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MAY 28, 2021, ISSUE 63

Silver Linings of COVID-19

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

Lifelong Friendships at 15C

Sometimes life comes full circle, and for three childhood friends, that meant reuniting in retirement at none other than 15 Craigside!

15 Craigside Residents Mrs. Sharon Shiraki, Mrs. Roberta Kaneshiro and future resident Ms. Carol Okutani went to intermediate, high school and college together. They stayed in touch after graduation, through getting married, raising children and having careers. Even their spouses got along!

The three ladies have known each other upwards of 70 years, and for their own reasons chose 15 Craigside as a place to retire. Now, they are only an elevator ride away from one another.

Meeting up again in retirement has been a joy for the longtime friends, as they have fun together doing activities like exercise and excursions.

“It’s not a place where we’re getting old together, we’re getting better together,” says Mrs. Kaneshiro. “To meet up again here is really the cherry on the cake. It’s just a wonderful thing to come full circle.”

Mahalo to the three ladies for sharing their endearing story of lifelong friendship!

Mexican Food Delivery for Members

Are you a fan of authentic Mexican food? Alejandro’s Mexican food consistently ranks in the top 10 of Mexican restaurants on Oahu, and their Kalihi location surely delivered!
Last Friday, Arcadia At Home Members were treated to a Diner Delivery from Alejandro’s. Members ordered items like tacos, burritos, quesadillas and the Mexi Bowls, which consist of Mexican rice, pinto beans, cheese, sour cream, onions, cilantro and a choice of meat. The most popular dish members ordered was the taco sampler—3 tacos, 1 each of beef, carnitas and carne asada. Delish!

Dining Rooms Reopen at 15C and ARR

When the pandemic began, we were forced to pivot and change at the drop of hat in many different facets of our lives. One such area was how we dined.

Transitioning to in-room dining was a challenge at first, but eventually our hardworking Dining Services Teams, with the help of other personnel, made the switch a reality. Suddenly, residents were eating safely from the comfort of their own apartments for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

However, residents missed meal times with their friends and dining companions. Now, 14 months later, we’ve finally been able to safely open our dining rooms at 15 Craigside and Arcadia for communal dining!

At Arcadia, residents can either move through the buffet line to be served their selections by staff, or enjoy sit-down table service. 15 Craigside residents are served at their tables with plated meals. Both communities will continue to allow the option of take out meals to those who prefer to eat in their apartments.

Critical to the success of reopening communal dining is following our Infection Prevention Control measures like staying masked until eating occurs, physical distancing wherever possible, hand sanitization and not coming to the dining room if feeling unwell.

We’re excited about this new milestone, and wish our residents many joyful meals with their friends!

Kupuna to Keiki Succulents

Kupuna to Keiki is an initiative that focuses on having groups of kupuna create succulent dish gardens and driftwood pieces to donate to participating schools. The keiki in these schools learn entrepreneurial skills, plant maintenance skills and more. Arcadia residents worked on these beautiful pieces that were donated to Hongwanji Mission School, but a few were donated back to us to display in our Main Lounge. What a great partnership!

Learning New Things

A hobby not only stimulates the brain, boosts creativity and passion, but also provides a sense of accomplishment. During the pandemic, 15 Craigside resident  Mrs. Harriet Woods browsed YouTube on “ways to keep busy.” She found macramé, a type of textile created by using knotting techniques, and decided to give it a try. She’s been working on beginner’s knots, and she will continue to work towards more advanced pieces. Thank you for sharing your finished work with us!

Fruit Slice Yarn Craft 

As we roll into summer and the warmer temperatures, Arcadia residents had fun creating colorful yarn pieces in the shape of fruit! Residents used an array of colors to create a fruit of their choice out of a cardboard cutout, yarn and glue. This fruit-tastic summer accessory looks great adorned on our residents’ front door.

“We are off to a great start with the Resident, Client, Member and Employee   Engagement Survey. We value, count on and need your feedback as we emerge from this pandemic and chart our course for the future! The deadline to complete the survey is 5/31/21.” - Suzie Schulberg, President & CEO