Reflections from Afar

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Notes from the Complement’s ace roving correspondent, writing under the nom de pandemic:
By Nonie Tenck —

Episode 1

Living away from the Manor while caring for my sick friend (hereafter referred to as Friend), leaves me feeling quite exposed. The Manor itself is a bubble protected from the Outside World, then we all have our own smaller bubbles inside that. Here I’m completely unprotected. No, that’s not true. It’s that the mask wearing and frequent hand washing assume far greater importance.
When I go out for my walk I pull up my mask as soon as I see someone coming, and guess what — the oncomer does the same! People around here are so considerate. The clerks in the grocery store; the helpers in the stores (brought in especially for the holidays? Or hired to provide jobs for some of those out of work because of the pandemic?); the clerks and nurses at the doctor’s offices; neighbors coming by with cookies and holiday greetings — everyone.  But rather than having to remember to phone in my meal orders every day at the Manor, here I have to think of menus, go grocery shopping, help fix meals, then clean up. Quite a challenge, unaccustomed as I am.  No more lounging around in sweats all day. Every day here seems to be something that requires looking presentable. Life is far less predictable here. But that’s probably a good thing. I’m thoroughly dislodged from my rut, and I have a new perspective on living through these times. Hooray for fresh views.

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Episode 2 — On the Road (still)

This morning I took my friend to her pre-op appointment with the cancer surgeon. When we got to the head of the check in line, the girl behind the counter peered around my friend and asked “Is she here with you?” nodding at me. Then she motioned me to come forward, and I had to answer all the questions too.

When we got to the doctor’s waiting room the nurse met us and took us right in- no waiting at all! She was very chatty as she took my friend’s weight, blood pressure, and temperature.
When the doctor came in he said he couldn’t stay long because it was a busy day. But after he did the physical exam and determined that all looked good to proceed with the surgery as scheduled on the 31st, he appeared more relaxed and took his time explaining exactly what he would be doing during the surgery and what she could expect afterwards. However, there still could be a last minute change either as to time of day or even the date of surgery If there is no ICU bed available for just in case.

Tomorrow is a teleMed appointment with the anesthetist.
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Nonie’s Third Epistle to the Manorites: Christmas Eve

A cheerful Bewick’s wren came out to greet me on my walk in the woods this morning.

                          Bewick Wren

Well, I say morning, but it was almost noon because I spent most of the morning putting together a double batch of banana bread and struggled really hard to get semi-hardened glued together bird seed out of a bird feeder that had been neglected far too long outside in alternating rain and sun. I’m SO over housework!
We sent Son out at eight o’clock this morning to do last minute grocery shopping, and he had to stand in line outside in the cold for a full hour to get into the store. Glad it wasn’t me. After he got back and the groceries were all put away and the banana bread was baking, Friend started making a batch of Pecan Lace cookies and Son started work on our fancy Christmas Eve meal. It’s barely a two-butt kitchen, so that’s when I went on my walk, leaving strict instructions about when and how to take the one large loaf and four small banana breads out of the oven. Now they’re cooling. Then we’ll wrap the little ones up as gifts for friends who’ll be stopping by (outside – masked) this afternoon. Whew. I’m ready for a nap already and it’s just past noon. The pace is killing me.
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Episode Last — Returning to campus following a two week hiatus

By Nonie Tenck

Driving back from Portland in a rental car on New Years Eve, I was ambivalent about returning home after having been away for two weeks. We had decorated the house with fifty years of Christmas ornaments and then taken it all away again before Friend’s hospitalization. Now I was tired of being away, of having to plan meals and clean up afterwards, of listening to someone else’s choice of news channels, of constantly tripping over a dog who wanted to be in the middle of things, of not having readily available a new book to read in the from Manor library, of not having a convenient place to do my exercises, of not having the right knitting needles readily to hand. I was looking forward to returning to my comfortable rut, but I wondered: was I was going back to such a predictable routine that I would feel I was in a cage?

