Sunset Wood COVID-19 Update 3-17-2020

Dear Tenants,                                                  March 17, 2020

        Today marks the first positive COVID-19 case in Oneida County as announced by County Executive Anthony Picente. However, the good news is that this person returned from traveling abroad on March 12th and was in quarantine immediately on March 13th. With that being said, The Community at Sunset Wood will continue taking the same precautions:

-        The urge to suspend non-medical guests is still in effect until further notice

-        The federal government, state governments and Sunset Wood all urge that you stay home as seniors are more prone to contracting the virus from someone in the community

-        Transportation will no longer service non-emergency appointments – this means if you have a scheduled doctor’s appointment you should call your medical provider prior to see if it is necessary

-        Housekeeping will be cleaning & disinfecting the building seven (7) days per week

-        Dinners will be sent up to you until further notice – please call the kitchen (315) 796-5141 to place your order

-        We will do our best to send up surprise lunches as well

In the midst of closures throughout New York State, grocery stores and gas stations will still be open. With that being said, we will still be providing dairy orders and rides to the store as necessary. Certain grocery store establishments, like Chanatry’s (opens at 7:00 am) and Dollar General (opens at 8:00 am), are implementing a “Senior Only” shopping hour when they open. Therefore, if you are going out to shop, go right when the store opens. If you are running short on essential supplies, please call Jennifer ahead of time prior to running out completely.

The federal government announced today, March 17th, that ALL Medicare patients will be urged to utilize telehealth options at no extra charge – this means Medicare will cover these expenses. These are for ALL MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, therefore you should call your provider prior to visiting in order to seek their recommendation on whether telehealth will work for your needs. For questions on your coverage please call 1 (800) MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

In times such as this, we need to stick together and have faith. Our Chaplain, Pastor Elizabeth Smith, will be providing us with uplifting messages as much as she can. In addition, if you would like to be in contact with Pastor Elizabeth, her cell phone number is (315) 723-1345.

“Be strong and courageous do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

We are still dedicated to continue our mission of enabling our tenants to live in a secure community that enhances the quality of life.

Respectfully,

Dominick M. Manfredo

Executive Director / CEO

Sunset Wood COVID-19 Update 3-16-2020

Dear Tenants,                                                     March 16, 2020

          As you may already know, the COVID-19 virus spread is becoming even more prevalent across the region. Therefore, The Community at Sunset Wood will be taking the following precautions:

-         The urge to suspend non-medical guests is still in effect until further notice

-         We urge that you stay home as seniors are more prone to contracting the virus from someone in the community

-         Transportation will no longer service non-emergency appointments

-         Housekeeping will be cleaning & disinfecting the building seven (7) days per week

Just today, Governor Andrew Cuomo has mandated the closure of theatres, bars, gyms, and other public gathering spaces in addition to requiring that restaurants only provide to-go ordering until further notice. However, grocery stores and gas stations will still be open. With that being said, we will still be providing dairy orders and Hannaford To-Go. To place your order, please call Jennifer in the front office.

In anticipation of any product shortages, Sunset Wood has taken extra precautions by ordering extra supplies while remaining in contact with our vendors on a daily basis.

This means, we are dedicated to continue our mission of enabling our tenants to live in a secure community that enhances the quality of life.

Respectfully,

Dominick M. Manfredo

Executive Director / CEO

Sunset Wood COVID-19 Update 3-13-2020

Dear Tenants,                                        March 13, 2020

Due to the recent outbreak reported in Herkimer County as well as guidelines presented by New York State Department of Health, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), The Community at Sunset Wood will be making the following program & service changes effective Friday, March 13, 2020 at 8:00 am:

·      All internal events and gatherings are cancelled until further notice

·      We will be delivering meals to your rooms instead of opening the dining room until further notice

o  Please call the kitchen phone number (315) 796-5141 to place your order

·      Housekeeping services will be allocated to common areas in order to contain any breach of our community

o  Therefore, starting Monday, March 16, 2020 housekeeping will not be entering units unless approved by special request

o  If you have an emergency for housekeeping, please call the front office to make a special request which will be fulfilled during your normal housekeeping time slot

·      Although we know it may not be totally possible, we urge you to stay in your unit as much as possible for the next two weeks for your own safety

·      As a staff, we will be recommending the practice of “social distancing,” which is attempting to remain at least 6-feet from your neighbor – we urge you practice this as well.

