FSpreps
Facilities Services Helps You Prepare
See below for information on furniture fastening and garage door opening
Work order: x7231, on MyRVM, or Front Desk
From: Rogue Valley Manor • hillTOPICS • December 2020 – January 2021 • page 2
Don ’t Neglect Earthquake Preps
Do you have heavy items in your home such as tall bookcases, mirrors, artwork, or pictures hanging over your bed? All can be dangerous and cause injuries during an earthquake if not properly secured. Here are some tips from Drew Gilliland, Director of Facility Services.
Bookcases should be secured. Facility Services can do that using strapping that is screwed into the wall. Large items or those higher than four feet above the ground should be prioritized. Facility Services will cover these costs.
However, other personal items such as antiques may require special straps and additional care so as not to damage the item.
Filling out a work order to Facility Services is your first step. Complete a work order form available at the Manor front desk, go to MyRVM.org to complete the form online, or call Facility Services at Ext. 7231. When the Facility Services technician arrives, be specific about what you want secured.
By Binny Blechman
Meeting Minutes – 11-04-2020 Facilities Advisory Committee Meeting
Bil Meers, Chair
New Business: 4. Garage Doors: During the recent evacuation numerous residents were unable to open their garage doors when the power failed. A work order can be submitted to adjust garage door springs so that doors open quickly when power is out. A longer release rope can also be installed. Drew favors metal doors with battery backup. Doors will be replaced as-needed, depending on the budget. Manor garages: staff must go around and open them for residents in the event of a power failure.
Nit Wit Newz
(Nit Wit Newz is an unauthorized, often unreliable, on-line news source designed to keep Manor residents abreast of the inconsequential, trifling and superficial events that dramatically shape and inform our everyday lives here at Rogue Valley Manor.
Ed Note: our roving correspondent has returned to campus, but we continue to receive bulletins from our far-flung news services. We may have to fling this one a little farther next time.
PLAZA REVAMP PLAN STIRS RIFTS
Defending Design Decisions
Residents, dining committee, interior designer at loggerheads on Plaza re-do. Sticking points abound. Should room centerpiece be movable orchid planter, or tasteful sarcophagus? Should restaurant model be “The French Laundry,” or a K-12 cafeteria? For walls and ceilings, some favor muted earth tones, others lean toward a monochromatic fifty-shades-of-gray.
Many fear proposed demise of banquettes and Friendship tables. Claim proponents have bias against comfortable seating and good fellowship. Outraged proponents deny charge. Disagreements spread to rotunda and restrooms as well.
Meanwhile, as disputes fester, thirty-seven sub-committees have rapidly formed to hammer out disagreements.
First sub-committee report disappointing: Table Linen panel deadlocked on napkin fabric. Group may be sequestered until concurrence reached.
Some early progress reported. Leak from Beverage Container Committee meeting claims proposed replacement of stem ware with Tippy Sippy Cups has been nixed.
Dining Services Committee urging rapid resolution of all sub-committee disputes. Seek to avoid threatened large-scale food fights among increasingly militant factions.
Stay tuned.
—A. Looney
RV Country Club featured in their support of RVM during Evacuation of Almeda Fire
Rogue Valley Country Club was recently featured in BoardRoom Magazine, a major industry publication that reaches thousands of clubs worldwide, regarding their community efforts during the Almeda fire crisis. Here is a link to from their magazine about their efforts in supporting RVM residents during the evacuation.
Residents Council Meeting Zoom Discussion
by Bob Buddemeier and Joni Johnson
On January 19, Residents Council President Gary Crites and Vice President Gini Armstrong introduced an innovation: a Zoom discussion group as a follow-up to the Residents Council meeting on the 18th. A dozen residents talked for an hour about RVM and residents Council issues of mutual interest, ending with a consensus that it had been very worthwhile, plus a commitment from the officers to make it a monthly event.
