Who else thinks it is ridiculous that the retirement community where I live - where cases are climbing in our State- has just opened the dining room to 33 people seated at one time!

I will continue to take meals in my apartment.

For one thing, I see so many lapses in mask wearing here, even staff with the masks worn below noses or on chins! And staff is serving food down there like that....

I would not be surprised if we have an outbreak. I see many folks just taking off masks when they go into common areas to sit - like they only think they need to wear them "down to the common areas" and I see many folks (mostly men!) without masks walking around here with nary a care in the world ...these are older folks of course. I just do not get it! I do not understand the thinking here and the fact that staff doesn't say something to them in the first place.

Case in point- we had a singer in last night- Yes she sang inside the bldg. I watched from 3 floors up (masked of course and all alone) but I saw as soon as folks were down by the singer they would grab a chair and then take off their masks! Frightening!

This is independent living- so folks are in and out to the dr's, shopping, visiting family, family comes here to drop stuff off...it's not like folks are on lockdown inside our apartments. It really worries me.

Not me, ridiculous is not a strong enough word.

Actually, I don't have a strong enough word.

The phrase: "bloody crimminally negligent!" comes to mind, but even that fails to reflect the full horror of this stupidity.

Tabitha111 wrote: Who else thinks it is ridiculous that the retirement community where I live - where cases are climbing in our State- has just opened the dining room to 33 people seated at one time! I will continue to take meals in my apartment. For one thing, I see so many lapses in mask wearing here, even staff with the masks worn below noses or on chins! And staff is serving food down there like that.... I would not be surprised if we have an outbreak. I see many folks just taking off masks when they go into common areas to sit - like they only think they need to wear them "down to the common areas" and I see many folks (mostly men!) without masks walking around here with nary a care in the world ...these are older folks of course. I just do not get it! I do not understand the thinking here and the fact that staff doesn't say something to them in the first place. Case in point- we had a singer in last night- Yes she sang inside the bldg. I watched from 3 floors up (masked of course and all alone) but I saw as soon as folks were down by the singer they would grab a chair and then take off their masks! Frightening! This is independent living- so folks are in and out to the dr's, shopping, visiting family, family comes here to drop stuff off...it's not like folks are on lockdown inside our apartments. It really worries me.

I think that you have a right to be worried.  I don’t remember where you are, but my MIL is in a similar place in Ohio.  They ARE locked down. The dinning room is closed.  No maid service (there are exception to this for people who cannot do important things, but extra precautions are taken). No activities in common areas.  No card playing (I guess this is a big one.)  But even with all the rules, there are people who just don’t care, who just won’t follow the rules.  

It is hard, no matter the situation you find yourself in.  I am hoping that in six months, we will find  ourselves in a very different situation.  Hang in there and stay in your apartment.  It won’t be forever.

You do have a right to be worried, Tabitha.  You are being quite sensible, and I know you will continue to be.  It is very frustrating when other people do not, as my mother says, seem to have the sense the Good Lord gave 'em.

Lately the cases in our county have exploded.  I remember this summer when we had 200 cases a day, and back then that was a lot.  Today we had 1197 cases.

My mum is similarly cautious, and had not been out to the grocery store since March.  I just did all our shopping.  But late in October it just so happened that we both had a lot to get at the same time, so my mum came with me.  And was very surprised and upset by the lack of social distancing, careless mask protocols (as well as some high prices and lack of some products).  She gave a tongue-lashing to someone who touched her cart, and I rebuked a lady who moved herself two feet away from me and my cart, and asked me how I was.  I told her I was lovely, thank you, but would be a lot lovelier if she would move back, please.  She moved back, but not to six feet.

I am now only going out to a little one-stop store close to us to get bananas, milk, bread, etc.  More exorbitant orders will just have to be delivered.  My mother had a product she said she could only find one place, but I found it at Wal-Mart at a similar price, and I told her for the time being, it needs to be delivered.  That leaves only her morphine, which does have to be picked up, but her drugstore will bring it out to the car for you.  It is just too scary out there, between the upswing in cases, and people who will not keep sensible precautions.  Be careful and stay well, everyone! 💛

I have not left my home since March.  I even refused the flu vaccine for the first time ever (I hope it was also the last) as I would need to travel to the next town for it.

Having missed two in-person cancer checkups, Hubby  (who is in remission) will have to personally attend the next, which is on Wednesday.  

