Trees burst forth Tiny green leaves Tremble in the wind Sparkle in the sun like jewels
Positive energy Open the shining jewel In my own heart Slow smooth soft serene SPLENDROUS
Poetry and art work by Sheila Benedis
The Zoom Shakespeare Course led by Yoel Magid was previewed last week. The class will have four sessions planned, from 2 pm to 3 pm on Wednesdays, May 6, 13, 20 and 27. There is still time to sign up for the remaining ones.
Fran Kelly, Co-Chair of the Education Committee and course sponsor, announced that the Movie Committee would like to show videos of the plays on Channel 1970 prior to the relevant Shakespeare class.
Unfortunately, Netflix has long waiting lists, so we are reaching out to Kendal residents for Henry IV, Part 1; King Lear; and The Tempest. If you own any or all of these DVDs and are willing to lend them, please contact Fran.
Kendal continues under a sensible but difficult set of rules which have been promulgated to ensure safety and continued good health.
There have been some voices seeking a relaxation in order to provide our residents with a more fulfilling social life. There is no question everybody at Kendal would welcome such a situation. However, that is just not possible at the current time.
Lisa Wacht, Kendal’s Health Services Administrator, explained:
WHY we continue with our restrictions:
The curve of infection rate is flattening, but new cases are diagnosed daily, especially in Westchester County.
Our approximately 300 residents are among the most vulnerable population; it is the expectation of the Department of Health that as a CCRC we keep measures in place to minimize exposure and preserve life.
WHEN will Kendal look toward easing restrictions? When the timing is right, aligned with New York State directives. Consider:
New York remains on PAUSE through May 15, and only then will some regions enter Phase I of reopening if they have had a 14-day decline in the number of new cases; we should expect that Westchester County (coupled with NYC and Long Island) will be among the last to reopen.
Leadership (both Kendal administration and Resident Council) is looking ahead to evaluate what our first steps might be... but we can’t make plans now without knowing what the landscape will be at the time reopening can commence.
Kendal’s Contemporary Issues Discussion Group, now holding its weekly meetings via Zoom, recently welcomed Pam Cardozo, a Psychiatric Nurse and Counselor, to help with the topic of “Loneliness”. After a spirited discussion, Ms. Cardozo followed up with the following suggestions in writing:
“Make a conscious and informed decision to limit the information we take in, and spend a significant amount of time doing things we enjoy.
Bring our awareness into the physical sensations of our body and give them the space and time they need to bring the body back to its natural state of equilibrium.
Make social connections with people whom we trust through social media and platforms that allow us to make face-to-face contact with one another.
Might I just add, doing something for someone else always makes us feel better. Pick up the phone and call a neighbor, or loan your magic wand of courage and optimism to someone else”.
Ms. Cardozo ended her comments quoting Winston Churchill, “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”
THE FULL MOON
It woke me up
Staring me in the face
Reaching in through the window
On its nightly round
A silver orb
Mottled with grey
Luminous against the ink black sky
Throwing a thousand stars on the river below
That danced with the wind
Lighting the mountains with its gleam
Pinpointing the shore with its cozy dwellings
An amazing, silvery glaze
That lifted the world from its darkness
Enough to lighten the gloom
Lift the spirits
Realize the beauty of this world
Sheila Darnborough April 2020
We don’t need a vote or survey to know who the most important all-around person is at Kendal. When a resident needs to find out who can help, the answer is usually “Ask Ellen”. The phrase “Ask Ellen” is probably the one most repeated day in and day out when some sort of information is needed. She is officially the Director of Resident Services and Communication. Unofficially, she is Kendal’s “go-to person”. Ellen Ottstadt is also warm, sweet, and deep in her thinking. You’ll be able to see that in a little article she wrote for Kendal’s weekly Spotlight. It follows:
A FUN FACT; I have a tattoo, actually two tattoos, but during this time, one stands out. Many years ago, I was going through a difficult time, and someone told me that joy doesn’t last, so why would pain and grief? It made me think, why would a problematic time last when happiness doesn’t last either? Fast forward a few months later to the day when my daughter and I were getting tattoos (that’s a more involved story), and I thought back to that. It seemed too long to put that on a part of my body, so I came close (at least I think it is close.) So, on the inside of my arm, it reads, “Walk by Faith, Not by Sight.” By now, you are probably asking why is she writing this. Well the first reason is that Spotlight needed some articles, and the second is that during this time, we need to walk by faith, basically with our eyes closed, and remember that this won’t last, that this time in our lives is just a small period that we will go through. There will be many more periods in our life that we will go through that we are not prepared for, whether joy or pain. With faith you get through it. We are blessed here at Kendal, with a low number of cases in our resident community and amongst our staff. We come to work every day and know that together we will walk in Faith. Kendal’s Administration is working with all departments to make sure that residents and staff alike are taken care of, even if it is in a small way, since to them, a small item or a smile may make all the difference in someone’s world during this time of isolation. Each morning I touch my arm to remind me to walk in faith since you never know what the day will bring and say a word of thanks for working with the co-workers that I have and the residents who live here. Stay safe, stay strong, and have Faith!