Please know that we are making these changes in order to protect both you and our community, from potential infection. Our demographics have been the most negatively impacted by this virus which is cause for extra concern.

In the end, we are not able to “tell you what to do” when staff not here. However, the containment of this virus will rely on YOU making good decisions not to put yourself in harm’s way. Keep in mind that although you may be worried about this virus, your neighbor might be due to a wide array of conditions this virus is prone to attacking.

Please continue to exercise proper hand washing with soap and other universal preventative actions such as covering your cough, sneezing into your elbow or tissue (throw away tissue), avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouth, while continuing to clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces in your home.

Thank you for your support and understanding as we balance proactive measures of caution and timely communication.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns please give me a call the front office.

Respectfully,

Dominick M. Manfredo

Executive Director / CEO

Sunset Wood COVID-19 Update 3-12-2020

Dear Tenants,                                        March 12, 2020

Due to the recent guidelines presented by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in order to protect the spread of COVID-19, The Community at Sunset Wood will be urging the suspension of all non-medical outside guests from visiting our community until 3/31/2020. This excludes those who are receiving medical and personal care from family members. However, all guests traveling from out of town must check in with front office personnel.

As you may know, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel Coronavirus outbreak as a global pandemic yesterday, travel between the United States and Europe was recently suspended, and some events and large gatherings have been postponed or cancelled in our region, state, and nation. While Oneida County has not experienced cases of COVID-19, we are making this decision out of an abundance of caution for your protection.

As always, the safety of The Community at Sunset Wood’s tenants, staff, and families is our highest priority; therefore, during this time we will be continuing to monitor the situation by remaining in constant contact with our connections in the Oneida County Health Department.

In addition, we will be reviewing, and sharing with you, new protocols that are being released by the CDC & CMS. Our community will still be providing normal internal activities & wellness programs; however, we will be posting a list of events which will be cancelled.

Please continue to exercise proper hand washing with soap and other universal preventative actions such as covering your cough, sneezing into your elbow or tissue (throw away tissue), avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouth, while continuing to clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces in your home.

Thank you for your support and understanding as we balance proactive measures of caution and timely communication.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns please give me a call or see me directly.

Respectfully,

Dominick M. Manfredo

Executive Director / CEO

Sunset Wood COVID-19 Update for Guests 3-10-2020

Dear Guests,                                                                                                   March 10, 2020

This letter is being written to address the worries of this year’s flu season and the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak we have been seeing on a large scale internationally, and small-scale domestically.

As always, The Community at Sunset Wood is researching, and staying on top of, ways to keep our community safe. Although we are at a very low-risk in Central New York to see an outbreak of any kind, we urge you to still take precaution with any feelings of sickness you may have. Therefore, if you are feeling unwell for any reason guests will be urged to stay home.

Here are some tips given by the Center for Disease Control:

Cover your coughs and sneezes – throw used tissues in a lined trash can, and immediately wash your hands.

Clean your hands often – Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60 to 95% alcohol, covering all surfaces of your hands and rubbing them together until they feel dry.

Monitor symptoms – seek prompt medical attention if an illness is worsening. Before seeking care, call your healthcare provider and tell them what your symptoms are. In addition, if you are experiencing symptoms of any kind, we recommend you do not visit our tenants.

International Travel – If you have been traveling internationally within the last 14 days to countries with sustained community transmission, we require for you to check-in with front office personnel.

You will see that The Community at Sunset Wood is providing Purell Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer pump bottles throughout the building. We urge you all to consistently use this product in the manner described above to avoid the spread of any harmful viruses, especially if you have direct contact with tenants.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns please speak with front office personnel.

