Installing a Generator
A REALLY BIG PROJECT
Academy Villas assisted living recently installed a 100,000 watt standby generator, as protection against future power outages. The 6,200 pound generator is equipped with a 300 gallon tank, providing a three-day supply of diesel fuel.
Arizona does not require standby generators at assisted living facilities. However, as noted by Gary Fenstermacher, the president of the non-profit corporation that owns Academy Villas, “Climate change poses serious risks for dependable electrical power, especially in Southwestern states currently experiencing severe challenges to the interstate power grid. We believe it is prudent to be prepared for disruptions in the supply of electricity. A standby generator provides assurance that our residents are protected from extremes of heat and cold, and have a safe and comfortable environment regardless of the state of the electrical grid.”
Installation of the generator was a sight to behold. A 90-ton crane, with 4000 pounds of counterweights, was positioned midway between the delivery trailer and the installation site. As the crane slowly lifted the generator off the trailer, the 90-foot extended boom began a sweeping arc of 170 degrees, then gracefully dropped the generator on its concrete pad within one and one-half inches of dead center. That feat was especially noteworthy since the crane operator, who could not see the generator as it dropped toward the pad, was guided by silent hand signals from his partner, who was standing near the top of the hill.
Villas Activities
LOTS TO DO
Many activities are available to Villas residents. Led by Diana Hannifan, Activity Coordinator these include, among others, chair aerobics, board games, art, gardening, and special holiday activities. She also is a photographer, and took the photos shown below.
GARDENING:
Residents enjoy planting and caring for flowers and vegetables in the raised Villas gardens. Tomatoes are a prime plant for these beautiful and productive gardens.
ART:
Residents have made art work such as holiday cards, worked with with plastic, and created art pieces with colored pencil.
SPECIAL VISITS & BOARD GAMES:
Many special events are planned for the residents. For example, a lovely miniature horse was brought in to meet with the residents. In addition, the residents, either alone or in groups, love the board games that are available.
Caring for Our Elders
Dr. Gary Fenstermacher
Staying in Touch
They go by many names: elders, seniors, the elderly, older people. No matter the name you give them, they are typically in their sixties or later years. Right now, in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, they are considered the most vulnerable population. This vulnerability is about more than a threat to life. It is also about the threat of being isolated and alone.
As governments invoke more and more restrictions on travel beyond our front doors, the risk of loneliness and its consequent feelings of depression and despair increase. As these restrictions increase, the need to stay in touch—and the benefits it brings—grows far greater. This is especially true for our elders, whether they live with us, far from us, or in long term care facilities.
What Can We Do?
We are fortunate to live in times when staying in touch without touching is much easier than it once was. The telephone, whether landline or wireless, is the most prevalent and easiest to use. Video conversations, using applications such as Skype, FaceTime, and Zoom are even better. All it takes is a computer, tablet, or smart phone, and an Internet connection, at each end of the conversation.
Establishing the electronic connection is the easy part. Connecting regularly and in ways that are nurturing for the elder offer a bit more challenge. We hardly need prompts when talking with family, though friends or neighbors may take a little more thought. It is amazing the good feelings that come from hearing, “Hi, I’m just calling to check that you’re OK. How are you doing?”
Having Conversations
The conversations need not be long, but they should be regular. It helps a great deal if the caller has a few questions ready. Asking questions, over and above the requisite “how are you” shows you are truly interested in conversing with the elder at the other end.
Elders in Long Term Care (LTC) facilities have something of an advantage when it comes to human contact. They are in close proximity to other residents and in even closer contact with the staff in these facilities. Even so, calls from loved ones are very important. As most LTC facilities have curtailed visits from family and friends, telephone and video calls are more important than ever. Staying apart from friends and family isn’t easy. It’s made far more bearable by staying in touch, regularly and with obvious concern for the other person, especially when that person is an elder.
This article was published in The Vail Voice, April, 2020, p. 29
Bio: Gary Fenstermacher is president of Academy Services Corporation, the non-profit owner and operator of Academy Villas, an assisted living residence in Academy Village. He is a former University of Arizona college dean and professor emeritus at the University of Michigan