Our new Executive Director/CEO Pamela Klapproth has begun her Kendal career at the most difficult of times. However, her calm, highly professional approach was greeted by the resident community with acceptance and appreciation.
A few days ago, Pamela wrote to the community reporting on her feelings during the first couple of weeks on the job. Her open letter follows:
In my first two weeks on campus, I have enjoyed witnessing a deep level of commitment and camaraderie with residents and staff as the community manages the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic. I have also felt a heightened level of concern, fear, and grief among residents and staff as we hear news reports and feel the effects of this coronavirus. I would like to share an excerpt from an article I read on Compassion and COVID-19 by Jathan Janove, J.D. In the article, he shares... “There is a parable about the collision of two boats, based on Buddhist teaching: In the darkness just before dawn, a farmer rows upstream on a river, carrying fruits and vegetables to sell at the village. He sees a boat coming toward him and attempts to avoid it. Yet the boat keeps coming. It rams into his boat. The farmer screams out, “What’s wrong with you?” But there’s no one in the other boat. It simply floated on the current. The teaching is that even if someone had been in the boat, it wouldn’t have mattered. Even with a pilot, the boat would have moved on its and the pilot’s current. Whatever course had been made had been made. The point is not to excuse wrongdoing (and you should certainly dodge the other boat if you’re able). Rather, it’s to avoid adding suffering to pain. Pain comes from the injury-the collision. Suffering comes from being locked in negative thoughts thereafter. Whatever mistakes were made by countries’ governments, cruise ship owners, or the basketball player who made light of the COVID-19 only to catch it himself, they’re made. Let’s move on. There’s plenty of pain to go around. Let’s not add suffering to it.” When I reflected on this parable, it reinforced for me that living and working during a pandemic is a new experience for all of us and that there are some things out of our control which we have to accept as part of that experience. However, we also know that by supporting one another and collaborating together we are stronger and we will get through this as a community, and lastly that it is important for us to remember to Be Kind....Be Forgiving...Be Compassionate with one another. Thank you for following the COVID infection control protocols and for your patience with the necessary campus activity restrictions and service changes. Your efforts keep residents and employees safe! Through all the challenges that the pandemic brings to us, we will stay ever committed, to the best of our ability, to the values we hold dear here at Kendal on Hudson.
While it’s true that we’re pretty much “locked down” at Kendal, that doesn’t mean that the brain matter should also remain inert. In fact, a growing number of learning experiences are becoming available.
Two of our favorite professors will be offering classes this spring via ZOOM.
1) “Shakespeare ‘Faking It’,” Professor Yoel Magid, Wednesdays, May 6, 13, 20 and 27, 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm.
2) “Ninth Street Women Artists,” Professor Jill Kiefer, 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm Tuesday or Thursday. This seven-lecture course will be given in two sections with enrollment limited to 25 per section. Section One: Tuesdays, May 12, 19, 26, June 2, 9, 16, and 23; Section Two: Thursdays, May 14, 21, 28, June 4, 11, 18, and 25.
For information on how to enroll, click here for “Shakespeare” and click here for “Ninth Street Women Artists.” Sheets are also being distributed to residents.
Residents are encouraged to sign up. If there are further questions, Fran Kelly is the person to talk to.
Future ones will air on Channel 1970 May 7-10 and May 21-24 also at 2:00 pm.
SATURDAY, APRIL 25 | 1:00 pm EDT
In our most ambitious effort yet to bring the joy and artistry of opera to audiences everywhere during the current health crisis, the Met will present a star-studded virtual gala Saturday, April 25, at 1:00 pm, featuring more than 40 leading artists performing in a live stream from their homes all around the world. The event will be available for free on the Met’s website, and will be hosted by General Manager Peter Gelb and Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin from their homes in New York City and Montreal, respectively. Mr. Nézet-Séguin will also participate as a pianist and as conductor in pre-recorded performances by the Met Orchestra and Chorus, created from individual takes from the homes of each of the musicians.
Click here to get to the Met’s website.
This Gala is generously sponsored by Mercedes T. Bass and Rolex.
Photos and text are from the Met Opera’s announcement.
© Kendal on Hudson Residents Association 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 all rights reserved. Please do not reproduce without permission.
Photographs of life at Kendal on Hudson are by residents.