Shady Oaks Community,

We today celebrate 3 milestones: Bristol Press, Google, and COVID.

First, with your help, we won Best of Bristol for the 6th straight year. 

Second, we recently earned our 80th five-star Google review online. 

Third, COVID is now a real but ordinary danger, and no longer extraordinary. Immunities, therapies, and viral variants all helped.

The CDC reported 460,000 COVID deaths August 2020 to July 2021, but only 31,000 this year. The flu averages 30,000 deaths per year.

Moreover, by Medicare data, 24% of CT nursing home residents died if they got COVID in 2020. In 2024, this figure dropped to just 1.5%.

With COVID’s lower mortality, including for the elderly, we will reduce precautions. We will risk more COVID, but boost our quality of life.

Through 5+ years of pandemic, only 11 of our residents ever caught COVID here. Plus, no family, visitor, or staff ever caught it here.

We thank everyone who supported our residents, families, and staff through this odyssey. It’s not over, but we are much safer now.

For me personally, I also wish to thank my mother. She has been my foundation of compassion and support. I love you Mom!

Very Respectfully,

Tyson Francis Belanger