The first topic to come up was the Plaza dining area renovations. An issue that attracted general agreement involved management of walkers and wheelchairs – there were concerns about the use of “walker garages” with servers as valet parking attendants. Would there be enough servers to avoid delays in either food service or walker parking? Would there be enough pedestrian space to avoid congestion as diners, servers, and walkers moved about? How would wheelchairs and scooters fit into the mix? The consensus was that these questions needed to be addressed from actual experience, by getting enough residents and servers to actually simulate the process and look for possible problems. Gini and Gary will talk to Stan about the wheelchairs, and those participants at the meeting with walker issues agreed to inform Stan, Eric, and the DSAC of this need, and to participate in tests to identify potential problems.
Discussion then moved on to issues regarding institutional support of resident needs. The opinion was expressed that, although we are fortunate to have some very caring and supportive staff members and executives, this seems to be a matter of good fortune rather than policy or organizational structure on the part of RVM or PRS. There was general agreement that there needed to be more reliable ways to meet resident needs such as in cases of illness, or death of a partner. Some central and reliably available source of sympathetic information and assistance is needed to make sure that RVM is a consistently caring community. It was agreed that Gini and Gary would help form a small committee to look into existing policies and organization at other communities and to suggest how we might implement a more meaningful approach here.
Participants also brought up the need for supportive assistance in terms of integration of new residents. Currently, newcomers are somewhat on their own and fairly isolated, not having the chance to meet people on campus as typical in pre-Covid days. The Ambassador program seems to have temporarily died during Covid, although it is being considered again. A new online Newcomers group has been formed to help RVM newcomers meet one another during the Pandemic. This new group, started by one of our own newly arrived residents, has already had one Zoom meeting and a second one is planned for February. If you are interested, please contact Asifa Kanji at asifakanji@gmail.com.
What’s New for December?
6-word novels (see examples), inspired and edited by Eleanor Lippman,
are scattered throughout this issue (read everything to find them all)
NEWS & VIEWS
Talking about Religion…, by Joni Johnson and 12 other RVM residents
Craft Fair Review, by Connie Kent
A COVID-19 Xmas, by Asifa Kanji
in Comments, Letters, and Notices
in Big, Borrowed, or Both
3550: the Portland Mirabella quarterly magazine (most recent issue)
Mirabella Monthly, Newsletter of the Seattle Mirabella (most recent issue)
in In the Community
What Do You Know About Your Neighbors Part 2, by Claudia Macmillan
ARTS & INFO
Adventures of Ralph, by Tom Conger
Three Poems, by Faye Isaak, Richard Finch, and Anita Sumariwalla
Three More Poems, by Ray Teplitz, Jackie Parrish, and John Reimer
Holiday Poem 2020 by Joni Johnson
in Events & Opportunities
RVM Dec-Jan Entertainment Schedule
PREPARE
Progress in Preparedness, by Bob Buddemeier (with Bob Walden)
in Tips, Tricks, Hacks, Hints
The supposed history of the six-word novel is that Ernest Hemingway was challenged to compose something as he was sitting at a bar with friends. On a napkin, he scribbled: “For sale, baby shoes, never worn.” –E. L.
I have found my calling: hermit. (Wes Freeman)
Justice at last! Introversion is rewarded! (Bob Buddemeier)
Alone finally appreciating being an introvert (Lynda Hansen)
Multiple months inert. Possible to revert? (Don Vermeer)
Back to Top
Delft Blue Houses
A Collection
by Grant Koch
In the year 1952, KLM or Royal Dutch Airlines began a tradition of giving their first class, and later, business class passengers, Delft blue ceramic replicas of famous houses from cities around the Netherlands. As the collection grew, KLM added one house for every year the airline has been in business (plus some additional specials) and there are currrently 101 different miniature houses. Some of these contain Dutch gin Jenever (Genever), however certain countries don’t allow alcoholic beverages, hence the empty ones. The pictured houses were collected by resident Yoka Koch during her many visits to the Netherlands to visit family and friends.
(interested in more information? Check https://www.klmhouses.com/)
House #1 unidentified house in Amsterdam
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Houses # 2,#3,#4
#2, Restaurant D’Vijff Vlieghen, Amsterdam, #3 Unidentified House Amsterdam, #4 Keizersgracht 127, Amsterdam
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House #48 was Rembrandt’s house Amsterdam built in 1606
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House # 75 was the KLM former headquarters in The Hague built in 1914.