Respectfully,

Dominick M. Manfredo

Executive Director / CEO

Sunset Wood COVID-19 Update 2-28-2020

Dear Tenants,                                                                                    February 28, 2020

As we move into March, I think all of us can hope for an early spring arrival as predicted by Punxsutawney Phil!

However on a more serious note, this letter is being written to address the worries of this year’s flu season and the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak we have been seeing on a large scale internationally, and small-scale domestically.

As always, The Community at Sunset Wood is researching, and staying on top of, ways to keep you safe. Although we are at a very low-risk in Central New York to see an outbreak of any kind, we urge you to still take precaution with any feelings of sickness you may have. Therefore, if you are feeling unwell for any reason you must keep inside your unit, avoid common areas, and seek immediate medical attention.

Here are some tips given by the Center for Disease Control:

Cover your coughs and sneezes – throw used tissues in a lined trash can, and immediately wash your hands.

Clean your hands often – Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains 60 to 95% alcohol, covering all surfaces of your hands and rubbing them together until they feel dry.

Monitor symptoms – seek prompt medical attention if an illness is worsening. Before seeking care, call your healthcare provider and tell them what your symptoms are.

You will see that starting approximately Wednesday, March 4, we will be providing Purell Advanced Instant Hand Sanitizer pump bottles throughout the building. We urge you all to consistently use this product in the manner described above to avoid the spread of any harmful viruses.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns please give me a call or see me directly.

Respectfully,

Dominick M. Manfredo

Executive Director / CEO

SUNSET WOOD MAKING THE BEST OF COVID-19

​With the recent outbreak of COVID-19, many senior living organizations have suspended visitors, events and gatherings including Sunset Wood.  We recommend anyone serving the elderly, and other vulnerable populations, make good decisions regarding their own health because transmission of the virus to these people can potentially be severe or fatal. Being extra careful and following federal, state, Oneida County Health Department, Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services guidelines, like Sunset Wood is, will poise you for success .

With that being said, it is also important to keep these individuals engaged which is why The Community at Sunset Wood is making the best of​ this situation for its tenants by providing them with in-home workouts, games, puzzles and virtual activities. In a time of uncertainty, it is still important to provide those you serve with with fun and productive ways to improve themselves. Technology has given us a wonderful opportunity to engage with loved ones on so many different levels whether it be Alexa, Skype, or a good old-fashioned phone call.

Some great tips for people dealing with the elderly are:

- Control what you can

- Be creative with providing your loved one with services

- Utilize technology the best you can

- Make good decisions

About The Community at Sunset Wood

The Community at Sunset Wood, established in 1882, is a non-profit organization, offering seniors 62+ an environment that includes gracious living with options for aging in place. The Community at Sunset Wood is independently owned and has a board of managers that oversees long-range goals and opportunities for programs that enhance a high quality of living within our community.

Sunset Wood consists of 42 suites and 24 penthouses nestled in the heart of the Village of New Hartford, the community is conveniently situated near shopping, restaurants, doctors’ offices and churches – many within walking distance.  Most recently, Sunset Wood has invested nearly $1 million in upgrades. They feature a fine-dining room, where tenants can enjoy elegant dining every evening, a Pub with fireplace and flat screen TV, a sunroom with pool table, a community room with a baby grand piano, luxurious 20ft granite-top wet bar and a roof-top patio. Surrounded by landscaping, bringing the Adirondacks right into the village of New Hartford.

The Community at Sunset Wood is proud to have been servicing the New Hartford, Utica, Whitesboro, and Clinton, NY area since 1882.

Ash Wednesday 2020

Ash Wednesday 🙏🏼was a huge success yesterday at The Community at Sunset Wood!
“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Ecclesiastes 3:20 📖 #ash Wednesday #lent
Photo 📸 credit: @observer_dispatch @ The Community at Sunset Wood

About The Community at Sunset Wood

The Community at Sunset Wood, established in 1882, is a non-profit organization, offering seniors 62+ an environment that includes gracious living with options for aging in place. The Community at Sunset Wood is independently owned and has a board of managers that oversees long-range goals and opportunities for programs that enhance a high quality of living within our community.

