Phase Three: Soon!
Purple Pill
Covid Testing
Travel Party to Santa Fe
Grocery Shopping
July Webinars – Right-Sizing to Death Cafe
Summer Courses
Intern Opportunity
Phase Three: Soon!
With declines in numbers of cases over late May and April and a lowered seven-day average of deaths, Governor Northam announced that Virginia will move to Phase 3 of reopening on Wednesday, July 1. Northern Virginia’s go-ahead awaits reports from the area’s jurisdiction health directors.
What can we look forward to in Phase Three?
- Face masks are still required for indoor public spaces.
- Gatherings of up to 250 people will be allowed.
- Non-essential businesses, restaurants, and beverage services may fully reopen.
- Entertainment venues may open at 50% capacity.
- All open facilities must continue to maintain physical distancing practices and enhanced cleaning and disinfection practices.
- Teleworking is still strongly encouraged.
Restaurant dining, now 50 percent for both in and outside, will have no capacity limits in Phase 3 (masks still required). Both fitness centers (gyms) and swimming pools may operate at 75% capacity and for personal grooming facilities (hair salons, barber shops, nail salons) no appointments will be needed. For more details,
Phase Two vs Phase Three.
Regardless of official guidelines, those in at-risk groups are likely to proceed cautiously, and the warmer weather offers some creative possibilities. For example, meeting up with friends (observing social distance) in a park, on a large deck or patio area with individuals bringing their own food and drink is a pleasant change from zoom meetings.
Fairfax County Covid Cases – Daily Tally
To view the number of cases in Fairfax County
this page is updated at noon daily.
Find COVID-19 Testing Near You
The Virginia Department of Health has provided a new tool for finding a COVID-19 testing site close to your home.
Just go to this link, type in your address, and search the map for a location. Contact information and more is available for each testing site.
Inova has three Respiratory Illness Clinics to evaluate all patients with respiratory illness symptoms. If you meet COVID-19 criteria they will test you.
Clinic locations can be found here, however all Inova hospitals and emergency rooms are a resource for those experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
Should I Take the Purple Pill?
Since the Covid-19 shut down began in mid-March, much has changed regarding a traditional medical office visit with one’s primary care physician (PCP). Initially, many physician offices declined to schedule office appointments, while reports about the contagion created a sense of fear among the general public. Slowly, some offices turned to telemedicine and only recently have scheduled in-person appointments accompanied by rigorous sanitizing and screening protocols. Medicare made a temporary rule change to permit coverage for telemed visits and private insurance has followed suit. Given the convenience of telemed, availability of easy-to use technology, elimination of the need for transportation and growing widespread experience with this option, the question becomes what happens after Covid.
Are telemed visits here to stay? Pros and Cons? In a recent interview (
Aging Matters), primary care physician Dr. Hey-Jin Kong discusses a typical telemed visit. Much like an in-person office visit, a virtual (telemed) visit may address medical history and vital signs (patients prepare by providing temp, blood pressure, weight). Physician and patient may discuss anxiety and mental health issues and explore medication questions directly. To the latter point, Dr. Kong offered the example of a patient’s question around instructions regarding “a purple pill.” After the patient retrieved the bottle of purple pills from the kitchen table and shared it on camera, Dr. Kong was able to quickly clarify the issue more easily than a traditional office visit.
As follow up to telemed visits, the PCP may write orders for a Cat scan, X-rays, MRI, or prescriptions as well as schedule an in-person visit when needed. To hear more of the interview with Dr. Kong,
Click here.
Virtual Travel Party – Santa Fee 6/26
Culled from their travel to over a hundred countries, Pat Williams and Eileen Curtis share highlights this Friday about the “Land of Enchantment” – holy dirt, cultural wonders, Pueblo caves, atomic parks, and even an Arsenic pool.
What: Virtual Travel Party
When: June 26, 5:30 pm
Cost: Free
Register:
Click Here.
Shopping and Pharmacy Pick-Up - Free
Many Fairfax County older adults hesitate to leave their homes to pick-up prescriptions or to grocery shop, due to the risk of COVID-19. Some are not familiar with or do not have the technology to access delivery services; and for those that do, many delivery services have wait times of two weeks or longer.
In response, Fairfax County Health Department’s Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N) Program offers a countywide
shopping and pharmacy pick-up service for older adults. The program is free and is a collaboration with the Department of Family Service and the Fire and Rescue Department.
The customer (older adult) provides the vetted and background-checked volunteer with a shopping list and either cash or personal check pre-written to the store with the amount blank. Volunteers actually do the shopping. If someone calls and is unable to pay for their groceries or prescriptions, they are screened to see if they qualify for the county’s adult and aging program and if so, they would assist with financial needs.
Service is available for delivery to private residences, but not to long-term care retirement communities, assisted living, nursing homes, group homes or other facilities.
Cost: Free
Contact: 703-324-7948
Webinars: Right-sizing to a Death Café
Upcoming opportunities to listen and learn:
July 8, 11:00 am – Lifecare Affordability: How to Plan for the Future
A health crisis doesn't have to become a financial crisis. Learn how you can empower your decisions by learning the steps you can take to prepare and plan for the best path forward.
Sponsor: Sunrise Senior Living
Cost: Free
Register: Click here
July 15, 11:00 am – Rightsizing: The Benefits and How-To’s
Learn what rightsizing is and how to navigate the decision-making process of moving to the next phase of life.
Sponsor: Sunrise Senior Living
Cost: Free
Register: Click here
July 22, 7:00 pm-- Death Café
Death Care is national movement providing a place to hold a conversation about death with “a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives.” The café does not provide counseling or grief support but is a place where discussions can take place in a thoughtful atmosphere.
Sponsor: Assisting Hands Home Care
Cost: Free
Register:
Click Here
July 27, 3:00 pm - LIFE-KU: 101 Life Coaching Tips, 17 Syllables at a Time
How to live with greater joy, overcome obstacles, take good care of yourself, and nurture healthy relationships.
Sponsor: Assisting Hands Home Care
Cost: Free
Register: Click Here
Summer Courses - Online
OLLI
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at George Mason University (OLLI) is providing the usual diverse menu of fascinating courses this summer—only this time, you enjoy them from the safety of your own home.
Here are just a few titles:
-- The Bizarre Story of Wartime Politics,
---The Golden Rule: Why Is It in All Religions?
---De-Mystifying Cryptocurrency
In addition to all this, Olli invites you to join them at their virtual coffee socials for a “cup of camaraderie.”
Contact -
https://olli.gmu.edu
703-503-3384.
ACE
Fairfax County Public Schools’ ACE Program (Adult and Community Education program) is offering over 162 online courses for Summer 2020. Find self-paced courses on information technology (including social media and Google suite), professional writing courses, genealogy and culinary arts. New this term are courses on writing treasured stories and memories and storytelling using paintings, pictures and words.
ACE will also continue to offer its popular language classes in Arabic, French, German, Italian and Spanish. While you have probably already received the class schedule in the mail. You can see an online version and register online.
Contact:
https://aceclasses.fcps.edu/default.aspx
Intern Opportunity
Reston for a Lifetime seeks a summer intern (any age) to help Reston for a Lifetime better serve Reston’s 55+ community. Of course, this is a virtual opportunity! Please contact
Sharon.canner8@gmail.com.
Reston for a Lifetime Newsletter
This Newsletter is published monthly as a service of Reston for a Lifetime. Comments and ideas most welcome. Articles, items we should include? Let us know. Thank you! Please contact Sharon.canner@gmail.com.
Stay Healthy...Stay Safe