Believe me, if it were not for the huge risks involved in NOT going to this appointment, we would stay home for this too.  

Unavoidable risks are one thing, avoidable risks are another entirely.  I simply think you are being sensible Tabitha.  

Found out today that they stopped the "snack cart" which came by at 2 pm to each room- reason being- "WE WANT MORE PEOPLE TO COME DOWN TO EAT IN THE DINING ROOM"  unbelievable! I just don't get it.

Tabitha111 wrote: Found out today that they stopped the "snack cart" which came by at 2 pm to each room- reason being- "WE WANT MORE PEOPLE TO COME DOWN TO EAT IN THE DINING ROOM"  unbelievable! I just don't get it.

I'd be taking my own lunch, snacks sitting alone in a park.....which is what I do most days

Anyway.....lol

Take care all 😷😉

Don't know if this is the case where you are, Tabitha, but I used to work at an old age home back in the 80's.  They had separate kitchens and staff for the meals that were served to the patients in their rooms, and for the ambulatory patients that ate in the dining room.  Every year they would cross-train a few from each place to work in the other place, because the flu would rip through both patients and staff mercilessly.  I remember because I was one of those who cross-trained. t

It could be they're trying to get everyone to eat in one place because they don't have enough staff to do both?  And maybe they didn't have the opportunity to cross-train.

Not sure about that. I know the orders come down from corporate to the various residential complexes. This is part of Holiday corporation.

Our gov is coming up with some new restrictions soon due to our numbers skyrocketing here in Virginia. Hopefully it will curtail some of this indoor dining here. I did see there is a limit of 25, yet our residence limits it at 33!! Don't know how they can do that.

They are also holding exercise classes and bingo! Of course I don't go to either.

What bugs me is that I am trying to be safe, yet folks knock on my door all day to come in to "visit" or shoot the breeze...ugh. Most are not wearing thier masks correctly (I do not understand all this nose showing above the mask...are people that dense?) I have given up answering my door except at mealtime! I am all for friendship but its going to have to wait! I feel like a grinch but what else can I do?

Nah, the Grinch had muscles, not brains.

Today they have a Christmas Choir that came in from somewhere else (I believe a church) singing songs in our "atrium".....sounds lovely, I took a peek from 3 floors up....they are all in masks singing....but the spectators (people that live here) are sitting around with their masks off or pulled down. Crazy. I am sure some of the singing breath droplets are not contained completely in masks...esp as loud as they are singing.

It's just all around scary to me.

Tabitha, 

Things are crazy at your place.  Do not, for one minute, even think that you are the crazy one.  It is easy to start to doubt yourself when everyone else is doing what you want to be doing (but know better).  Hang in there, and know that this is not forever.  There will be a day when you can go down and enjoy the singing.  A day when you can make new friends in the dining room.  The day is coming, but it is not here yet.

I keep seeing all of these crazy things going on there and know that on some level any normal person would wonder if maybe they were over doing it.  You are not. You are not being paranoid, you are being safe.  Keep up the good work.

Thank you! I know I am not crazy. LOL.....there happens to be a woman who resides  here who fancies herself a world class singer and she is always in the atrium singing at the top of her lungs (with no mask of course) to all the Christmas Carols. She is very good but...I shudder when I have to go down there to pick up my mail or a package and she is there singing. Avoid Avoid!!

It's official.  NYC's infection rate has caused Cuomo to close all indoor dining starting Monday.

Is there a pandemic going on? I don't think the residents here think so!

Today a knock on my door inviting me to join the "singers" in our residence to sing Christmas Carols in the atrium this afternoon. I said oh no, I can't do that. Why???? well, covid you know...I am being extra careful, my parents are elderly and I cant see them for Christmas, but hoping I can visit them next year...vaccine...yadda yadda...

Lady looks at me wide-eyed and says "we all are taking the same precautions you know" UMMMM...nope you all are not...but I didn't say that to her.

Anyhow, I peeked and they are all in the atrium MASKS OFF singing at the moment, with an audience of course who also have masks on chins, pulled down off noses, or none at all. The staff are the worst offenders by the way...one staff member wears hers on her chin always and serves meals that way too....I have NEVER seen her pull her mask up.

I just can't anymore.

You apparently are the only sane one in there. I'm so sorry you're surrounded by imbeciles.   HUGS. 