Living at the Manor is so easy. We ARE awfully well protected here, especially in the high rise buildings. I hardly have to take care of myself; I have become lazy. In some ways my independence is limited: I am told to mask, and if I forget, my neighbors remind me. I am told to keep my distance. Only one person in the elevator at a time. No gatherings with friends. My meal options are laid out for me. My shopping options, my exercise options and my recreation opportunities – all are limited.

The same Covid limitations exist elsewhere, but it felt like the individuals I came into contact with (however briefly) when I was out walking or at the grocery store or visiting the doctor’s office with my sick friend — all had thoughtfully chosen to wear masks and limit their contacts. Here, some of the thinking part of it is done for us. I don’t know. It just feels like in some ways we exist within an artificial bubble, our own small world. Of course, one of the huge benefits is that the incidence of Covid here is much much lower than at many other retirement communities.

Being on the road was marvelous. The ever changing landscape felt liberating. I saw skeins of geese overhead and the occasional hawk on a tree. Cars and trucks whizzed by around me. Alternating showers and clouds and brief periods of sunlight required flipping the visor down and ducking my head as I swung it to the side. I was out in the real world for a short time. I had a most welcome taste of freedom before turning in the rental and returning to my little living space and my little circle of friends.

P.S. Friend called me on New Years Day to report that her four-hour surgery was successful. A fitting beginning for a new and better year ahead.

Back to Top

Disasters, Past and Future

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The Featured Lecture — at 7 pm on Tuesday, October 13, 2020, ERIC DITTMER will present a lecture on RVM Channel 900:

Preparing for Disasters – Earthquakes, Lessons From Recent Fires

The lecture will be followed by a remote Q&A session, featuring both Eric Dittmer and Drew Gilliland, RVM Director of Facility Services

Eric Dittmer is a geologist and Professor Emeritus, Southern Oregon University.  He is an expert on the geology, hydrology and environment of the Rogue Valley.  His current focus is on earthquake awareness and preparedness, on which he frequently lectures and is interviewed.  He is extensively involved in community service; among the positions he has held are: Jackson County Health Advisory Board; State of Oregon – Ground Water Advisory Committee; Bear Creek Watershed Council; Oregon Stewardship Board Member, current chair; and Former Greenway Foundation Board Member.  In addition to teaching at SOU, he has been a Medford School Board member, a 4H leader, and a volunteer teacher at Griffin Creak School.  He was named Conservationist of the Year, 2013, by the City of Ashland.  On a slightly different note, his interests include bicycles and old motorcycles, and he held a land speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats (class J/GT) for 16 years.

 

The Great ShakeOut is a world-wide program of earthquake drills, aimed at building awareness and encouraging preparation.  To find out about local efforts, click here.  Many educational materials are available, as well as a chance to demonstrate solidarity with other prepared people by signing up as an Official Participant.

There is a lot of flexibility in your choice of participation, but the conventional approach is take the appropriate response at the designated earthquake simulation time — 10:15 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15.  If you are indoors, the suggested response is Drop, Cover, and Hold on! — drop to the floor, get under something sturdy (table, desk, or bed), and hold on to it.  If there is nothing to get under, get next to something sturdy.  CAUTION:  some of us are in conditions such that dropping to the floor is not advisable.  If that is your situation, use visualization instead.  And, it is OK to plan in advance — that’s not cheating, it’s part of the point of the exercise.

 

General Disaster Preparation needs to be more than a one-and-done exercise.  Over time, memories fade and supplies may deteriorate, so the Residents Preparedness Group looks for review and reminder opportunities.  The Great ShakeOut is a good one, and not just because of its topic.  Fall is a good time to reflect on the onset of winter, which calls for some different emergency responses than might be appropriate in summer.  This year we suggest a look at power outages — which are likely to accompany earthquakes, storms, fires, or seemingly, to just happen.  If you have to go for a protracted period without electricity, what will you do for light? Or warmth?  Worthwhile things to think about before it gets dark and cold.  Oh, and if you may want to open your garage, click here.

 

 

 

 

 

You Are Not Alone

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YANA

(A program by residents for residents)

By Willi Zilkey

 

A good friend left flowers at my front door the day Bob died.  I’ll never forget that act of kindness.  In 2018, she and I decided to extend this thoughtfulness to everyone who experiences a loss in our community.  The group was named YANA, You Are Not Alone.

