As most readers must expect, I’m disappointed that the design chosen for our health center expansion depends, for its funding, on adding significantly to our resident population. But it was clear from the meeting on November 28 that the decision has been made. (If you missed the meeting, you can watch a recording here.)
I now see two tasks for myself, and perhaps other readers will want to join me.
First, in the near term, I hope we can figure out how to make this building the best it can be. We already have a good concept for the main healthcare floor. But what sort of apartments and (assuming there is space) what other resident facilities might go on the lower floor?
Then, when the new residents arrive, I hope we come up with good ways to welcome them and integrate them into Kendal.
Come to think of it, we don’t need to wait for those new residents to arrive. Have we done enough to welcome the new residents that have joined us over the last couple of years? We did what we could under extremely trying circumstances. Many residents have worked hard to make our new neighbors welcome.
But some of the ways we were welcomed in the pre-pandemic environment have been lost, or at least been drastically reduced. We’ve lost the “Try Us” program. (I hope to see it revived again soon.) The custom of “4:45s” (pre-dinner get-togethers) has been all but lost. The practice (followed by many residents) of making sure newcomers get invited to dinner was eliminated when the dining room shut down during the pandemic, and has been slowly returning. The weekly Friday night “coffee and cookies” social event in the lounge has disappeared (I presume because of both Covid and culinary staffing problems). Residents who have been here more than three years can probably think of many similar examples.
It seems to me the time is right for some brainstorming about how to make up for what we lost during the pandemic.
What should we be doing to make sure newcomers are properly welcomed and integrated? (And old-timers need more opportunities to renew their acquaintances too.) I welcome your suggestions in the comment facility (under “Leave a Reply”, below).
On the Kendal Journey 
One of the benefits of building the new units is that
those of us who need, can live within the main building.
That will work out best if ALL of the new units are
initially made available to existing residents.
If there are many existing residents who want them,
then all should be sold to existing residents,
even though that will delay by a year the time
before all of the new revenues reach Ed’s balance sheet.
With luck, only a few of us will want those units.
But all should be offered so we do not have to depend on luck.
George’s point may be more important than this one as
greeting procedures benefit all new residents. But this is
important too. And if no one actually needs to move into the
main building, then the cost will be zero.
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I see some downsides to reserving the proposed new apartments under the Center for current residents before offering them to new residents.
During Kendal’s 50 years, many residents benefitted from moving closer to the Center, some to a smaller unit after a partner died, others after distance to the Center became too great a challenge. If new apartments under the Health Center are thought of as being primarily for those who might otherwise consider moving closer to the Center but would prefer to live independently within the building, I think there’d be a negative impact on Cumberland occupancy, pressure for Cumberland-like services in those new IL apartments, and negative impacts on Kendal’s key treasure–the active and caring-for-one-another community of residents.
Over time, if new lower level apartments were mostly occupied by existing rather than new, health-qualified residents, Kendal unintentionally will have created a two-tier population of those residents who need health care or other assistance.
One tier would be those who could not afford to move to the new apartments, including those who also could not afford to move closer to the Center (I think $6,000 is the current fee). As the need for care increases, such residents would move into Cumberland.
The other tier of residents, those staying in their existing IL duplex home or cottage, or living in one of the existing or new under-the-Health-Center apartments, would be less likely to ever take a room at Cumberland. Cumberland, unintentionally, would also become less income/wealth diverse. I’m echoing George’s concern about the further unravelling of Kendal’s social fabric.
As of now we don’t know what the decided-upon variety of new apartments will be. But let’s be certain that Kendal’s social-economic diversity, so brilliantly attended to in Kendal Corporation’s provision of cottages of every size in each of Kendal’s original courtyards, is at least maintained if not improved upon. And hopefully the ratio of small units to large will not further drop. Achieving racial diversity is a yet greater challenge when there’s not already other diversity.
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George, some things are happening in 2023–Kendal’s 50th anniversary year. We are promised one Friday 4:45 a month (dates still to be determined). And starting in January there will be Friday after-dinner readings in the Lounge. If we urge the wearing of nametags at these, newcomers (and all of us) will find these welcome opportunities for mingling. Publicity for these and other events will be within Kendal, on bulletin boards and webposts, roughly the month prior to the event.
Arlene
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George’s question about “how to make up for what we lost during the pandemic” seems to me critically important for the people who have not been mentioned: our residents in the Health Center. They have suffered far more throughout the pandemic than we in independent living. They still are because we who are outside the Center have not fully revived our own part of the Kendal resident community.
Those who live in the Health Center will also suffer more during the period of development and rebuilding the Cafe and the rest of the Health Center. What can the rest of us do during those periods to support them.
I believe it is likely that the staff of the Health Center has also suffered more than the staff outside the HC generally.
The more IL residents do in the Health Center to support the HC residents, the more we will be relieving the pressure on the staff.
IL residents by getting involved with the goal of hearing the residents of the HC as to their needs and hopes for the transitional period as well as beyond it can make the whole period more tolerable. Perhaps that can help us all learn more about what we can do to keep residents of the HC vital and active members of the entire KC community.
How can we open our minds to the opportunities and revitalize our community as a whole? Is George’s brainstorming session a good step forward?
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When we started looking for a retirement community, Kendal was described by a colleague as having written the book on financial stability and community. Both are true and both are important to us.
The unique features of Kendal’s value based community design include significant responsibility of residents for managing resident activities, and participation in major decisions affecting our lives here.
I was hopeful that health center expansion decisions would include more consideration of both financial stability and community values. But I agree with George that now that the major decisions about the building and finances have been announced, the best opportunities for residents are to focus on the best use of the new facility, to improve the welcome and inclusion of new residents in the community, and to strengthen residents’ partnership role in decision making.
Bill Van Wie
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