I second that! DITTO!

Having been on this site for a few years, and disscused many things, I never in my wildest scenarios, dreamed  that people would not believe it's happening,when it is...... 

I"ve had people scoff at the idea of a pandemic when I mentioned it.... 

I am absolutely gobsmacked that people still denying this is happening even after 300,000 DEAD in the USA alone.........countries going into lock down all over the World.....

I'm so proud of my fellow AUSSIES......

Take care all  😷😷😷😷😉

Sorry if off topic,just reading this, seemed relevant.....

DW (English): American evangelicals and the resistance to COVID vaccines.

https://dw.com/p/3mnD1?maca=en-gk-volltext-newsstand-topstories-en-10709-xml-googlenews - https://dw.com/p/3mnD1?maca=en-gk-volltext-newsstand-topstories-en-10709-xml-googlenews

I go downstairs to the main lobby to pick up mail....what do I see....and why doesn't the staff tell these folks??? I see a lady who has just been discharged from the HOSPITAL from surgery then went to a Rehab cener -hip surgery I overhear- well...she was ...talking up a storm to the front desk lady with NO MASK on.

Infuriating.

Not even a mask around her neck.

NO mask in sight.
And she is talking, talking talking and not budging, less than a foot from the other person. Its all so maddening. I hightailed it out of there real quick.

Grrr.  How infuriating!

Tabitha, it's the same way every where, that's why our country is in the state it is in. I go to work, which I'm Native American and work for my Tribe and they are VERY strict about the masks. They even provide them. But I go to the grocery store once a week and half the people are not wearing masks, it's not mandatory in our state, only in certain towns. It's ridiculous. 

The people in my neighborhood in Colorado are having an Elf crawl this weekend.  Its about 50 people, going from house to house eating and drinking.  No masks, no social distancing.  One of my friends said, "well, half of the people going have already had it" 

We are not going.  We are doing our part to stay away.  None of us have been sick at our house including the usual bronchitis we get in the winter.  

I wish everyone had the same common sense!

AND..... We have another Covid + staff member!

oh, and this time they are STILL keeping the dinning room open but limitiing it to 20 people vs. 33...yah, that's going to work...LOL....shaking my head....we have some of the most vulnerable folks here, I just can't believe how they are treating this.

Of course, I do not do open dining, I eat in my apt. and wear my mask at all times outside of it, even if I just stick my head out in the hallway.

The staff here are the WORST offenders. Masks on chin all day long, masks pulled down over noses....our director does not enforce any rules regarding them - I mean they sit at the reception desk with masks around thier chins in full view of him...only ONE staff member consistently wears her mask.

Do you do your own cooking, or do they bring up your meals, Tabitha?

Sorry in advance for being pragmatic,

Tabitha (love that name,reminds me of one of my favourite TV shows,"Bewitched")

In anyway does the place you live in benifit if the residents die......?

Sorry to ask ,but the behaviour you discribe is like they want people to get infected.....

Take care all 😷😉

They prepare all meals and deliver them to your apartment if you choose not to go to the dining room.
We do have a small kitchenette in each apartment with full size frig and I have a microwave and coffee maker (make my own coffee in the morning)

I don't believe they benefit in any way if someone here dies- because there are plenty of available apartments they can't fill in the first place. Plus, the publicity would be super bad for them- this is a nationwide "chain" of independent living facilities. 

I am just pissed off still about the one person on staff now who never has her mask pulled up- and no one does a thing about it- she also serves food and sits at the receptionist desk. It's unnerving. I have tried to think of some way to address this with corporate that would be anonymous- I like this person, she likes me, but its still very unsafe- and no I can not speak to her about it- she also has stage 4 cancer, so maybe she just doesn't give a rat's ass?? who knows...

I really don't understand this place- tomorrow they are increasing the indoor dining capacity to 33 again. They sent out a paper for all of us, I believe its to make this place "look good" - saying we are lifting some restrictions here....unbelievable when cases are rising and out of control in our city...when we just had a staff member with Covid...when the director wears a gaiter style mask that does no good, and another staff member wears her mask below her chin...

Maybe you can talk to your Representative and they could do something?

Tabitha - I'd be furious if I were you. I think you've shown an incredible amount of restraint.  

Contacting an elected representative is a good idea. Since they are a national company you have your pick of people to contact if none of the local politicians would recognize the danger. 

