.”

Senior living facilities can make internal adjustments to limit residents’ exposure to COVID-19 and other diseases, Thomas said.

But resources cannot come from within

those communities alone, Thomas said.

“Americans are showing strength, unity and, yes, charity, in the face of this crisis,” she said.

“Let that courtesy extend to the resources so many of us have stockpiled in anticipation. I strongly urge businesses, our government, local institutions or private citizens with reserves of personal protective equipment to donate some of their supplies – including but not limited to facemasks – to an assisted living and or nursing home nearby.”

“I strongly urge businesses, our government, local institutions or private citizens with reserves of personal protective equipment to donate some of their supplies – including but not limited to facemasks – to an assisted living and or nursing home nearby.” — Kendal at Oberlin CEO Barbara Thomas

Thomas