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Group of houses from left to right:
#29 Leiden built in 1612 / #28 Rotterdam / #35 Delft built in 1631 / #26 the Hague built in the 18th century / #32 Delft built in 1536
Word Play — The Sequel
by Tom Conger
Tom Conger
Moving on in the world of words, we offer more amusing contrivances which may or may not be in the common lexicon. For this installment we are indebted to Weird And Wonderful Words edited by Erin McKean (illustrations by the estimable Roz Chast), Oxford University Press 2003.
You may want to designate this writer as a nihilarian – a person who deals with things of no importance . . .
batie-bummil – a useless bungler (obsolete Scottish word) – (see: this writer…)
bromatology – a treatise on food, the kind of cookbook with recipes for food that is good for you, instead of food you actually want to eat. (bromo, btw, is Greek root for food)
cockagrice – “an unappetizing dish (to modern palates) made of an old cock and a pig boiled and roasted together.” Grice = old word for pig. (not sure if the recipe could be found in your kitchen bromatology…)
longicorn – “a kind of beetle with very long antennae, The word comes from Latin words meaning ‘long’ and ‘horn,’ and it is a good example of a word with a perfectly serviceable etymology that still sounds made-up.”
nippitate – obscure word meaning “good strong ale,” sometimes found with faux Latin endings such as nippitatum and nippitati—but rarely found in modern discourse (nor saloons) . . .
pishachi – “a female devil or ghost, especially one that dislikes travelers and pregnant women.” These rarely beset RVM residents, but we suspect possible connection of the latter propensity to current shelter-in-place strictures . . .
snollygoster – “a dishonest politician [possibly redundant], especially a shrewd or calculating one.* A connection has been proposed between this word and snallygaster, a mythical monster in Maryland invented to frighten freed slaves. However, the first evidence for snallygaster follows snollygoster by about a hundred years…” but thought you oughta know.
*(see exauctorate – “to depose or oust from office, to deprive of authority”—from the Latin)
woofits – “an unwell feeling, especially a headache; a moody depression; a hangover. In one citation this is called ‘that dread disease that comes from overeating and underdrinking”… possible connections with the year 2020 have not been ruled out . . .
Readers are encouraged to submit to The Complement their own weird/wonderful selections, including any which they may have made up themselves
The RPG — A Summary Description
RESIDENTS’ PREPAREDNESS GROUP (RPG)
Reviewed and accepted by the RPG Leadership Team and associates.
Definition, goal, and mission:
The RPG is an independent organization of Rogue Valley Manor (RVM) residents. Its goal is to protect and enhance the safety, security and welfare of RVM residents. Its primary mission is to support and assist RVM Management in preparing for and responding to emergencies.
Primary activities and operations:
- In an actual or anticipated emergency, RPG will work to ensure that all residents have the most up-to-date and accurate information and instructions from RVM.
- RPG will communicate to RVM Management information about emergency-related problems or resident needs (e.g., injuries, damage, failure of procedures).
- RPG will provide residents with information, and training if appropriate, on how to prepare for and respond to emergencies and disasters.
- RPG will support community-building and mutual assistance activities among residents in the interests of increasing emergency preparedness and the effectiveness of responses.
- Other activities may be undertaken by agreement or as need arises.
Organization:
Activities are carried out within a hierarchical organizational (and radio communication) structure.
- Each tower floor, and each cottage neighborhood (typically about 10 residences), has one or more volunteer coordinators who take responsibilities for the activities listed above.
- Tower Floor Coordinators (FCs) communicate with Building Coordinators (BCs). Neighborhoods are grouped into Areas (typically 2-4 neighborhoods) with an Area Coordinator (AC) connecting with the Neighborhood Coordinators (NCs).
- Building and Area Coordinators are the communication link between the local coordinators (Floor and Neighborhood) and the volunteer-staffed emergency radio room, which is in turn linked to the RVM Emergency Incident Commander, and to other resources as appropriate.
