This is how Kristen Orr began her weekend newsletter to residents of The Towers at Laguna Woods Village on Saturday, March 28:
“Good evening all! It was a gorgeous day in Laguna Woods Village! I hope you all had a relaxing day wherever you chose to isolate. I have stood back and observed the beautiful acts of kindness and sweet conversation between staff and residents this week—this community is one of a kind…”
Orr, general manager of the Towers, sends the newsletter to every one of the Towers’ 311 units seven days a week, to praise and cheer both residents and staff, to impart the latest news taking place in their residence and the rest of the Village and to alleviate feelings of isolation and boredom among residents, whose mobility and outside contacts might already be somewhat curtailed by time and now the coronavirus and the threat of its ensuing disease, COVID-19.
Orr went on to write that she enjoyed dancing with those who have become her neighbors. Orr recently moved into the Towers to stay even more on top of things than she was before the COVID-19 threat. She wrote about chalking up sidewalks with happy drawings and also encouraged staff to go beyond assigned duties and do things that not only serve the community but make them feel refreshed and alive. She reminded them that residents will appreciate little signs of love and connection now more than ever.
To reinforce feelings of connectedness between residents and staff, Orr said she moved the administrative office into the common area.
Even though the twin condominium highrises loom over a bucolic expanse of green, they’re something of a mystery to many Village residents more accustomed to their single- or two-story manors. The Towers is home to 320 residents whose average age is 87. Consequently, one might wonder how they are faring during the required sheltering in place in such close proximity.
The place is bustling, even now, with entertainment scheduled daily. Recently, Tony Rogers enthralled fans in front of the building, with all seated, as necessitated, 8 feet apart. Since every unit has a balcony, fans could also applaud him from above. As popular are the twice-daily shows when staffers, seemingly spontaneously, break into song and dance, spreading joie de vivre through golden oldies or younger fare.
To keep fit, residents can join chair exercise classes outside. Orr encourages participation. “I try to put something into every memo about exercise, fresh air and sunshine — programs that lift people’s spirits,” she said. “I also update on the health of the community, show plans for the next day and find creative ways to still follow rules for social distancing.”
Social distancing also means that dinners in the communal dining room were replaced by three-course dinners delivered to individual units. Similarly, the countless packages formerly delivered by personnel from UPS, Amazon, Fed-Ex and the US Postal Service are now handled by in-house staff in order to protect recipients. The Towers has 41 staffers who must abide by the 6-feet rule inside residences or outside, wearing requisite masks and gloves.
Orr credits staffer Luis Ramos with coming up with the idea of gathering all parcels before distribution to residents, thus protecting them from too many outsiders. “Everyone does their very best, but Luis stands out. He has taken on whatever anyone asks of him,” she said.
“Outsiders” also means friends and family. Only one person is allowed to visit at a time and, besides being called into a gate, guests must also register at the front desk and sanitize hands. Elevators only transport two passengers per ride.
Repairs are limited to emergencies and house cleaning is done by request only, but Orr stresses that she and staff are issuing recommendations rather than orders and that residents are compliant by and large.
“What they miss a lot is playing bridge and mahjong,” she said. Sometimes they take her to task: When she inadvertently parked in the landscaper’s spot, she got a friendly admonition but then a cleaver person took some chalk, crossed out the original designation and put her name on the spot instead, she recalled with a smile.
She also spoke of Blanche, the 103-year old resident who, while at Stater Brothers, asked her what she needed and duly brought the items for her. “Everyone rises to the occasion. I’ve seen the best of everyone,” Orr said.
Pets are part of the Towers family as well; there are 35 dogs and a slew of cats by accounts, and they too add to the communal ambiance, said Orr.
Ryna Rothberg was elected last year to her fourth term as president of Mutual 50, the Towers’ governing board. As a resident, she says she can make a contribution and cherishes the joys and challenges inherent in her position.
“People have settled in, and Kristin keeps everyone informed,” she said. “People walk with friends and with their dogs, and friends are maintaining their activities and are visiting each other,” she said — albeit in small groups to share food and a bit of wine. “People move into the Towers because they have taken care of others all their lives and now they want to be taken care of themselves. No one has to be lonely.”
One might say that Lorraine Raft exemplifies most Tower residents except that she is also lucky to have her boyfriend and her son live in the Towers. She declined to reveal her age but said that while she already lived in the Laguna Woods for 11 years, she felt lonely after her husband passed away.
“People are very nice here; I have a lot of friends,” she said of her first year at the Towers. “I take a lot of walks and exercise. The staff does their very best. It’s a wonderful place to live at any time.”