We survived a year with COVID-19 restrictions. Charlestown did a great job keeping us safe with a “stay at home” program from March to June 24, 2020. Limited dining started then, and carryout service supplemented the meal delivery.
Management kept us updated three times a week on administration updates for several months. Masks and social distancing were the norms for all of 2020 and part of 2021. We got our first vaccine in January when CVS offered clinics as part of the nationwide Pharmacy Partnership. Charlestown held three clinics for residents and staff over a three-month period. Now that 97% of the residents are vaccinated, we use the classrooms and common spaces for activities. Many clubs used Zoom meetings to stay connected, including the Apple Charlestown User Group (CHUG) which I lead. The Residents’ Council committees met via Zoom, and the Council streamed their monthly meetings on YouTube.
I hosted weekly Happy Hour Zoom chats with a group of friends that met every Friday at Bill’s Happy Hour on campus. We continue to do so to this day commenting on a topic of the week. We learned so much about each other sharing our lives.
It helped that Dan and I are both introverts, so we were content with our own company. Zoom became the go-to means to communicate with our family and friends. Dan was content researching our families using Ancestry.com while I continued as President of the Maryland Continuing Care Residents Association.
Dan became a good bread baker making bread every week, trying many recipes. What a treat to have homemade bread for toast and sandwiches.
He made a pistachio pudding bundt cake for St. Patrick’s Day and a lemon bundt cake for my birthday. He shared the pistachio cake with the neighbors.
As a congregate living setting, Charlestown follows the Maryland Department of Health guidance based upon the Centers for Disease Control guidance. We still have room capacity limits. However, the Chapel is open, the Fitness Center and pool are open, and the dining venues.
Although many suffered loneliness and social isolation during the past year, we are grateful for the lifestyle in a CCRC and the efforts of the community staff to offer opportunities to be engaged while in our apartments. We had special meals on the Holidays and even a box of chocolates on Valentine’s Day.
The COVID virus did arrive. As the weeks went by, several employees were positive for the virus as well as several residents who lived in the skilled nursing facility. Twenty-two residents died of COVID-19 over the year. We grief for those who died and now welcome the opportunity to have memorial services and funerals in the Chapel.