News and Updates
Community Pathways
Newsletter: Friday, May 8th
newsletter update
At the moment, information is coming in quickly and change is happening often. We want to be sure to keep you updated. For the time being, Community Pathways will be issuing short electronic newsletters on Fridays rather than sending out our monthly newsletters. Stay subscribed for ongoing COVID-19 information, resources, CPI updates, uplifting news, and activities to do at home!
If you know someone who would be interested in this information but is not currently subscribed, you can share our website link with them. There is a newsletter subscription form at the bottom of the page.
A Reminder About Face Covering Guidelines
The public health experts at Centers for Disease Control (CDC) continue to recommend that we wear a face covering whenever we enter a community setting. This doesn’t mean you need to wear a mask every time you go outside. It means that if you go to a crowded area, such as the grocery store, or if you interact at length with someone outside your household at a 6-foot distance, it is important to wear a face covering. It can be confusing to know when to wear one! See the image below with some examples to help.
Information from Vermont Dept. of Health website
If you feel more comfortable wearing one every time you’re outside, that’s okay, too. Just make sure to wear it correctly and wash it after every use. Re-read our updated post on how and why we wear face coverings for more detailed information.
It’s also a good idea to bring your face covering with you on long walks just in case there are unexpected crowds or interactions with people outside your household.
Source: Clay County Public Health
A face covering blocks droplets that escape our mouths when we talk, sneeze, or cough, and lowers chance of direct virus transmission from person to person. Wearing a face covering is also a visual reminder that we need to be careful with each other and stay physically distant.
Check out Dhvani’s campaign “A Mask for Every American” in which you can request a free face mask online. It is easy to do: you only need to provide your name, email address and mailing address! Please note, the company is only providing one mask per request.
Life right now looks very different for most of us…
even for your PA!
At work PA’s are doing their best to connect with you in different ways. They are using online video calling applications like FaceTime and Zoom to stay in touch with you. PA’s are ensuring you have backup plans to address your needs in case you or your provider get sick. They are busy keeping up with the changes happening at your provider agencies and other important services. PA’s are tracking the best resources for food access and other necessities during this time. Things are constantly changing and your PA’s are on top of it!
At home your PA is coping with changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic, too. They miss their customers, coworkers, families, and friends. They miss their normal daily routines. Just like you, they wear face coverings, grocery shop for necessities, and wave to their neighbors from afar. They connect with loved ones by chatting on video and phone calls. They keep themselves busy at home and try to stay positive!
We thought it would be nice to share with you a little about how your PA doing during this unusual time.
PA Spotlight of the week
Many of the PA’s have animals at home to keep them company.
Christine, a Personal Agent at Community Pathways, lives on a farm and gets some help at work from her baby goats featured below: Pandemonium (Pandi), Oberon (Obie), and Jax.
Christine gets extra time with the baby goats now that she works from home, which she is happy about. A highlight of her week was FaceTiming one of her customers so she could show them her animals!
She misses seeing her customers in person and getting variety in her day.
Although video calls are a good way to stay in touch, we miss connecting with you in person!
What have you been up to at home?
Do you have a new hobby?
Do you have a roommate or a pet that brightens your day?
Do you have any stories or photos you want to share with us?
Have you had an especially good day or bad day you want to tell us about?
Send your stories or photos in to pcantlon@communitypath.org.
We want to hear from you!
*We will not share your stories or pictures publicly (unless you want us to!).
resources
Share your opinion! If you are a resident of Clackamas County, the Emergency Operations Center wants to hear your opinion on reopening the county so they are aware of “what to take in to consideration when it comes to the needs of residents of all backgrounds.”
Take the short survey here.
Oregon Department of Education is currently accepting applications to provide free or reduced-price school meals for families who have recently experienced significant income loss. Apply online or contact your local school.
Salvation Army has started a drive-thru food box pickup in Portland, Happy Valley and Gresham. Find out more details here.
Upcoming Events online
Provider Time Capture: Stakeholder Engagement Sessions
Office of Developmental Disabilities Services (ODDS) are having webinars to gather feedback from customers and providers about the impact of PSW Electronic Visit Verification System (EVV).
Sessions begin on May 26, 27 and 28. Click here for more details.
The Arc Virtual Hang: Music, Movement and Mindfulness
Hang out online with different activities to relax, move and have fun!