- A team of Coordinators and other volunteers provides leadership and management of RPG activities, and liaison with RVM.
Staying Sane and “Relatively Happy” during Lockdown
How to avoid Feeling Isolated and Depressed
Interview with Linda Bellinson, Licensed Clinical Social Worker at RVM
by Joni Johnson
Linda Bellinson
Linda Bellinson, our RVM Licensed Clinical Social Worker, has been working with various groups on campus to alleviate the feelings of isolation and depression that can often affect residents at the Manor because of aging and loss of a loved one. However, these feelings have intensified and affected even more residents since the beginning of the Covid-19 series of lock-downs and protection measures. By the time this article is available for publication, it will be almost 10 months of serious isolation for many of our RVM residents.
While hope is on the horizon with vaccination shots and eventual freedom from all of these restrictions, we really don’t know how it will be implemented. So increasing our strategies for overcoming the loneliness brought on by the pandemic is still of great importance.
I asked Linda about her experience and suggestions in working with clients who have been feeling the pains of isolation. She cites the plethora of articles that form a real scientific basis for the efficacy of caring for animals and plants and how they help lower heart rates, improve cognitive function and the ability to sleep. 
Caring for others lowers the rates of anxiety and depression and provide an improved outlook on life because it helps us focus on something other than ourselves. Just the act of stroking a pet has benefits. And, oddly and luckily enough, there is also quite an amazing benefit to having a plant to care for. While not everyone has, wants or can keep an animal, almost everyone can care for plants. And there is evidence that plants not only improve the environment in a room by increasing the quality of air in a room over a twenty-four hour period, but that caring for plants also increases mood levels and lowers rates of anxiety and depression. The key is caring for someone or something else.
From anonymous: Give a smallish, very hardy, potted plant, with very easy-to-follow care instructions [“put me near a sunny window and give me 1.5 oz of water every Sunday” – that way you could include a fancy shot glass as a gift reminder. Or some other volume. Or a marked very small calendar.] You could explain that you love the little green fellow but you’re running out of window sills and then you have an excuse to call up to check on it and talk about your photosynthetic babies.
Linda cites computers and smart phones as having the potential to improve our connection with others through Zoom, Face-time, Skype and just the sheer act of telephoning others. People who have scheduled regular family conversations, grandparents calling children and grandchildren pay an enormous dividend in feeling connected to the outer world. We so often wait for people to call us and if they don’t, we feel ignored or forgotten. But why should we wait for others to call us. Why not be proactive and call others. If you have been part of a group that met before Covid but then stopped meeting even on Zoom, it gives you a wonderful source of people to call. It makes you an active participant and makes the receiver feel valued and considered.
The Wellness committee has a group that is sending cards to residents here at the Manor. But why not do the same with your friends and neighbors. There is evidence that shows that getting cards from others, even complete strangers, helps people feel connected. And those who write the cards feel good by doing something for others. It isn’t simple. It requires thought, time and energy. But little acts of kindness go a long way!
Many people at RVM have lived through all sorts of difficult situations and through them have learned to be resilient and patient. This pandemic is just one more SNAG along the way. And so our residents have been creative in navigating through the bleak times. This is another moment when our creativity can bring us new experiences and new relationships. The question is how can we challenge ourselves to be open to new things rather than shutting down and saying no. Our residents who have had to dig deep in past times, have the capacity to find creative ways to help each other and themselves now.
Another important point is that this is also a time to reach out for help. Seek it out from friends and family, your churches and synagogues, but also from the services that RVM provides like Linda Bellinson (x7157) and Father Joel (x7296). The important thing is not to go it alone! Reach out for support. This is a community. It is our community! Take advantage!
Articles with information on how pets and plants help you to deal with Isolation and Depression:
https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/national/companion-dogs-help-with-pandemic-anxiety
https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/well-being/pets-and-mental-health/
https://greatist.com/grow/plants-mental-health#They-remind-you-to-keep-moving