Village at Belmar

Senior Living Blog & Events

COVID-19 Update – May 24, 2022

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Dear Village at Belmar Community,

Our testing results from Thursday May 19th, revealed that we have 3 residents that have tested positive. We completed another round of testing on Monday May 23, 2022 and are awaiting results. We are monitoring our residents closely and working closely with their physicians. A very important reminder is to wash your hands frequently and when you are in our community make sure to keep your mask on.

After a recommendation from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, we have made the decision to close the Assisted Living dining room until further notice. For the residents that are not on isolation, they will be able to move around the community and participate in socially distanced activities.

With these new positive cases we are still considered to be in outbreak status, guidance from The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) requires us to test all residents and associates for COVID-19 twice weekly until we have no further cases. We will inform you of the results of this testing which we usually receive within 48 hours.

If we have any additional positive residents or associates, we will continue to complete contact tracing and test all residents and associates twice weekly.

COVID transmission rates in many counties of Colorado are increasing as the new variant Omicron BA2 becomes the major variant. It is even more contagious than the original Omicron variant. This is occurring just as many of us are being more relaxed in our prevention strategies. For this reason, vaccination and boosters are becoming even more important. There are many locations where you can receive an initial vaccine and/or a 3rd booster shot free of charge. Most retail pharmacies provide them.

We encourage all residents and visitors to be especially careful at this time. Please do not visit if you are not feeling well or have had an exposure yourself. Please avoid larger numbers of people when out in the community.

I can’t express to you how grateful we are for your support and understanding during this time.

If you have any questions, please let me know. 303-351-5455

Sincerely,

Rebecca Norris, ED

Hot Weather Safety for Older Adults

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Too much heat is not safe for anyone. It is even riskier if you are older or have health problems. It is important to get relief from the heat quickly. If not, you might begin to feel confused or faint. Your heart could become stressed and stop beating.

Being hot for too long can be a problem. It can cause several illnesses, all grouped under the name hyperthermia. 

To learn more about heat risks and prevention, from the National Institute on Aging, CLICK HERE.

COVID-19 Update – May 18, 2022

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Dear Village at Belmar Community,

Our testing results from Monday May 16th, revealed that we have two residents and one staff member that have tested positive. We are monitoring our residents closely and our staff member is home resting.
With these new positive cases we are still considered to be in outbreak status, guidance from The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) requires us to test all residents and associates for COVID-19 twice weekly until we have no further cases. We will inform you of the results of this testing which we usually receive within 48 hours.

If we have any additional positive residents or associates, we will continue to complete contact tracing and test all residents and associates twice weekly.

COVID transmission rates in many counties of Colorado are increasing as the new variant Omicron BA2 becomes the major variant. It is even more contagious than the original Omicron variant. This is occurring just as many of us are being more relaxed in our prevention strategies. For this reason, vaccination and boosters are becoming even more important. There are many locations where you can receive an initial vaccine and/or a 3rd booster shot free of charge. Most retail pharmacies provide them. We are in the process of scheduling a booster clinic at the Village and will keep you informed. Those over the age of 50 who now qualify for a fourth booster will be able to receive it at our booster clinic. If you need any assistance in scheduling your shot and/or transportation to get there, please let us know.

We encourage all residents and visitors to be especially careful at this time. Please do not visit if you are not feeling well or have had an exposure yourself. Please avoid larger numbers of people when out in the community.

If you have any further questions, please let me know! 303-351-5455

Sincerely,

Rebecca Norris, ED

COVID-19 Update – May 11, 2022

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May 11, 2022 

Dear Village at Belmar Community, 

Our testing results from Monday May 9, revealed that we have one additional resident in Assisted Living that tested positive; currently this resident is on isolation. We have had no further positive residents in Monarch and no additional positive associates. 

With these new positive cases we are still considered to be in outbreak status, and guidance from The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) requires us to test all residents and associates for COVID-19 twice weekly until we have no further cases. We will inform you of the results of this testing which we usually receive within 48 hours. 

If we have any additional positive residents or associates, we will continue to complete contact tracing and test all residents and associates twice weekly. 

Please be reminded that although being vaccinated and receiving a booster does not prevent a person from contracting COVID-19, it greatly reduces the chance of severe illness with hospitalization. There are many locations where you can receive an initial vaccine, a 3rd booster shot or a 4th booster shot for those over 50 yrs of age free of charge. Most retail pharmacies provide them. We are in the process of scheduling a booster clinic at the Village and will keep you informed. Those over the age of 50 who now qualify for a fourth booster will be able to receive it at our booster clinic as well as all others who have not been vaccinated or received their initial booster. If you need any assistance in scheduling your shot and/or transportation to get there, please let us know. 

We encourage all residents and visitors to be especially careful at this time. Please do not visit if you are not feeling well or have had an exposure yourself. Please avoid larger numbers of people when out in the community. 

If you have any further questions, please let me know! Contact us at 303-351-5455.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Norris, Executive Director

How Guilt-Ridden Caregivers Can Set Limits

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To make long-term caregiving sustainable, consider some boundaries

“We all have multiple roles,” I am telling about a dozen family caregivers at this How to Care for Aging Parents workshop. “We aren’t just adult children to our aging parents, but we are often spouses to our life partners. Parents to our children. Siblings. Aunts. Let alone dedicated workers in our jobs.” Several group members nod their heads in agreement. This idea makes intuitive sense to them.

But then I add, “We can’t give all of ourselves to only one of our roles — being a family caregiver. We have to set limits on the time and energy we spend caregiving to conserve ourselves for the other roles as well.” Their head nodding stops. No one speaks for a moment. They look uncomfortable. I’ve seen the same scenario play out in hundreds of other caregiver presentations over the past 30 years. The thought of setting limits on caregiving is making them feel guilty. The crime? Being a bad daughter or son and letting a parent down.

The concern is understandable. Adult child caregivers generally want to be there in Mom’s hour of need to show their love and give back to her for all she has given them in their lives. But none of them are comfortable with, say, putting off their teenage child who needs help with math homework or a relationship breakup or chronic anxiety because Mom is feeling lonely and wants company. Caregivers may not have the capacity to provide all the help to all the family members who rely on them.

To learn more about how to set boundaries as a caregiver, from AARP, CLICK HERE.

Shingles: What You Need to Know

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About half of all shingles cases are in adults age 60 or older. Check out this video from the National Institute on Aging which explains the causes, symptoms, prevention, and treatment of shingles.