January 2021 Newsletter for PVA, Pinecrest and Wilton Senior Housing

JANUARY, 2021

PVA, Pinecrest, WSH

INSIDE THIS ISSUE PG. 2 Color your health

PG. 3 Coloring, jokes and US holidays

PG. 4 COVID vaccine Q&A You know you're from Maine when...

You don't mind winter driving because the potholes get filled with snow!

IT’S OFFICIAL, IT’S 2021!

START THE NEW YEAR HEALTHY

Now that the new year has started, and it’s winter, how can you stay happy and healthy? Here are a few suggestions; Brew your favorite herbal tea, Sip a cup of warm apple cider, Simmer orange peels and cinnamon sticks over the stove to scent the whole house, Curl up with a blanket and favorite book or magazine, Take a mid-day stretch, Work on an art or craft you love, Turn on some good music, Cook a special meal, Give yourself a foot or neck massage with a scented oil, Take a warm long bubble bath.

COLOR YOUR HEALTH THE BENEFITS OF ART

Coloring isn’t just for kids anymore, there are now countless adult coloring books available just about anywhere magazines are sold. Coloring books come in all themes and levels of detail, yet all have several well established benefits, including; 1 Attention flows away from ourselves. A simple act, such as coloring, takes your attention away from yourself (and those things that are stressing you out!) and onto the present-moment event. “In this way, it is very much like a meditative exercise.”

2 It relaxes the brain. When thoughts are focused on this simple activity, your brain tends to relax. “You’re not disturbed by your own thoughts and appraisals, the difficulties of life evaporate from your awareness, and both your body and your brain may find this rewarding.”

3 Low stakes make it pleasurable. Go ahead: color outside the lines! The outcome of coloring isn’t predictable or prescriptive. It can be as neat — or as messy — as you choose, and this is one of its relaxing perks. “It is hard to screw up coloring, and, even if you do, there is no real consequence. Adult coloring can be a wonderful escape, rather than a demanding test of our capacities.”

Coloring can be done by anyone, not just artists or creative types. Though coloring isn’t for everyone, based on personal preferences, there are plenty of reasons to give it a try. So to give you a few more reasons, here’s some interesting designs to try! Have fun.

October on a Maine river

by Kenneth Slade Alling The blood of maples on the autumn sky, And dead leaves drifting, drifting to the sea: Now, to the year Time makes his old reply, Nothing on earth shall live immortally.

The burst of glory on a dying face,

Of one who sees beyond, some haven far, Lit with the spring-light of another place And silver winds blown from another star.

Now beauty burns in gold on every hill And changes not her warm imperial way: There is no sadness here, whate'er men say— Beauty departing is yet beauty still.

Federal Holidays 2021 Friday, Jan 1

New Years Day

Monday, Jan 18

Martin Luther King Day

Monday, Feb 15

Presidents Day

Monday, May 31

Memorial Day

Friday, July 4

Independence Day

Monday, Sept 6

Labor Day

Monday, Oct 11

Columbus Day

Thursday, Nov 11

Veterans Day

Thursday, Nov 25

Thanksgiving

Friday, Nov 26

Day After Thanksgiving

Friday, Dec 24

Christmas (12/25)

Weston is closed but on-call is available.

What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire?

Frostbite.

What did the icy road say to the truck?

Want to go for a spin?

How do mountains stay warm?

They put on their snowcaps.

What can you catch with your eyes closed?

A cold.

What is a snowman’s favorite snack?

Ice Krispies treats.

What does December have that no other month does?

The letter D. What do snowmen call their offspring?

Chill-dren.

How did the trees feel when winter was finally over?

Releafed

COVID-19 VACCINE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Paul Offit, MD, a member of the FDA advisory panel that recommended the vaccine’s use, says rigorous clinical trials of the shot identified no safety concerns, despite its sped-up production.

“These vaccines were subjected to large phase III clinical trials,” says Offit, a vaccine expert at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

“Regarding safety, there was an insistence by the FDA that at least tens of thousands of people be observed for 2 months after the final dose to make sure that there were no … uncommon side effects.” To answer some common questions, the following Q&A from the US Centers for Disease Control offers some factual information.

