A Message From Your Executive Director
COVID Booster Shots, Thanksgiving, and more!
Dear Residents and Families,
Although it seems impossible to believe, Thanksgiving is upon us already. Many residents will have the opportunity to spend time with family and friends this year. We have much to be thankful for at The Village and high vaccination rates are just one of those things. I encourage anyone spending time with loved ones outside of the community to remain cautious and to follow social-distancing guidelines when possible. Although we are 100% vaccinated at The Village, COVID positivity rates are high is our area so please be safe out there. If you have not yet let the concierge know whether you will be here for Thanksgiving dinner or not, please do so by Tuesday. Reminder that the evening meal on holidays is a boxed meal. These will be ready for residents after the big Thanksgiving meal. This allows our staff the opportunity to go home and spend time with their families. Please see the front desk to make your meal selection for the boxed meal.
COVID Booster Shots: Next week we will offer the Pfizer booster to residents and staff who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine originally. If you would like to receive the Pfizer booster, please let me or the concierge know.
Thank you to residents and families who have so generously donated to our staff holiday baskets fund. I truly appreciate the support you all show toward our staff. If you have not donated and would like to there is still time. You may simply write a check to The Village and send it to my attention. Again, thank you.
I want to give another friendly reminder that reservations are now required for guests in the Windsor Dining Room. Please call the concierge at (802) 295-7500 at least 24 hours in advance for reservations.
Finally, it has come to my attention that non-flushable, disposable hygiene wipes are being flushed down our toilets. This is causing a major issue in the town sewer lines. PLEASE do not flush these wipes. They must be disposed of in the trash. Also, The Village will no longer provide these wipes to residents. If you would like to use them, you will need to purchase them yourself. They are available through delivery from our pharmacy if you are interested. Speak with any of our nurses to arrange for this service for which you would be billed directly by the pharmacy, HealthDirect.
Thank you for your continued support. From my family to yours, best wishes for a very happy and healthy Thanksgiving.
Nikki
Community Connection
Last week we celebrated National Bread Day by baking bread in Smith & Sons Kitchen, hosted the pastor from the Methodist Church next door for a lecture about gratefulness, visited Tip Top Pottery for paint-your-own projects, held a pizza party on Memory Care, and had visits from therapy dogs. In the coming weeks we look forward to lunch at New Thai Restaurant (maybe you remember Mio who used to be a server for us – this is the restaurant that she and her husband recently opened), lunch at Chili’s, shopping and browsing at the Bugbee Senior Center Holiday Craft Fair, as well as enjoying lattes, baking Christmas cookies, and playing cards.
We are still collecting food to donate to the The Haven’s food shelf. It has been heartwarming to see the donations pour in and to see that we are running out of space on the donation table. The table being too full is a good problem to have! Donations will be accepted until 11/29 and the donations will be delivered to The Haven on 11/30. Thank you!
Hannukah begins this Sunday, 11/28/2021. Life Enrichment staff look forward to helping our residents celebrate the festival of lights. Similarly, we expect delivery of our big Christmas Tree early next week and we look forward to all of the decorating to come. The winter holidays are a beautiful time of year and we are honored to be able to share them with our residents.
***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. We will offer a Pfizer booster for residents and staff who received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines next week. The CDC and FDA both have approved mixing and matching the booster dose.
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
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
- COVID booster shots are required for all staff members and residents.
Helpful Links & COVID Booster Shots Information
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
- www.lcsnet.com/covid-19-update/
- COVID Booster Shots Info & Resources: https://www.lcsnet.com/covid-19-update/resources/
Local health department website
From the Governor
Have Questions?
Contact us today!
