It’s official. Fall has landed in our laps, whether we are ready for it or not. While the summer seems like a blur right now, looking ahead to fall reminds us that the world is heading into the next season in an ever-changing world.
As we reflect on our past summer at The Kensington, it turns out there were many reasons for smiles and celebrations that should not be overlooked. The resident who has lived with us the longest, having moved in when we were just 6 ½ months into operation, also holds the title of being our oldest resident- and she celebrated her 102nd birthday this year! Walking under her own steam, there’s no slowing her down! Also, we celebrated another resident’s 100th birthday, complete with champagne toasts, speeches, and decorations.
Another hit this past summer was the first annual Sexy Legs Contest for our resident gentlemen. The contest had photos and the voting open to all. Some good fun that was a huge hit with both residents and team members alike.
All of this is to say that after so many months of enforced pandemic protocols, our residents’ lives changed for the better once we were able to allow communal dining and activities, and family visits inside our building. Yes, human interaction, conversations, and togetherness brought smiles, laughter and singing (Karaoke has become the big draw during Happy Hour) back into our building. It’s been great to see, hear, and join.
Our team at The Kensington is starting to grow again also. New team members have been hired in Activities and Care Management, as well as a new Director of Human Resources to support our team members. It’s wonderful to have people join us who are eager to care and love, and do it with a smile.
Looking ahead to upcoming months, while we don’t exactly know what effect the pandemic will have on operations, that’s not stopping us from planning more celebrations. This year marks The Kensington White Plains 10th year of operations- our first resident moved in on September 1, 2011. Original plans for a week long of celebrating and gathering is now being reconfigured. Our creative leaders are hard at work finding ways to recognize and celebrate this milestone, while being in compliance with safety protocols.
The same can be said for our annual Grandparent’s Day celebration. Last year the annual event was postponed for obvious reasons, and for 2021, our plans are to honor each and every resident -whether a grandparent or not- with a spirit of celebration and respect.
We are excited about the fall, about the new people joining our team, and about the new residents and family members joining us. We’ve all been weathering this storm together, and I have no doubt that sticking together through anything ahead will be what sustains.