Q: Can a COVID-19 vaccine make me sick with COVID-19?

A: No. None of the authorized and recommended COVID-19 vaccines or COVID-19 vaccines currently in development in the United States contain the live virus that causes COVID-19. This means that a COVID-19 vaccine cannot make you sick with COVID-19.

Q: After getting a COVID-19 vaccine, will I test positive for COVID-19 on a viral test?

A: No. Neither the recently authorized and recommended vaccines nor the other COVID-19 vaccines currently in clinical trials in the United States can cause you to test positive on viral tests, which are used to see if you have a current infection.

Q: Will a COVID-19 vaccine alter my DNA? A: No. COVID-19 mRNA vaccines do not change or interact with your DNA in any way.

Q: Will a COVID-19 vaccination protect me from getting sick with COVID-19?

Yes. COVID-19 vaccination works by teaching your immune system how to recognize and fight the virus that causes COVID-19, and this protects you from getting sick with COVID-19.

What did the seal say when it swam into a concrete wall?

Dam!

Weston Calendar of annual inspections and events The following calendar of events is meant to help you be aware of, understand, and be successful with a number of usual and required inspections that happen throughout the year in HUD subsidized housing. Most inspections do not require you to participate, though you can if you choose to. There are several key things you can do to have a successful inspection. Please remember you should regularly clean your apartment and keep it free of clutter, especially around doors and windows. Also you may not smoke inside or within 25 feet of any building or use any marijuana on property as agreed to in your lease. You may smoke off property on the street if you choose to smoke. Everyone at Weston wants you to be successful, safe and enjoy yourself while living here, if you have any questions or need any assistance while living here please call the office any time at (207) 795-6871.

Recertification required by HUD (September) The recertification process happens annually, and is required by HUD to maintain your HUD subsidy. You will need to provide documentation of all income such as pay stubs from work, or a letter from Social Security (toll free Auburn Maine Social Security 833-388-6432) dated no earlier than September 1 (do not call before September 1) of the year, as well as bank statements or any investments.

Income Documentation needed: a.

Social Security Income Award Letter – if applicable b.

Pay stubs for your current job (include 4- to 5 weeks) – if applicable c.

Pension Letters – if applicable d.

Other non-wage income source – if applicable e.

Unemployment – if applicable f.

DHHS Letter if receiving assistance (i.e. food stamps, TANF, WIC, etc) g.

6 months of financial statements (i.e. checking accounts, savings accounts) h.

Bank statements from any interest bearing account You will be informed of the need to call the office to schedule a meeting within a given time period. Your meeting may take place in person or over the phone, and will initially take approximately 20 minutes. There will likely be several rounds of your needing to review and sign follow up paperwork before the final rent calculation. Failure to attend your scheduled recertification meeting, refusal to sign required documents, not supplying income verifying documents as requested may result in the loss of your subsidy. If that happens you will be responsible to pay for full unsubsidized rent. Please speak with your RSC immediately if you encounter any difficulty getting required financial documents from; bank, life insurance plan, employer, social security, etc. This will include property manager and or administrative assistant and RSC as needed.

Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) optional from local Community Action Program (September) If you would like assistance paying for your heat (this will be electricity at Weston owned properties) you will need to contact your local Community Action Program (CAP) agency (Androscoggin country 1-800-866-5588 – Franklin county 1-800-645-9636) , you can always call for 211 toll free and ask for CAP number in any area. If your heat is included in your rent you may want to apply for HEAP (you cannot be denied applying, even if you don’t qualify) because applying for HEAP, even if you are denied can help prevent you losing SNAP benefits (previously called Food Stamps) and for many people is beneficial to maintain their food security. This will include CAP staff and RSC if requested.