A creative photographer in our community prints note cards for us and another resident artist rendered the photo we use on our cards to reflect the sadness we share.

One member of the team, the Canary, notifies the appropriate team member of a death in our community.   Another member happily creates a small flower arrangement.  A note of sympathy is written to accompany the flowers.  Contact with the grieving resident is made to acknowledge their loss and ask for a convenient time to deliver the flowers and note.

This is a simple kindness.  It is our privilege to let grieving residents know they are not alone.  When one of us leaves, we all grieve.

This worthwhile project is sponsored by the RVM Residents Council.

Review Items

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REVIEW ITEMS

 

The forms or documents linked here are proposals or drafts that are being considered  for incorporation into RPG documentation — which includes both preparedness advice for residents, and guidance for coordinators and other RPG workers.  They are posted here so that members of the community can evaluate their utility and make suggestions for modifications or improvements.

Please note:  The items listed here have been drafted with the cottages in mind; in the interests of both relevance and consistency we need to know if and how they need to be modified for use in the towers, and whether there are cottage-tower differences so great that a different approach is necessary.

You may submit your comments via the forms at the end of the document, or by Email to rpgrvm@gmail.com.

1.  Local Disaster Checklist:  Suggested as a form to be used by Neighborhood Coordinators for their initial post-disaster evaluation.  Would be completed for each location of damage or injury, and transmitted promptly to the Area Coordinator for further transmission.

2.  Local information form.  Intended to elicit information from residents that will help coordinators evaluate risk and needs.  Data, or an appropriate summary,to be kept at the Neighborhood, Area and central RPG levels, and should be updated annualluy or whenever a perceptible change occurs.

3.  Skip’s Village Center Dr Neighborhood Log.  A sample of the propose neighborhood record, produced by the approach outlined in item 4 (below).

4.  Skip’s note on neighborhood surveying.  Guidelines for Neighborhood Coordinators in completing the log form in item 3 (above).

5.  Wildfire Emergency Evacuation Tips.

6.  Draft Go-Bag options for various individual abilities and situations (Also open for review on the public Prepare page)

 

 

 

 

What’s New in This Issue?

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MIDMONTH SPECIAL — Resident Garden Tour Revisited!

(posted November 19, 2020)

Issue #3 — November 7, 2020

The titles of items posted since the October issue are listed here and linked to the article. Most previously published items remain available.

NEWS & VIEWS

The Rogue Valley Manor Has Its Own Hawaiian King, by Joni Johnson

com·mú·ni·ty, by Bob Buddemeier

in Big, Borrowed, or Both

UN@75: Why Should We Celebrate?  Russy Sumariwalla writes a reflective essay on the 75th anniversary of the United Nations.  First circulated on RVMlist.

3550:  the Portland Mirabella quarterly magazine

Mirabella Monthly, Newsletter of the Seattle Mirabella

in In the Community

Cat People Helping Cat People Helping Cats, by Joni Johnson

What Do You Know About Your Neighbors, by Daphne Fautin

 

ARTS & INFO

RVM Garden Video Revisited 

Word Play:  There’s a Word for That, by Tom Conger  

Craft Fair Review, by Connie Kent

in Books & Authors

Secondhand:  Book review by Anne Nevins

Karen Louise Erdrich:  Author review by Daphne Fautin

PREPARE

Earthquake Preparedness

3 videos

1 Handout

in Tips, Tricks, Hacks, Hints

Disaster Yum-Yums

 

 

Getting Started — Preparation Basics

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Read more

Introduction to Emergency Preparedness

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This is a brief introduction to emergency and disaster preparedness at RVM. It is part of a living document. Its development is a cooperative effort of the Residents’ Preparedness Group (RPG), the Residents Council, and Rogue Valley Manor.

Read more

Earthquake Preparedness

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Return to The Complement/Prepare

 

Lecture presented 7 pm Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Preparing for Disasters:
Earthquakes, Lessons From Recent Fires

by Eric Dittmer
Geologist and SOU Professor Emeritus

joined by Drew Gilliland, RVM FS Director

 

Click the link below to view a video recording of the lecture.

