A Message From Your Executive Director
Dear Residents and Families,
You will see many new faces around The Village in the coming weeks as we continue to add new staff. We have 8 new staff members attending orientation this week. These folks will fill positions as servers, cooks, nurse’s aides, and housekeepers. We are excited that our diligence in recruiting is starting to pay off. We will work to get a list of new staff with their photos and job titles distributed to residents ASAP.
Last year our residents and their families generously donated money or gifts at the holidays to honor and thank our staff. We used those funds to put together and distribute to all staff the fixings for a turkey dinner, plus other goodies, in a basket. I would like to make this an annual tradition. If you are so inclined and would like to contribute, we would welcome your donations. Please direct all donations or questions to me and we will start planning this wonderful tradition.
After much thought and deliberation, we have decided that we will not be able to host families for Thanksgiving this year. COVID cases in Vermont are the highest they have ever been. While we have achieved 100% vaccination in our community, I believe it is still in our residents’ best interest to limit their exposure to many people. Residents may spend Thanksgiving with their family or friends outside of the building, at a home or restaurant, and we will have a fantastic feast here for residents who do not go out. In order for us to appropriately plan food and staffing, please let the concierge know this week if you will be enjoying Thanksgiving dinner here at The Village (served at 12:30pm) or if you will be out of the building that day. Thank you for your help with this.
As the number of residents in Assisted Living has grown, we have implemented a reservation system for Windsor Dining Room for lunch and dinner. If you would like to have a guest(s) join you for a meal, please call or see the concierge at least 24 hours in advance. Please provide your name, how many guests (up to a party of 4 (including resident(s) at a time), the date and the time you would like to dine. We will make every effort to accommodate all reservations but at certain times may have to limit. Thank you for your help as we navigate a new system.
Thank you for your continued support.
Nikki
Community Connection
The Village Life Enrichment staff continue to introduce new program ideas and make life here at The Village fun! With the help of all staff, we enjoyed festivities for Halloween and continue to celebrate autumn.
We are looking forward to our food drive this month for the Haven, a live music performance of Xanadu at the Lebanon Opera House, and the upcoming Dartmouth College football game against Cornell on November 13th! A reminder that AL residents need to sign up for all bus trips before the deadline. We need to have an idea of the number or residents who want to go on any outing to purchase tickets, make reservations, request handicapped accommodations, etc. The sign-up sheets are on the bulletin board by the post office boxes.
Jenn has introduced a new dance class this month and you should stop by and see Katie’s gratitude tree in Memory Care. As we celebrate the month with the start of Hanukkah and the Thanksgiving holiday, we are reminded of the joys of diversity here at The Village. A note of appreciation to all of you, our residents, staff, and families, for all that you bring to our community and the special moments that you share with us.
***Life Enrichment is looking for gently used chess boards!
If you have a chess board that has all of its pieces, is in good condition, and would like a new home, please bring it to The Village. Our new chess club will be grateful for your donation!
The Village is proud to be hosting a food drive for our upper valley community!
EVERYONE HAS SEEN CHALLENGING TIMES…
In the month of November, we at The Village are celebrating the spirit of thanksgiving and gratefulness by hosting a food drive to benefit The Upper Valley Haven.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!
Please bring in a donation and drop it off by November 29th.
We will bring the donations to The Haven on November 30th.
The Haven utilizes a variety of items including personal items, paper products, perishable and non-perishable food.
- Canned chicken/tuna
- Soups/stews
- Almond milk/soy milk (shelf-stable)
- Oatmeal/low sugar cereals
- Canned vegetables and fruit
- Pasta and rice
- Peanut butter/canned beans
- Shampoo and toothpaste
- Deodorant and body wash/body lotion
- Low sodium and low sugar items
Please see residents Linda Hunt & Lorraine Jones, or Memory Care Director/Life Enrichment Director Gretchen Cole for more details
Community Connection – Vaccines
We implemented a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all staff effective 10/16/2021. We believe this will go a long way to keeping us all safe this fall and winter.
We held our booster clinic for the Pfizer vaccine on 10/25/2021. All residents and staff who received the Pfizer vaccine at least 6 months ago were eligible to receive the booster. The flu vaccine was also offered. As we learn of opportunities for the Moderna and J&J boosters we will keep you informed.
