Well, it looks like we have crossed over into 2022. While looking ahead to winter months is usually filled with images of snowstorms, hot chocolate, and hunkering down, this year there’s an extra element of foggy uncertainty in the air as we navigate the impact of Covid on our world. At the same time as the uncertainty, there’s also an element of confidence that two years of pandemic experience brings- which tells me we can get through anything if we are together.
The year 2021 brought vaccines, which allowed for family gatherings, regular visits and simply being together again. We all are grateful for the normalcy that came into life in this past year. Though I’ve said it before, I remain tremendously proud of the team that has endured, persisted, and consistently walked through our doors to do the right thing, despite everything else in the outside world. These same team members have remained committed to delivering The Kensington Promise – “To love and care for you family as we do our own”.
I’d love to highlight for you some of the things that have been happening here at The Kensington during the last part of the year- a testament to the changing times.
We have recently enclosed an outdoor space off the Lobby on patio, including outfitting it with heaters. This space will allow for outdoor visits without the bitter cold during the winter months. You may recall that most of our outdoor visits have ended up being in either the garden under a tent, on a patio, or in the welcome area of our garage. We hope that you will find this new space to be accommodating, private, and cozy for visiting with your loved ones.
We’ve also had some fun in December- including our first ever Christmas Tree Lighting and carol singalong- featuring a solo of Silent Night by one of our very own residents. Residents and staff of all walks of life joined along, and it was a fun afternoon complete with hot chocolate and eggnog.
In the latter part of the year, vaccinated visitors enjoyed their visits with residents immensely. In keeping with vaccine mandates, we have hosted a total of five vaccine and booster clinics, and have another booster clinic upcoming at the end of January.
Heading into 2022, we are strong, we are smiling behind masks, and we are ‘in it for the long haul’. For whatever lies ahead in these upcoming winter months, the one thing I know is that we can handle it. Our resilience, strength and spirit have brought us this far, and will take forward.
Let’s go into 2022 together- with hope and a positive outlook. Won’t you join us?