May 8, 15, and 22 at 1:00 PM
Zoom Meeting ID: 928 127 593
Sunday, May 10th is Mother’s Day!
Adjusting to a New Normal
Governor Kate Brown is in the process of making plans to reopen our communities. Reopening will be a slow process. The Governor is taking precautions to prevent another big outbreak of the Coronavirus; there are many things to take into consideration.
The Governor has divided her plan into three categories:
The Governor’s first focus is on public health factors. This means the Governor wants to ensure the items below are happening and in place before lifting certain restrictions:
Over the next weeks and months, we will continue to learn more about changes in our community. We will learn more about what life will look like after certain restrictions are lifted. It’s important to remember that even when the Stay at Home order is lifted, we will have a new “normal” to adjust to.
Image Source: Hillsborough Voice
We will still concentrate on social distancing, washing our hands often, and covering our faces in public.
We need to be careful to keep each other healthy until we have a vaccine to protect us from another outbreak. Your PA will continue to be a resource and support to you through all of the changes.
The day will come and we will be able to do the things we are missing!
Right now, we must be patient while the government and public health experts work on plans to keep us safe during this time.
“We all want to get back to work and return to normal life as quickly as possible. But the truth is: the best path forward is a cautious one — a path that proceeds gradually, carefully, and incrementally. A path that relies on science and facts to determine each step forward.”
To read more about Governor Brown’s “Reopening Oregon” framework, click here.
One Month: Our Impact on the Virus
Can you believe it has already been over 30 days since the Governor of Oregon issued the “Stay Home, Save Lives” Executive Order? Our lives have changed a lot. We are all missing our favorite people and places. Here is a social story, developed by the University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, that helps explain the changes during Coronavirus and what many people are experiencing.
Here at Community Pathways, we are thinking of you! Everyone’s efforts to social distance and stay home are making an impact. Less people are getting sick and being hospitalized. We think that is a huge success.
The Governor announced last week that “Staying home truly is saving lives.”
Keep up the good work!
The Executive Order to stay home is still in place. If we stop following the rules of physical distancing, COVID-19 can start to spread rapidly. Currently, state and federal governments are discussing when stay-at-home orders will be changed. This is a complicated conversation and the people in charge of these decisions are looking at many factors. In the end, everyone wants people to be safe.
Right now, there is no shot or pill that will prevent the virus. There is no cure for the virus. Medical professionals are working hard to treat the people who are sick. There are many doctors working together to try to develop a vaccination for future use. Doctors continue to collect and look at information to determine how best to treat people with the virus.
By now you hopefully have a routine or schedule at home. Talk with your PA if you want help finding ways to connect and have fun. If you need ideas on how to fill your time, this list can be helpful. As the weather starts to get warmer, remember to stay physically distanced outside. Dawn Mautner, MD, senior health advisor at OHA, says, “If you go out, spread out.”
Take the time to remind yourself about all the ways you can prevent the spread of the COVID-19.
Thank you for making big sacrifices. You are doing great!
“We know Coronavirus has brought painful disruption and distress for Oregonians. However, these numbers tell us that what we’re doing can work….We know social distancing is tough and comes with incredible sacrifices. But steps we’re all taking to maintain social distancing could save the lives of people we know and people who are important to us. As Oregonians, we all must continue to put Stay Home, Save Lives into practice.”
Safe Grocery Shopping
Shopping for food is an essential activity. You can go to the store, but you want to do it safely and limit your trips. Please, if you need extra support going to the grocery store, talk with your Personal Agent to find out if someone can shop for you.
Guidelines on how to shop safely have shifted; scientists learn more and then they update us with better information. Going to the store can increase your chances of getting the virus. Why? Simply put, you are entering a place where many people are and that means you have a higher chance of coming into contact with someone that has the virus.
A lot of people work and shop in grocery stores. “Many people worry about the possibility of picking up the Coronavirus from things like grocery store conveyor belts or cereal boxes. But every expert NPR spoke with agrees that the biggest risk when it comes to groceries is being inside the store itself with other people who may be infected.” - NPR
Many stores are doing what they can to make your shopping experience more safe:
Limiting the number of people in the store at one time to allow for social distancing
Wiping down all high-touch surface areas with disinfectant: grocery carts, shelves and check-out areas
Staff wear masks
Protective shields are used by cashiers to create a barrier between you and them at the check-out
Just like stores, you can take steps to increase your shopping safety:
1) Before shopping
Decide what you need. Plan your meals. Make a list. Doing this will help you limit your trips to the store. Experts say to try and go to the store once every 2 weeks if possible.