CDC Frequently Asked Questions
Memory Care Minute
ATTENTION VILLAGE RESIDENTS!
NEVER STOP LEARNING!
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Dartmouth (Osher at Dartmouth) is a volunteer, non-profit (501c3) organization that provides educational programs year-round. Opportunities include studying timely and provocative subjects by participating in courses, attending lectures, interacting at social events, and more.
Osher at Dartmouth was established by Dartmouth College as the Institute for Lifelong Education at Dartmouth (ILEAD) in November 1990 by 38 members of the Upper Valley intrigued with the “idea of continued learning.” The founders relished the challenge of their own self-administered and peer-taught discussion programs. By 2010, the 20th anniversary of our organization, over 25,700 people have participated in the institute’s programs. In 2014, ILEAD formally became a member of the Osher network of lifelong learning institutes.
Osher at Dartmouth member and Study Leader Hank Buermeyer compiled a history of our program in 2010: “The History of ILEAD: The First Twenty Years, 1990-2010”
MISSION
To provide outstanding lifelong educational opportunities to those in the greater Upper Valley.
VISION
To be recognized as a national leader for excellence in lifelong education.
CORE VALUES
- An unwavering commitment to lifelong education.
- Membership opens to all, regardless of educational background.
- A diverse, high-quality program, led by dedicated volunteers.
- A welcoming social environment, within and beyond the classroom.
- An appropriate fee structure that provides for financial sustainability, member affordability, innovation, and growth.
- Strong and continuing two-way relationships with Dartmouth College and the Osher Foundation; and
- Excellence in everything we do.
COURSES
Between 25 and 90 courses are offered in each of the three terms: fall, winter, and spring. In recent years, our participants have:
- Had backstage access to the production of local theater
- Engaged in conversations with several prominent politiciansLearned the best tips and techniques for solving crossword puzzles
- Painted watercolorsLearned tips about selling on eBay
- Traveled to Botswana, the Basque Country, and Cuba
- Written memoirs and screenplaysThere is truly something for everyone throughout the year!
Learn more about this term’s courses by visiting their website. If you need assistance, please let Gretchen Cole know.
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
Gretchen Cole
Memory Care/Life Enrichment Director
JOIN THE VILLAGE TEAM AS WE RAISE MONEY FOR THE ALZHEIMERS ASSOCIATION AND THE WALK TO END ALZHEIMERS!
As a community that advocates and offers specialized support to those with dementia, your support is needed. Millions of people around the world struggle with this disease. Their spouses, children, grandchildren, siblings, and friends supply countless, unpaid hours of caregiving every day. Progress with research is being made and needs funding to continue.
PLEASE VISIT THIS LINK TO DONATE TO VILLAGE TEAM!
#ENDALZ – #WalkToEndAlz
Family and Caregiver Support Group
The Village Caregiver Support Group
Our support group meetings will be the 4th Tuesday of each month in the Smith and Sons Kitchen. (2:00PM-3:00PM)
Please contact Gretchen Cole with any questions.
This Week’s Menu
This Week’s Activities
COVID-19 In Our Community
We are committed to keeping you informed of how COVID-19 is impacting The Village at White River Junction. We continue our robust commitment to following the guidelines from both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and local health authorities by:
- Based on our current Phase and the positivity rate in our county, the following protocols for visitation are in place:
- We will gather name and contact info for contact tracing for every visit.
- Visits may occur between 8am and 8pm.
- Vaccinated guests may eat in the dining room at a table with only the resident they are visiting.
- Core principles of COVID-19 infection prevention will be enforced. These include:
- Screening before each visit
- Hand hygiene
- Mask use for all visitors and staff; fully vaccinated visitors may remove their mask when in a private area with a fully vaccinated resident.
- Visits can occur in the resident’s apartment or outside.
- Requiring all staff to wear surgical or procedural masks and adhere to screening processes
- Maintaining the frequency and rigor of cleaning and sanitizing all surfaces
- Reviewing our emergency preparedness and response program
- Coordinating best practices across our large partner network
- Group activities are held
Helpful Links
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html
- www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/index.html
LCS COVID-19 website
Local health department website
From the Governor
