How Seasons residents are staying connected and engaged

According to Psychology Today, feeling socially connected to others can strengthen our immune system, help us recover from disease faster, and may even lengthen our life. People who feel more connected to others also have lower rates of anxiety and depression.

At Seasons, we understand that this time spent apart from our loved ones continues to be difficult. We want people to remember that while you may be apart from your loved one, they are not alone at Seasons. Our dedicated staff are working around the clock to ensure that our residents are engaged, healthy, and cared for.

Here are some examples:

• Wellness checks. We are conducting temperature and wellness checks for all residents, two times each day. Our team members and residents welcome a chat while checks take place.
• Brain games. Each day, our teams offer handouts with games like daily chronicles, word games, and different types of trivia. These activities are great for keeping players thinking and brain stimulated.
• Friendly competitions. Each week, there is a friendly challenge for residents to participate in. One week it could be a poker run, the next it could be a creativity challenge or a hallway scavenger hunt.
• Exercise. Remaining physically active is as important as ever, especially with the more time we’re spending at home. Utilizing teleconferencing lines have allowed residents to participate in exercise classes over the phone. If they do seven days of physical activity they can track and record their progress to be entered into a prize draw.
• Group calls. Residents can call into a conference line that is open to all residents who live at a Seasons Retirement Community. This provides a fun opportunity for residents to connect with each other while taking part in even more over the phone activities, including bingo and fitness classes.
• Small group activities. In addition to hallway safe activities, where residents visit or chat with their neighbours from the safety of their doorways, small group activities are now being enjoyed in groups of five or less. Guidelines around physical distancing and good hand hygiene will be communicated and enforced.
• Tuck shops. Mobile shops have been well-liked by residents as team members offer up special treats. Depending on what the residents of the specific home enjoy the most, treats can include anything from candy and chocolate to specialty beverages, to an offered choice of books and movies.
• Calling a friend. Connecting with a friend over the phone or video call can be incredibly positive, especially when we need to remain physically distant. At Seasons, our volunteers have been calling in to speak to residents, while our teams have arranged hallway chats, calls between residents, pen pal programs, and video call sessions with loved ones to keep them feeling connected. For a quick guide on how to use Skype or FaceTime for video calling, click the platform you want to learn more about.
• Surprises! Over the past number of months, our homes have witnessed many acts of kindness and meaningful surprises from outside communities. From entertainers volunteering to perform from a distance, to outdoor parades to deliveries of treats and small tokens of love and good luck, to window visits from loved ones; it continues to mean a lot to our residents.

Seasons Belle River Leasing Manager, Tia, explains, “We have been doing everything in our power to make sure each day they know that we are there for them. We have been there to celebrate their birthdays, anniversaries, and other milestones, even if they might look different than years past. We are there to listen and comfort them, and make sure they know we are all in this together – we all just have to take it one day at a time.”

Follow us on social media to see more examples of how Seasons residents are staying engaged and connected during COVID-19.

*Heightened health and safety protocols at Seasons are as directed by the advice of provincial and federal governments, our sector regulators, and local Public Health agencies, along with Seasons infection control policies. They are subject to change based on the current situation. For an up to date list of current precautionary protocols at Seasons visit Updated COVID-19 Precautionary Protocols at Seasons.