I don’t run by the senior care community any more. I am extremely happy that I even get to run outdoors (and that it’s finally light enough in the mornings to run before work), but I adjust my routes to avoid the facility that sits just outside our housing complex. To my knowledge, they don’t have any confirmed COVID-19 cases, but I’d still prefer to keep my distance. In Colorado, residents of such facilities currently account for 12% of all Coronavirus cases and a staggering 64% of deaths. There is finally some attention being paid to the current situation in senior care (and similar) facilities. They are getting some interventions, including COVID testing, improved protocols, and more PPE for staff.
But are we asking the right questions in the short and the long term? It’s clear that the residents are susceptible based on age and other health conditions, but why is the spread of the virus so rampant? Air, food, surfaces, people? And what can we do about it? In the long term, are these facilities the best solution when care at home is no longer possible? If so, how do we go about improving them? I believe we start by valuing and rewarding the hard work done by their employees. Only from that place of appreciation and respect can we expect positive change.
It’s hard to break out of the news cycle and find joy. One of my joys today was finding this:
There’s also Economics in Bricks. Sigh. So much awesomeness.
And some clever young men in Jefferson County did a stop-motion LEGO movie that made it onto John Krasinski’s Some Good News web show.
Of course, the day wouldn’t be complete without some LEGO-building of my own. It’s my Friday (only not really, since I have a work phone call, some work tasks, and work-related school projects to do tomorrow) so I am treating myself to a bag from the Hogwarts Express set.
joycyclingchicks 