Dittmer Lecture   (video, RPG/RVM, 1:05)   use browser tab to return

Click the link below to view or download the 4 page handout that accompanies the lecture.  Additional information links included.

Lecture handout   (PDF document, Smedes & Dittmer, 4pp )   use browser tab to return

Additional related information videos (* indicates that link is included in the handout)

*Cascadia Earthquakes   (video, Oregon Dept. Geology & Mineral Resource, 22 min.)   close image window to return
Unprepared   (video, Oregon Public Broadcasting, 56  min.)   close image window to return

 

Personal Medications

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Read more

Preparedness Progress

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CONTENTS:

December 2020 Activities — Furniture and Garage Doors.
Database
Radio network
Preparedness guide
Upcoming issues and activities

November 2020 Activities

 

RPG Database development: A Zoom meeting of the Technical Committee plus other interested parties revealed considerable interest in creating a resident database that would not be subject to the restrictions imposed on RVM information. This could be a major undertakng, and it was pointed out that RPG had an immediate need for a simpler information base. Dan Wagner volunteered to review existing drafts and assemble a proposed structure for basic RPG data collection. That was accomplished and reviewed with Bob Walden and Bob Buddemeier. The second draft is awaiting broader review.

Radio network plans: Dan Curtis and Bob Walden drafted a description of RPG Emergency radio network plans and needs, That has gone through multiple review stages and is ready for submission to RVM Admin as a basis for overall communication system development.

Disaster (preparedness) Guide:  A zoom meeting of the co-chairs with the tower building coordinators (Jim Macmillan, Gary Jensen, Teddie Hight) and the Facilities Team (Scott Wetenkamp and Ken Kelley) was held to start exploring the question of what support and information the coordinators need to do their jobs.  A major point of agreement was the desirability of a concise, well-organized and easily accessible guide to disaster preparation and response.  The intended characteristics of the product are:

  1.  Topics addressed in one-sheet (2 sides) format, designed to be a web-based set of linked documents that can be printed on demand, either as individual handouts or as a booklet (ca 20 pp).
  2.  Supporting and more detailed information will be linked in the web version, printable, and referenced by source or URL in the printed version.
  3.  A living document, with each section identified individually and as part of the whole so that updates can be made and documented as appropriate without requiring total revision.
  4.  A practical orientation to RVM residents and their situations — specifying what to get or do, why, how, and where.
  5.  Initial drafts will be stand-alone, based on standard advice adapted for RVM; plans and guidance from RVM will be linked and integrated as they become available.

Production:  The structure of the /rpg and /prepare pages of The Complement will be modified (over the course of January 2021) to facilitate review of and access to the develping documents.  We envision moving through 4 stages — in preparation, draft for review (primarily on the /rpg page, and involving primarily RPG and RVM personnel engaged in preparedness activities), followed by beta review and accepted phases (on the /prepare page), where residents in general will be encouraged to use the material and provide feedback.

We will explicitly request reviews by Administration for the purpose of keeping procedures and objectives aligned as we develop the individual components of what must become a single system.

Upcoming Issues: 

  1. Mid-April (6 months after the October Great Shakeout exercise) is the time tentatively targeted for a suite of Preparedness Awareness events (displays, programs, information and supply updates, etc.).  We should be planning for this (RVM and RPG jointly, as discussed at the meeting prior  to last year’s Great Shakeout) by Februaryt at the latest, which means that it is time to start identifying participants and themes.
  2.  RPG organization — As the RVM preparedness effort continues, it is time to settle on an organizatonal structure for RPG (and in the process, a relationship to the Residents Council organization) so that there is a basis for clear understanding of how the necessary interactions will be carried out.  Discussions will be initiated in the near future.

 

November 2020 Activities

by Bob Buddemeier (with Bob Walden)

This “article” consists of three components:  an update on important developments concerning Emergency and Disaster Preparedness at RVM; comments (“editorial”) on their significance and Residents’ Preparedness Group plans; and a brief summary of RPG’s status and activities.

