T'dad Talk

T'dad Talk - August 4, 2020

August 03, 2020 Cameron Wayne
T'dad Talk
T'dad Talk - August 4, 2020
Show Notes Transcript

Today, Senior Health Advocates share concerns regarding local senior care. In the state, Aguilar first to begin back-to-school following COVID-19 closures and in the world, Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley returned to Earth following a successful SpaceX and NASA mission.

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Weather for today shows a very slight chance of some scattered afternoon showers with highs creeping just above 90 degrees. Tonight, we’ll drop to 60 for the low.

For Wednesday, a 40 percent chance of shwoers and thunderstorms in the afternoon with temps around 90 degrees.

America is facing a big problem with regards to senior populations considered “high-risk” during current COVID-19 restrictions. According to Senior Health Advocates Colorado Chairperson and Founder Gail Meehan, who’s spent her whole career in geriatric care and senior advocacy, the current pandemic has only exacerbated an already “below average” system in Trinidad and throughout the state.

Senior Health Advocates is based in Trinidad, Las Animas County and Meehan said their mission is “to ensure seniors in Colorado are provided the services required by law and by standards of decency and dignity.”

Made up of a voluntary group of professionals, the advocacy group understands the many difficulties that many seniors face navigating the health care system and associated support services. For many struggling with health problems and no family to help, advocating for themselves is all the more difficult. This was a major part of Meehan’s drive to found the LLC.

With COVID-19 preventing in-person meetings, Meehan said they have been operating remotely as of late and talking with clients via phone calls.

Part of helping seniors Meehan said, was giving those people a voice who may not be able to voice it themselves. Senior Health Advocates has been monitoring Trinidad Inn since February noting a 2020 Health Facilities Division survey listing 20 deficiencies. The for-profit company is a facility owned by Inns of the Southwest, which also own facilities in Durango, Cortez, La Jara, and Del Norte among several other locations.

Each year, Medicare.gov uploads the Health Facilities Division surveys to determine the star ratings and other information listed in their federal files. As of the date of this article, the Medicare profile for Trinidad Inn listing two stars is still based on the 2019 survey, which reported nine deficiencies, compared to the 20 this year. 

Although the number is higher than in the past, Trinidad Inn Social Services Director Brittnee Fransua said all citations were regarded as “not harmful.” 

She also stated there were around 500 possible citations that they could have gotten.

As the dangers of the virus return with flu season approaching, Meehan, who has a degree in public health, said these issues needed to be addressed quickly. 

Fransua said as of yet, none of the healthcare workers have tested positive for COVID-19 and they have been testing weekly, along with wearing masks.

Today in the state, the town of Aguilar welcomed students back to the classroom yesterday CBS Denver reported. It’s the first of the students in Colorado’s public schools to return to in-person learning since the coronavirus outbreak in the spring.

Aguilar is located just north of Trinidad near the New Mexico border and there are about 100 students in the school district.

Last week Gov. Jared Polis said it’s “reasonably safe” to reopen schools in Colorado. Despite that, many school districts have pushed back the start of in-person learning until the fall and will begin the school year with remote learning only.

Superintendent Dr. Stacey Houser said there have been extensive social distancing measures put into place in the classrooms.

Aguilar school district is allowing remote learning for families who choose to have their kids learn that way.

In the world today, the  first astronaut trip to orbit by a private company parachuted to a safe conclusion in the Gulf of Mexico on Sunday The New York Times reported. 

It was the first water landing by NASA astronauts since 1975, when the agency’s crews were still flying to and from orbit in the Apollo modules used for the historic American moon missions.

Riding in a capsule built and operated by SpaceX, the rocket company founded by Elon Musk, two NASA astronauts — Robert L. Behnken and Douglas G. Hurley — splashed down near Pensacola, Fla., on Sunday afternoon. 

The Crew Dragon capsule, suspended under four giant orange-and-white parachutes, settled upright into the water at a gentle pace of 15 miles per hour at 2:48 p.m. Eastern time.

More than an hour later, after Mr. Behnken and Mr. Hurley were helped out of the spacecraft, Mr. Hurley thanked the employees of NASA and SpaceX who helped make the mission a success.

NASA has certainly been busy in the past week. On Thursday, they launched Perseverance, their next robotic rover, on a six-and-half month journey to Mars.

Happening today, City Council will meet for their regular meeting at 6 p.m. via GoToMeeting. For access to the virtual meeting, call City Clerk Audra Garrett at Trinidad City Hall. 

If you know of any upcoming events we should be aware of, please feel free to reach out to us here at the Chronicle News so we can make sure to spread the word!

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This is Cameron Wayne, have a great day!