Summer 2021
Yes, yes, YES! Change is in the air, and the world is coming back to life again. It is such a wonderful thing to begin so see people smiling on the streets and seeing them out and about. And it is not only outside that we are seeing things come to life, we’re seeing it happening within our very own community.
This spring has brought back the sounds of musical entertainment and other vendors here to work with our residents. I love hearing people checking in at the front desk, even if through a mask as they head up to offer religious services, or plug in their sound systems to sing, or lead a poetry group. Yes, these things can still happen in our current post-COVID world- and yes, they do not exactly look the same as they did in pre-COVID, but the human spirit is an amazingly adaptive force. Especially in seniors, the determination to persevere is winning the battle.
Looking back over the last few months, we have all begun to feel the fresh air begin to whoosh into our building, albeit at a slower pace (due to regulations) than most would like. And looking ahead to the summer months coming up, I can only hope for more fresh air. More entertainers. More residents going out to be with families. More restrictions being cautiously eased back. More smiles returning.
If the pandemic has taught anything, it is not to take things for granted. So, it’s with a new set of grateful (and maybe rose-colored?) glasses that I welcome The Summer of 2021 at The Kensington. The grill will get dusted off and come back out, and the familiar smell of a summer cookout will return. The plantings in our garden will lure residents outside. I am hopeful for a return to less-than-six-feet-apart dining, and the days when we can welcome family members back into the dining rooms. Hope pulls us all along.
We never could have imagined the stress and strain that the past 18 months have put on residents, family members, and team members. I can remember in the beginning a collective sense of all being in it together, and now, as we enter this next part, that same sense of togetherness has returned. Your support of the work we do here has made the difference for us. And for that, I genuinely thank you.
One day at a time, we move forward. Yes, yes, yes.
Sincerely,
Celina Watson