Letters: Nursing home residents depend on us; Vote for change in the 12th District
Nursing home residents depend on us
An up-close smile, a caring touch, a comforting hug from a family member, these are a few things residents in our long-term facilities are not able to enjoy today.
The Alzheimer’s Association reports that nearly half of the residents in long-term facilities are Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia patients.
Because of this high COVID-19 death rate in these facilities, many have shut their doors to visitors completely. Others are open, but have restrictions that require visitors to remain 6 feet away from their family members and wear masks. These restrictions can be confusing for loved ones and have taken away some of the very things that help them thrive.
Staff are lacking the proper testing equipment to manage COVID-19 in their facilities. Although advancements in testing have been made and are currently in use, rapid point-of-care testing is necessary to minimize and control the spread of the virus in residential facilities. This testing can cut wait time from hours, if not days, to as little as five minutes for positive results. Until this testing is implemented social isolation among Alzheimer’s residents remains, concern over their cognitive decline exists.
Please join me in asking Gov. Tom Wolf to ensure access to rapid testing for all long-term care communities in Pennsylvania by calling 717-787-2500 or submitting a contact form at https://www.governor.pa.gov/contact/ so that we can safely reunite our families with their loved ones.
Vote for change in the 12th District
According to Lee Griffin, who is running for U.S. Congress against incumbent Fred Keller, the United States Postal Serive is the largest employer of military veterans (97,000) and is a public service that many people rely on for medication, Social Security checks, and online purchases.
In contrast, according to Keller’s own newsletter, he appeared on Fox news to brag about how he voted against the recent bill in the House of Representatives to give needed funding to the USPS in spite of the fact that 26 other House Republicans voted in favor of the bill. Keller, along with President Donald Trump, is actively trying to sabotage the post office in our country in order to undermine online voting.
We need a more energetic and proactive leader in our 12th District. As a business owner, himself, Griffin will focus on job creation and taking care of farmers and small businesses. He will also protect our Social Security and support public education.
Check out Lee’s website at www.leegriffinforcongress.com and remember to vote on Nov. 3, or vote by mail as soon as you receive your ballot, and vote Griffin for the United States Congress.
Too much fear
Our airwaves are humming with fear.
President Trump tells we should fear for our lives.
Fear immigrants. Fear people of color. Fear the poor. Fear minorities. Fear the disadvantaged. Fear truth tellers. Fear science. Fear equality.
Fear social support for the elderly and the sick. Fear universal health care.
Fear our neighbors. Fear fellow Americans.
Fear our right to assemble in peaceful protest, a guaranteed right in the First Amendment.
Fear vote-in mailing.
Fear even a mask.
All this talk of fear sounds like a sick joke.
Fear, fear, fear …. what a crock.
Reject his trumped up fear.
This drumbeat of fear is a sick attempt to win at any cost.
Fear is being used to divide us.
Fear and lies are being spewed to control and manipulate us.
In a similar time of great national need President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “… Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. And I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days.”
Fear is the mind killer.
Vote against fear in the 2020 presidential and congressional elections.
Vote for Joe Biden.