Our in-door dining just opened last week at a 25% capacity(Colorado).  I run into more people at the grocery so its not too concerning at this point but the push is to continue to open.  I wouldn't go to a restaurant right now at full capacity, no way!

The director called me yesterday to ask if I would be a "mentor" to the other residents and help them with certain things computer related- that corporate picked two people in the community to do this to help them with surveys and such...I had to say no- and I told him my reasons- most residents don't wear masks properly or at all and I can not sit next to them at a computer because of that -(never mind that we would not be physically distanced!)  I told him I was very covid aware and I would be telling them "pull your mask up" or "go put a mask on" .....he understood.
Whew! I am hanging in there- we had to put our names on a list for the vaccine here. No idea when it will happen though.

It was only a matter of time: we now have a resident with Covid. This particular person gets together after hours (staff goes home at 7 pm) to play cards in the library with a group of other residents. I have seen them when I first moved in and none of them wear masks when playing cards! All of the card players are in quarantine in their rooms.

Apparently the rumor mill is that this resident went home to family recently and that is where she was infected. There are no restrictions on visitors or coming and going here, it is just like if you lived in a regular apartment building. It's just that too many residents are not cautious, hence why I do not mingle with anyone.

I ordered a door draft thingy (lol- don't know what to call it) to place under the gap of my door to the hallway. Only thing I could think of to do. Also some better masks-KN95s that had a high rating on Amazon (recieved them already). I do have a top rated air purifier and I keep a window open in my apartment (I am on the third floor).

There may be another name in the states for them, but over here they are called: "draught excluders".

Sadly, your position has been vindicated, Tabitha.  For God's sake, don't let your guard down now.

In NL there is a saying "The shore has to stop the ship" (de wal moet het schip keren)...If people do not stop corona, corona will stop people...But it is sad it has to go that way...

Tabitha, please, contact a Representative or maybe the media in your locality, or both.  I know you're afraid of being exposed as the informant, but seriously, things are becoming life and death now.

One of my neighbors (who feels like I do) is calling the local health department today.  Like you said, I don't want to be the informer around here.
Too much gossip and everyone seems to know everyone else's business.

I don't blame you.  It is an unsafe situation either way.  Push is coming to shove.  I pray that your health department will do what needs to be done.  Hang in there.  You are taking every possible precaution to protect yourself.  You are in my prayers!

GRRRR....the resident with Covid here was hospitalized, I have heard she is out of the hospital and her daughter is looking for somewhere to "place her". I guess a rehab type place?

And still, as I am double masked and talking to the only other residents that seem to take this seriously (a husband-wife who are my nieghbors) I see people walking down the hall with no mask on- walking up to other residents who have their doors propped open (something that seems to be a "thing" around here- so they can socialize) and talking within a foot of them and no one wearing masks.


Then I hear from my neighbors that one of the ladies who played cards with the sick resident was not ordered to quarantine but the others were....so she is not. (they must not realize she was there) And she never wears a mask and also goes to her children's homes every weekend. (she has 8 living in the area!)...if this new variant starts becoming dominant I fear for what will happen here.

They make announcements reg. about "be sure to wear your mask" and "wear your mask when walking through the community". Maybe its me, but I guess some of these elderly at risk folks just don't get it? Or think that since we are in a building of some sort we are immune to the outside world? Or they just don't bother or care?

Not everyone is as well clued-up as you Tabitha (their fault) and not as smart either (you can't fix stupid).

Grrrr is right, Tabitha.  How scary and frustrating!

I am probably worried for nothing- but I can't help but feel that right after we all get the first shot of the vaccine here- people will feel that we are immune right away and start acting like it.

I am also worried that they will "make" us go eat all of our meals in the dining room again since we are "vaccinated".

We just got another sheet today to update us on the situation here. Looks like they are opening the dining room up again to 33 people (from 20) they keep doing this, closing for 20 then up to 33 - so weird. Doesn't even make sense.

They also said outside entertainment coming in would still happen.

I just don't get how they are keeping us "covid safe" which was the title of this report! "Safety of our residents is our priority" Bullsh*t!

Just got the Moderna jab about a half hour ago here at my Retirement Community.