REAC inspection required by HUD (rotating schedule based on previous property score) These are onsite inspections of the whole property and individual apartments to verify compliance with HUD standards. They are done on a 3, 2 or 1 year basis depending on how well the property did at the last inspection. You will be given written notice of the inspection, which states the date range and time of the inspection. You do not need to be home for the inspection. Apartments viewed will be chosen randomly by the inspector. This will include property manager, maintenance and HUD official.

Management Occupancy Review (MOR) required by HUD, conducted by Maine Housing Authority (usually in January) These are onsite audits of the residents HUD files – includes documents by the property management company and the resident is required to provide to verify identity of all people in household, income of all members of household and any changes as they occur throughout the year.

It is critical that you provide the office documentation of any changes in who is in your household (social security numbers, birth certificate, etc) or changes in income (new job, loss of job, etc), as soon as they happen. This will include several Weston management and MHA staff.

Maine Housing Authority inspection required by Maine Housing Authority (usually February) These are onsite inspections of resident apartments randomly selected by MHA. You will be given written notice of the inspection, which states the date range and time of the inspection. You do not need to be home for the inspection. This will generally include the property manager, maintenance and MHA official.

Property wide inspections required by Weston (usually in Spring except extenuating circumstances) These are annual onsite inspections Weston does to document the physical status of its property and whether or not proper upkeep is being done. You will be given written notice of the inspection, which states the date range and time of the inspection. You do not need to be home for the inspection. Every apartment is inspected. This will generally include the property manager, maintenance and RSC. Weston Investor inspections usually in the Summer These inspections are done with a representative of our corporate office and Weston’s financial partners and one maintenance worker. This inspection is usually for the overall property condition and may include visual inspection of an apartment. If yours is chosen you will be given a written notice of inspection, which states the date(s) and time(s). This will generally include a Weston employee from our corporate office, several representatives of our investors, maintenance.

Case by case inspections throughout the year These inspections are done whenever there is a concern by Weston that a specific resident is not keeping their apartment according to the standards described in their lease, creating a health and safety issues, or not promptly reporting damage to management. You will be given a written notice of inspection, which states the date(s) and time(s). These may be done one time just to evaluate a situation, or may occur on a regular basis e.g. weekly as part of process to support a resident learning expected standards and how to maintain their apartment – this often includes working with the RSC.

MAINE TURNS 200… AGAIN DELAYED BUT NOT STOPPED

Maine’s celebration of its 200th anniversary will go on after all, albeit a year later than originally planned because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Maine became a state in 1820, and last year a slew of events celebrating the 200th anniversary of statehood were put off because of the pandemic. The Maine Bicentennial Commission said a new slate of events is scheduled for later this year as part of the “200-Plus-One” campaign. The tentative schedule includes a Maine Statehood Day Ceremony during the summer in Augusta. There’s also a “Time Capsule Sneak Peek and Participation Kickoff” event slated for some time in the spring. So keep your eyes and ears peeled for a celebration unlike any other.

HUD Improves – Federal News Network The Department of Housing and Urban Development made a 180-degree turn in how it manages its finances. Over the last two-plus years, HUD transformed its financial management systems, workforce and overall data to bring more value than maybe ever before. Irv Dennis, HUD’s chief financial officer, said the changes to make HUD a picture of financial health didn’t happen overnight nor by accident. He said the agency transformed its financial processes with a combination of listening, learning, quick wins and removing manual, tedious processes from employees’ day-to-day work.

Husband texts wife: Windows frozen, won’t open. Wife texts back: Gently pour some hot water on it. Husband texts back 5 minutes later: Now my computer is really screwed up!

Our Team Members Pleasant View Acres, Pinecrest, Wilton Senior Housing Tel: (207) 795-6871 Fax: (207) 689-9129 Jennifer Deschene – Regional Director / jdeschene@waboston.com Stephanie Estabrook – Sr Property Manager / sestabrook@waboston.com Samantha Pulk - Property Manager / spulk@waboston.com Divine Selengbe - Administrative Assistant / dselengbe@waboston.com Dean Perkins – Maintenance / dperkins@waboston.com Jeremy Lemay – Maintenance John Painter – Resident Service Coordinator / jpainter@waboston.com