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FEBRUARY 12, 2021, ISSUE 48

Silver Linings of COVID-19

Uplifting updates from the Arcadia Family of Companies delivered to you weekly

Friends of the Library

When residents or friends need to rehome books from their personal collections, many offer to donate them to Arcadia. The residents of the Library Committee, such as Mrs. Betty O’Rourke and Mrs. Peg Foster, then carefully assess the condition of each book, consider its broad appeal and whether it would complement the books already available, before adding it to the onsite library. Mr. Everett Young does the same for DVDs that are donated.

Prior to the pandemic, the committee would organize a library sale and donate the remaining books and DVDs to Friends of the Library. Although it’s currently not possible to host such a large-scale event, Arcadia continues to donate to Friends of the Library. Just this week, they delivered a whopping 50 boxes of books! Thank you to our residents and staff for coordinating this impressive donation!

AFC Spirit Days Begin

To rally together and uplift our spirits, we have several family-wide dress-up days planned throughout the year. We kicked things off on February 5 with “Sports Day” in celebration of Super Bowl Sunday. Residents, clients, members and staff were asked to participate by wearing their favorite jersey or athletic attire. It was great to see everyone in their sports clothing! Be on the lookout for news of our next spirit day. We hope you join in the fun!

Free Grab-and-Go Meals for All Children

The Hawaii Department of Education ex-tended their Grab-and-Go meal program through June 31, 2021. This is wonderful news for all local families with school-age children! Children can receive free meals regardless of whether or not they are en-rolled at the distribution site, are public school students, or are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch programs. Meals will be distributed at lunchtime only and will include one lunch for that day and one breakfast for the following day, per child. To see the list of all 203 schools that are serving as distribution sites, visit hawaiipublicschools.org for more info.

Celebrating Our CNAs

From escorting, helping with baths, companionship and more, Certified Nurse Aids (CNAs) provide a diverse range of important services. Becoming one requires education, hands-on training and state certification. But these are just the formal requirements. To be employed with the Arcadia Family of Companies, we look for something more. Does an individual have compassion for others and a heart for service? Will they assist our kupuna with genuine love and care? These are some examples of the extra qualities that we look for. We are fortunate to have outstanding CNAs for all our communities and programs. Today we highlight some from our home health services team.

"I have the chance to impact the lives of my clients based on the quality of care I provide. I have the most rewarding, strong feelings of making a difference in their daily lives. Sometimes the little things like gentle, tender care, a smile or just being a good listener can really make a difference.” - Ann Minga, AHHS CNA

"I always have compassion for the elderly. Clients depend on and get courage from us. Sometimes they cry and laugh with me, and I really love my job when I can be their little shelter. When I see other elderly while walking on the street or shopping, my sense of work is triggered so I ask them, ‘Do you need help?’ Or if I see they are having a difficult time getting up, I run over to help. I wonder if this would have happened if I had not been a CNA.” - Sun Pedro, AHHS CNA

"I genuinely just want to make the clients happy and be a good representative of the company. Working at Arcadia gives me opportunities to learn and grow in this field of care. The connections made with clients are the best part of my job.” - Nahor Brown, AHHS CNA

"I think of my clients as my own grandparents and only want to provide the best care for them. I love that I can make a difference in my clients’ lives, and doing the smallest things can truly make their day, which makes my day as well!” - Tracy Watanabe, AHHS CNA

Keiki Playground Progress

Do you remember that photo of an empty lot we shared a couple weeks ago? Take a look at all the progress that was made since that time! Funded by the Arcadia Foundation, the playground at Kahauiki Village is nearing completion. What a welcome addition to this community for local families who have faced homelessness. Stay tuned for more updates!

Clinical Training Partnership

Hands-on experience is an essential part of any quality training program. This is especially true for those who aspire to be healthcare workers. We are now hosting another student cohort from Kapiolani Community College in our Health Care Center at Arcadia. They will be doing their clinical training to become CNAs. We’re humbled to be working together!

Lovely Flower Arrangements

This Sunday, February 14th is Valentine’s Day, one of the most popular days of the year to give flowers. Arcadia recently received a surprise delivery from Watanabe Floral—take a look at the three flower arrangements they gifted us! What a welcome sight for our residents and staff to enjoy. We appreciate their generosity and kind deed! Mahalo!

“The AFC’s second round of COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics were successful and ran smoothly. However, the side effects with the second dose were definitely more severe for employees and residents. Staff have called out sick, but we’ve been able to fill shifts with many of you rising to the occasion in typical AFC fashion. ONE TEAM!” - Suzie Schulberg, President & CEO