A Message From Your Executive Director
Dear Residents and Families,
As you know, we have been in a covid outbreak among assisted living residents and some staff for the past couple of weeks. We continue to work with the Department of Health to determine best practice processes to do what we can to avoid further spread. I will keep residents and families updated as our regular testing progresses.
For the past two years our residents and their families generously donated money or gifts toward the staff appreciation fund 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. This has quickly become a treasured annual tradition at The Village. If you are so inclined and would like to contribute toward these baskets, we would welcome your donations. Please direct all donations or questions to me and we will start planning this wonderful tradition.
Thanksgiving is approaching and so is our need to know which residents won’t be here for our midday Thanksgiving dinner. 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 a result of the current and sustained covid transmission rates in our county (13.4% currently), and our recent outbreak, we still are unable to open our dining room to guests. We will revisit this in a few weeks.
We welcomed another nine new residents in October and The Village is now 100% full for the first time in our existence. A huge thank you to each resident and family who have trusted us with their care and to our staff who show up every day to make it all possible.
Starting this week, we will offer drop-off and pick-up service for drycleaning. On Thursdays we will drop resident drycleaning at the Hanover location of New London Cleaners and pick up the following Thursday. Residents will be charged $10 per drop-off which will be added to your house account. Each resident will need to establish an account with New London Cleaners to pay for the actual cleaning. Please call them directly at (603) 277-9541 to make payment arrangements. Residents will arrange for drop-off service with housekeeping staff.
We have a new salon operator, Keisha Hobbs, and with this change you will see an increase in salon prices. A full price list will be posted in the salon by end of this week and we are working to get Keisha on a regular schedule, pending COVID outcomes. Keisha plans to work Sundays and Mondays. Please welcome her to The Village when you see her.
As Thanksgiving and Christmas approach, I wanted to remind everyone of our process for dining on major holidays. On both Thanksgiving and Christmas, we will serve our main meal at 12:30pm. In the afternoon each resident will be provided with a boxed meal for the evening meal to be enjoyed in your apartment. This allows for our dining staff to go home mid-afternoon to spend time with their own families.
Finally, we often find ourselves with outdated insurance information for our residents. This can make it challenging for pharmacy orders. If/when you have updated insurance cards, Medicare numbers, etc. please provide copies to Shanya or Suzette at spauldingshanya@thevillageatwrj.com or barboursuzette@thevillageatwrj.com. Thank you.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Be well,
Nikki
Community Updates & Activities from Russell Hardeman
November Events 2022
November 3rd – 99 Restaurant
Join a director for lunch out at a local restaurant. This outing is an extra cost that will be added to your monthly bill.
November 4th — Fall 2022 Gospel Choir Concert at Dartmouth – Tickets $12
In her debut performance, guest director Amaya Noelle Higginson leads Dartmouth students and local singers to a standing ovation. Friday, November 4, 2022, 7:30 p.m. (Leave 6:30 PM) Spaulding Theater.
November 8th — Election Day 2022
November 8th – Meet & Greet (New Residents)
Small gathering of residents that would like to meet and get to know our newer residents.
November 10th – Footloose The Musical at Hartford High School – $2 – $10 Donations
Footloose is being presented at Hartford High School. The 1998 musical Footloose is based on the 1984 movie of the same name. At the door, donations will be welcomed.
November 10th — Dartmouth Department of Theater “Pippin” Tickets: $15+
The story of Pippin, a young prince who yearns for passion and adventure in his life, is told by the ensemble cast. Pippin engages in combat to demonstrate his allegiance to his disinterested father, King Charles. However, Pippin assassinates Charles and ascends to the throne after the Leading Player persuades the prince to rebel against oppression.
Thursday, November 10, 2022, 8:00 PM (Leave at 7:00PM) – The Moore
November 15th — Handel Society of Dartmouth College: Tickets: $25
The choral society fills the air with the sublime sounds of two of Mozart’s beloved compositions, including the Te Deum KV 141 for choir and orchestra, the evocative Coronation Mass KV 317 for soli, choir, and orchestra, and Britten’s profound Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings. A full orchestra and four guest soloists accompany them. 7:30 p.m. in Spaulding Auditorium (Leave at 6:30PM)
November 17th — Gallery of Gifts: Handmade for the Holidays in Newport
Gallery of Gifts Handmade Holiday Boutique at the Library Arts Center, Newport, NH. Celebrating Locally Handmade Crafts for Holiday Giving Handmade crafts are perfect for holiday giving from 100+ artisans and artists from the region, including pottery, woodworking, gorgeous jewelry, handmade soaps, local maple syrup, and more. Free admission.
November 22nd — Tai Chi with Jay
Tai Chi with Mrs. Jay or “J” will be so exciting for all. Let us learn about balancing and developing our core.
November 22nd – Yoga with Katheryn (Come Prepared)
Yoga for all… Learn more about Yoga whether you are sitting or standing. Come on a guided tour with our new friend Katheryn. She is awesome!
November 22nd — Outing: Weekly Swim (UV Aquatic Center) – $8
Residents will be able to swim laps or exercise in the lap pool at the Aquatics Center every Friday afternoon for 30 – 45 minutes. Please be in the Lobby by 1:30 pm so we can get there in a timely manner.