Did not like the way they organized it here at all. Family members were allowed to sign up too (that was fine by me) but the thing is- for FOUR hours they were all packed into one room waiting for the shots with residents. Residents were first - so that was 125 of us- then family...some even brought their kids! (not to get shots, but to mingle and run around and wait with them) I saw zero social distancing and lots of gaitor type masks and lots of noses poking out, and what I never understand is how staff NEEDS to pull down their masks to speak to you...its nuts. I waited in my apartment until the very end- then went down quickly and got it over with- still heaps of folks hanging out in a small unventilated space. I was the only one double masked and with a shield. I even saw one resident pull his mask down to cough loudly into the room of people....it boggles my mind.

I knew it! LOL...gotta laugh, because what else can you do? So, we all got vaccinated today with our first shot...went down to pick up a package and in our game room there sits 6 ladies with NO masks on right next to each other playing cards while staff just wanders around oblivious.  I knew this was going to happen. Hopefully we stay lucky under these circumstances.

One lady went in to hug one of the directors saying "now we can hug again" and the director was like "oh noooo....not until two weeks after your second shot".

Do people just not know better? Do they think that today we are 100 % protected and life goes back to normal?

I am starting to believe in the conspiracy theory that there is something in the water that makes people stupid.  STOOPID!

Today I was picked to do the Crossword game in our retirement community- where you stand up at this board and call out the clues and others call out the words....of course I am double masked...and I felt like I was going to have a riot on my hands because everyone wanted me to take off my mask (!!) so they could hear me better- ummmm nope - I shouted literally as loud as I could - one lady said "I won't be coming back until we don't have to wear masks any longer!" oh did I mention that they ALL took off their masks but for a few to play the game...First time and last time I will be hosting that...I was going stir crazy here in my apartment so I ventured down and wow...we get our second Moderna vaccine on Saturday...BUT there are quite a few here who have not and will not get the vaccine- and a few are residents and a few are staff!!

(p.s. see Josh's  recent entry re: new varient in a nursing home- I am not stupid!)

https://www.wkyt.com/2021/03/16/watch-live-gov-beshear-gives-update-on-covid-19/ - Gov. Beshear reports COVID-19 outbreak in eastern Ky. nursing home, appears to be new variant (wkyt.com)

I just saw this.  I have no idea where to put it.  

It occured to me you could print it and stick it to your door Tabitha,.

It is unlikely to effect a sea change, but maybe a couple of your neighbours will understand it.

How Masks And Social Distancing Works

Source:  

Good chart.  

Awesome chart.
I already have a nickname around here - it's "double masked" ha ha ha
I don't care.
There is so much talk now about opening this place WIDE OPEN when we hit our two week vaccine mark...which is in about a week.
I am still concerned about varients. But already the folks here are acting like there is no virus anymore. 

Here at my retirement living community: The dining room is completely open and there is no more getting meal delivery to your apartment from the onsite kitchen. Of course you can do your own thing with outside ordering or microwaving a frozen dinner, etc if you wish- but part of what we pay for here is the chef and meals.

I am a bit nervous at mealtimes since its over 100 people in there and you hear folks coughing all the time and do they even cover thier mouths- NOPE- grown ups that can not even cover thier mouths when they cough up a lung....ugh ...gets on my last nerve.

I sit alone. I prefer it at the moment. I eat my meal and then high tail it out of there.

Now, this is interesting- but there is a special table set aside for all the folks (8 of them ) who did not get the vaccine. Its what I call "outer Sibera" they have to sit farther away from us. Don't really know what that will accomplish, esp. when one server in particular who wears her mask on her chin- didn't get vaccinated either and she is all up in our faces serving food, etc. btw - she did get Covid at the beginning of this, so maybe she feels immune?

Not really loving all the science deniers here and folks that want to pretend we are back to normal....what do you all think of all this?

Stupidity is universal.  I am sorry you have to live so close to it. Tabitha.

you are not worried for nothing!  People were acting this way with NO vaccines so imagine how they will behave after one and then both of them!  People are crazy!

I think they're nuts and I'm glad you're being careful!

I have been watching this thread with dread as our local government lifted all restrictions on movement or masks. 

37 percent of our county is fully vaccinated and they are reaching what is known as vaccine hesitancy. The rest of them won't get the vaccine.   So, we will be left with no way to  reach herd immunity or to end this pandemic.  It is a hard core bunch of trumpers that won't get the shot despite of the efforts of many incentives.  

We will have a slow motion pandemic of death that will strangle any efforts to get to herd immunity.   

take care, be careful.