Decide who will shop. Please stay home if you are sick, don’t feel good, or have health concerns. If possible only have one person in your household go to the store. If you need help with shopping contact your PA.
Decide where you will shop. When possible you may want to shop online. You can now use your SNAP benefits online. Some stores will deliver food to your home. Some stores will put your order together and have it ready for you to pick up at the store; when you get to the store the clerk brings your groceries out to your car. Ask your PA or support provider for help if you are not sure where and how to shop.
Decide where you will place your groceries. You will need counter space or a special area to put your groceries on once you get home.
2) At the store
Print out or download this checklist to your smartphone, tablet or computer to help you track your safe shopping steps before, during, and after you go to the store.
Wear a face covering. The CDC is advising that everyone do this. Read our post on wearing face coverings.
Keep your distance. Stay at least 6 feet away from other people. Before you go down an aisle in the store make sure there are not many other people in it.
Bring hand sanitizer. Use hand sanitizer often: especially before you enter the store and again when you leave. Use it before getting onto the bus or into your car.
Bring disinfectant wipes. Wipe down your shopping cart or basket with wipes before and after use.
Don’t touch your face or face mask.
Don’t bring reusable bags. A lot of stores are not allowing reusable bags to protect the store employees.
It is not recommended to wear gloves. Gloves carry germs just like our hands do. Sanitize or wash your hands often.
3) When you get home
Bring your groceries inside. Put groceries on a surface you can easily sanitize after you are done putting everything away.
Wash your hands. Wash for at least 20 seconds with soap and water.
You do not need to wash all your groceries. Most experts agree that this is no longer necessary, but you can wipe down plastic containers or food cartons if you would like to sanitize them before putting them away. You DO need to rinse your fruit with water for at least 20 seconds before eating it. Don’t use soaps or other cleaners on fresh food.
Put your groceries away.
Throw away or recycle grocery bags.
Sanitize your surface areas. Once you have put all of your groceries away, wipe down your counter and surface areas where you had your grocery bags.
Wash your hands.
“Time is on your side. Recent studies have shown that SARS-CoV-2 [COVID-19] may remain infectious on surfaces or objects for up to 72 hours, but most virus on the surface of common materials becomes inactive (noninfectious) after the first 24 hours. There is limited evidence that virus particles on those products transmit disease. Virus on the surface of groceries will become inactivated over time after groceries are put away. The inner contents of sealed containers are unlikely to be contaminated.”
Using Cloth Face Coverings
Please use a cloth face covering!
The CDC wants us to cover our mouths and noses by wearing a face mask anytime we visit community settings where we might be near other people, like grocery stores or pharmacies.
Remember, you should only be leaving your home for an essential reason like getting food or medicine or for exercise. The Executive Order to stay home is still in place.
Community Pathways’ Fiscal Manager, Nina, made her mask with fabric she had at home!
It is important to know that not everyone who has the COVID-19 virus will get sick. A person that appears to be healthy can pass the virus to someone else and then that person might get very sick.
Wearing a mask does not replace social distancing. You have to stay at least 6 feet away from people AND wear a face mask.
You do not need to buy a mask. In this video, the US Surgeon General provides a quick tutorial on how to make a mask.
You must wear your mask correctly. The CDC has created the following visual and guidance on how to wear a face covering:
How to Wear a Cloth Face Covering?
Cloth face coverings should:
Fit snugly but comfortably against the side of the face
Be secured with ties or ear loops
Include multiple layers of fabric
Allow for breathing without restriction
Be able to be laundered and machine dried without damage or change to shape
Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under age 2, anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
Wash your hands before you put on your mask.
Do not touch your face or the mask while you are wearing it.
If you do touch your face, wash your hands right away.
“The most effective strategies to prevent infection include the physical distancing measures mandated by the Governor’s Executive Orders, along with basic hand hygiene and cough etiquette.”
View OHA’s Guidance on Use of Homemade Masks or Face Coverings by the Public to Prevent Spread of COVID-19 here.