November 23rd — The Railway Children – Northern Stage
Three siblings are compelled to leave their opulent city house and relocate to a modest rural cottage due to a family emergency. As they explore the railroad and make friends with the intriguing residents of their new town, Bobbie, Peter, and Phyllis come to appreciate living in the country and make exciting discoveries. This brand-new musical holiday classic, which is based on the same-named British children’s book, honors generosity, tenacity, and the capacity of a community to help those who are most in need.
November 26th – Hall Art Foundation Museum ($15.00)
The Hall Art Foundation was established in 2007 and makes postwar and contemporary artworks from both its own collection and Andrew and Christine Hall’s collection available for the public’s enjoyment and education. The public can enjoy viewing exhibitions of modern art at the Kunstmuseum Schloss Derneburg in a distinctive and historic environment. The Schloss, which is close to Hannover, has a thousand-year history. It was a convent for many years before becoming a monastery. It was the home of the Dukes of Münster in the 19th century, who hired renowned Hanoverian architect Georg Ludwig Laves to transform it into a grand house. The property was purchased by artist Georg Baselitz in the 1970s, and it served as both his home and studio.
Resident Spotlight
Vivian Boyle
Vivian Boyle was born and spent her childhood in Donora, PA – outside of Pittsburg. Her father Charles passed away when she was two so Vivian was raised by her mother, Esther, and her stepfather, Raymond. She grew up with an older sister, Janie, who she was very close to.
Vivian was an avid golfer. Her passion for golf began in school and she excelled in the sport. She also took up tennis due to a “very handsome coach”, but never gained great skill in the sport.
After high school Vivian attended Thiel College in Greenville, PA where she studied education. It was during her time at Thiel that she met the love of her life, John Boyle, at a Barnyard Frolic at the local country club. She married John when she was 21. Vivian remembers her mother claiming that both her daughters “married men who would not amount to a hill of beans”, referring to Janie’s husband who became a very successful businessowner, and John who was also very successful, serving many years as counsel for Smith Klein Pharmaceuticals. Vivian worked for Sports Illustrated as a “Girl Friday”, a job that she loved.
Vivian and John had two children; Stephen, who was the light of her life, unfortunately died in a tragic helicopter crash at age 21 while on a fishing expedition in Alaska; and Susan, who is a very successful attorney and lives in Woodstock, VT. Susan’s attendance at Vermont Law School drew Vivian and John to Vermont and they fell in love with the area.
The couple traveled to England frequently, many times for John’s work. England became Vivian’s favorite travel destination.
Today. Vivian enjoys playing bridge and engaging in conversation. She has a marvelous and sharp sense of humor. She is also a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan, as evidenced by the Terrible Towel which can usually be seen hanging outside her apartment at The Village.
Staff Spotlight
Shelby Gilbert
During our October all-staff meeting we had the pleasure to award Employee of the Month to Shelby Gilbert. Shelby is a Quality of Life Specialist who joined The Village a year ago this month. She is the mother of 2 daughters, ages 12 and 8 and a native of White River Junction. Shelby is a loyal and committed employee who comes to work and gets the job done. We really appreciate her dedication to The Village. When she is not working Shelby enjoys being outdoors, hiking and kayaking. Congratulations, Shelby!
Memory Care Minute
During October our residents on Memory Care participated in many fun and fulfilling activities. We went apple picking with assisted living residents at Poverty Lane Orchards where we learned how apples grow and what types go into hard cider vs. regular cider. We even got to sample cider! We brought lots of apples home and made an apple crisp with our fresh picked apples.
Prior to Halloween, our Memory care residents enjoyed a visit from Hartford High school students who are part of an Adopt-A-Grandparent community service program. The students were kind and engaging as they helped us decorate pumpkins with paint, stickers, and more. This intergenerational relationship is one we intend to cultivate.
Also in October, residents went out to lunch at 99 Restaurant and took several scenic rides to enjoy this year’s spectacular foliage. Day to day life on Memory Care is full as well. Residents love to play active games like noodle ball and ball drumming, having so much fun they don’t even mind that it’s exercise! Memory Care also enjoyed listening to Cooie and had a musical performance from Matt Seiple in the Wilder Room which allowed all of the residents to join the fun.
On Halloween residents and staff alike enjoyed a party with lots of treats. Staff did some intricate and dramatic face painting (thanks Clint!) on residents too. There were some very fun reactions and the excited energy that day was palpable. That evening several of us trekked to the main lobby to hand out candy to a few kids who came by for Trick or Treating. The residents have started working on our memory tree. This tree is located near the elevators. When completed it will show how enriched the residents’ lives are. We are also working on a memory page for our friends who have passed away or moved out of the community.
In the month of November our Memory care residents are looking forward to going to Simon Pearce to watch glass blowing as well as lunch out in the community, and as always, we will offer scenic rides.
Kathleen March
Memory Care Director
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:
- Currently we do not allow guests to eat in the dining rooms.
- Core principles of COVID-19 infection prevention will be enforced. These include:
- Hand hygiene
- Mask use for all visitors and staff; It is currently recommended that fully vaccinated visitors keep their mask on when in a private area, even with a fully vaccinated resident.
- 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