  1. Developments – on November 23rd, Bob Walden and Bob Buddemeier (RPG co-chairs) met with Executive Director Stan Solmonson and Assistant Executive Director Alexander Ben-Israel to discuss preparedness and emergency responses at RVM. Stan announced a program, to be headed by Alexander, that would develop a comprehensive preparedness and response plan at RVM. The effort is in the early stages of formation so that there is not yet an organizational structure or schedule, but Stan said that he expected completion within a year.

It was also stated that RPG would be a component of the development activities, and would be brought into the effort as soon as the organization was in place.  There were a number of further outcomes of the discussion.  It was agreed that we could anticipate situations, both in preparations and in response, when resident action would be needed to supplement RVM efforts.  Stan emphasized that he wanted a single, integrated program, including both RVM staff and resident efforts.  Other subjects were the challenges resulting from RVM’s unique population and the need for both training and exercises to ensure the reliability of any action plan.

  1. Commentary (BB and BW) – We consider this an extremely important and favorable development in terms of our goal of improving resident emergency preparedness, and we are looking forward to participating in the effort. As experience has shown, the RPG network can provide an extremely important communication link between residents in general and RVM Administration.

Functioning effectively as part of a larger system will require a more structured RPG management and operations system, as well as further development of present activities and plans.  We will be restructuring the Complement pages devoted to preparedness in order to make them more user-friendly for submission of questions and suggestions, and for review of the documents and plans being developed.  We will also be contacting coordinators and other volunteers to solicit input and additional participation.

  1. RPG: Goals and current activities –  RPG sees its mission as support for RVM operations, including backup of and replacement for activities that RVM may not be able to carry out adequately.  This results in a focus on resident interactions, especially at the level of cottage neighborhoods and high-rise floors.  The RPG system of geographically assigned coordinators (https://thecomplement.info/2020/06/30/how-it-works-organization-and-operation/) provides a system for communication with and among residents; linking this with the developing RVM communication system is needed for comprehensive emergency preparedness and response.
    3.1  Coordinators are reaching out to become acquainted with individuals in their neighborhoods, to encourage a sense of community in local areas, and to develop an information base that will serve everybody well in the event of an emergency/disaster.  In addition to providing the information needed to assess and promote preparedness, available information about things such as access to transportation, pets, handicaps, special skills or supplies, etc. can pinpoint those who may need assistance and those who can provide it in the event of an emergency.
    3.2  Preparation resources:  Most generic preparedness information does not take into account the age and condition of the individual, the nature of their community, or the specifics of their environment.  In addition, the diversity of topics and volume of information can be overwhelming.  We are working on providing locally-appropriate, RVM-relevant, manageable information resources on what to do, why, and how to do it.  These are derived from materials published by government agencies and NGOs, with editing and formatting to adapt them for use at a retirement community.  Examples may be found at https://thecomplement.info/prepare/.

    3.3  Infrastructure and program development:  Examples of activities, completed, in progress, or planned.

    • Communication (specific) – an emergency response radio network has been designed and tested. It awaits equipment, after which coordinator training will be initiated.
    • Communication (general) – Various approaches have achieved some success: lectures, displays, postings and emails, etc.  Mailing lists have been established for subsets of people (coordinators, residents of neighborhoods and areas), etc.  The establishment of The Complement has not only opened up easier access for the general community, but it also provides a semiprivate page for RPG “business” and development work (https://thecomplement.info/rpg/).
    • Response supplies and training – our Medical Team has developed a list of recommended supplies to be stored at the Area or Neighborhood level, and has also arranged for training (since suspended due to covid restrictions). Evaluation of proposed forms and procedures for both neighborhood preparation and post-event evaluation is in progress.

    These and other activities will be developed for effective integration into the overall RVM preparedness plan.

    Questions?  Suggestions?  Email rpgrvm@gmail.com.

 

Pandemic-fire evacuation-more pandemic-next            (Patrick McDonald)

Look what you’ve unleashed!! Great fun.                        (Connie Kent)

2020 apocalyptic Bingo card full yet?                              (Ronald Constable)

Down upside feel world the doesn’t?                              (Dale Lohman)

Covid ? RVM= shelter from the storm                              (Pratibha Eastwood)