Sunset Wood consists of 42 suites and 24 penthouses nestled in the heart of the Village of New Hartford, the community is conveniently situated near shopping, restaurants, doctors’ offices and churches – many within walking distance.  Most recently, Sunset Wood has invested nearly $1 million in upgrades. They feature a fine-dining room, where tenants can enjoy elegant dining every evening, a Pub with fireplace and flat screen TV, a sunroom with pool table, a community room with a baby grand piano, luxurious 20ft granite-top wet bar and a roof-top patio. Surrounded by landscaping, bringing the Adirondacks right into the village of New Hartford.

The Community at Sunset Wood is proud to have been servicing the New Hartford, Utica, Whitesboro, and Clinton, NY area since 1882. For more information, please call Dominick M Manfredo at (315) 733-1389, email him at dmanfredo@sunsetwood.org or visit http://www.sunsetwood.org/contact-1/.

Floor Focus Publication - February 2020

After 2 YEARS of research on flooring that would be 1) safe, 2) easy to clean, 3) long-lasting, and 4) aesthetically appealing for our senior independent living community, we finally found Forbo Flotex - a vinyl-backed hard/soft surface hybrid product out of Europe! Even though it looks like hard surface wood, it feels like a soft carpet. Floor Focus National Magazine interviewed us on what it took to find the perfect product for a senior living environment. Read the article below!

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About The Community at Sunset Wood

The Community at Sunset Wood, established in 1882, is a non-profit organization, offering seniors 62+ an environment that includes gracious living with options for aging in place. The Community at Sunset Wood is independently owned and has a board of managers that oversees long-range goals and opportunities for programs that enhance a high quality of living within our community.

Sunset Wood consists of 42 suites and 24 penthouses nestled in the heart of the Village of New Hartford, the community is conveniently situated near shopping, restaurants, doctors’ offices and churches – many within walking distance.  Most recently, Sunset Wood has invested nearly $1 million in upgrades. They feature a fine-dining room, where tenants can enjoy elegant dining every evening, a Pub with fireplace and flat screen TV, a sunroom with pool table, a community room with a baby grand piano, luxurious 20ft granite-top wet bar and a roof-top patio. Surrounded by landscaping, bringing the Adirondacks right into the village of New Hartford.

The Community at Sunset Wood is proud to have been servicing the New Hartford, Utica, Whitesboro, and Clinton, NY area since 1882. For more information, please call Dominick M Manfredo at (315) 733-1389, email him at dmanfredo@sunsetwood.org or visit http://www.sunsetwood.org/contact-1/.

February 2020 Gazette

Check out the plethora of events and programs going on in February this month!

About The Community at Sunset Wood

The Community at Sunset Wood, established in 1882, is a non-profit organization, offering seniors 62+ an environment that includes gracious living with options for aging in place. The Community at Sunset Wood is independently owned and has a board of managers that oversees long-range goals and opportunities for programs that enhance a high quality of living within our community.

Sunset Wood consists of 42 suites and 24 penthouses nestled in the heart of the Village of New Hartford, the community is conveniently situated near shopping, restaurants, doctors’ offices and churches – many within walking distance.  Most recently, Sunset Wood has invested nearly $1 million in upgrades. They feature a fine-dining room, where tenants can enjoy elegant dining every evening, a Pub with fireplace and flat screen TV, a sunroom with pool table, a community room with a baby grand piano, luxurious 20ft granite-top wet bar and a roof-top patio. Surrounded by landscaping, bringing the Adirondacks right into the village of New Hartford.

The Community at Sunset Wood is proud to have been servicing the New Hartford, Utica, Whitesboro, and Clinton, NY area since 1882. For more information, please call Dominick M Manfredo at (315) 733-1389, email him at dmanfredo@sunsetwood.org or visit http://www.sunsetwood.org/contact-1/.