But on the occasion that you do have a problem – whether it’s a question or concern, or a bigger roadblock in your pursuit of happiness – and you’re not sure where to turn or who to call, then we have just the person: Amy Ross, Director of Resident Services.

Every resident knows Amy. She’s been Vista’s “go-to” person for almost seven years. She’s one of the first people you will meet because she is part of the preadmission process. She will orient you to the community. And that’s just the start. Amy is there for you, no matter what you need, and either she’ll solve your problem herself, or she’ll expedite your request with the right person on the staff. Either way, you can count on Amy.

“The beauty of our staff is that we all do a little bit of everything,” Amy said. “Everyone’s goal from administration, environmental services, housekeeping, life enrichment and dining services is to make residents’ lives a little bit better. Every day is an adventure and I love it!”

Amy has a wide range of duties. She is part of the disaster preparedness team and the health services transition team. She helps new residents settle in and shows them the ropes, so to speak and assists residents with internal moves. As a licensed notary public, she assists residents with personal matters, advises maintenance of any requests (and on occasion, does easy fixes herself), picks up mail when residents go on vacation, supervises the beauty salon and much more.

During the pandemic, she helped deliver food to resident apartments, and on Fridays, she can be found holding down the resident “Corner Store” and serving dinner many evenings at Fernbrook, Vista’s assisted living residences.

Once upon a time, Amy’s career goal was to become a nurse, but after volunteering at a hospital, she realized the job was a little too clinical for her. Instead, she decided she wanted a more personal approach with people and a senior living community was the perfect fit. She worked for more than 20 years as a resident services director, admissions director, administrative assistant as well as in a myriad of other positions at senior living communities.

“In my last position, I was doing a lot of paperwork and it was not as fulfilling as I would like, so when the resident services position opened up at Vista, I jumped at the chance to come here. I just love that personal connection with residents. They are just a fountain of information. Their experiences and life stories are such a blessing to me.”

As a new resident, you’ll get Amy’s phone number and email, or you can just pop into her office and say, “hello” or ask her any question under the sun. And if you’re taking an inventory of all the great amenities Vista del Monte offers, make sure you add Amy to your list.

The post Meet Vista del Monte’s No. 1 ‘Go-To’ Person appeared first on Front Porch.

“They were my inspiration along with my grandfather who was cook at a hotel in the Philippines,” Chino said. “That’s why I’m the executive chef at Kingsley Manor today. Doing this work has a place in my heart.”

As soon as he was able, Chino started from the ground up gaining experience anywhere he could toward his goal of becoming a chef. He was a dishwasher, worked in fast food and studied culinary arts at Mission College in Los Angeles. He moved on to hospital and restaurant kitchens, then got his chance to shine and share his passion for food and cooking in a family environment seven years ago when he joined Kingsley Manor as its sous chef.

“I was working at a restaurant and an old boss from a previous job was the executive chef at Kingsley Manor and he remembered me,” Chino said. “Out of the blue he asked me to come to Kingsley as his sous chef. I didn’t know what to expect, but wow, this turned out to be a great opportunity.” After several years, Kingsley’s executive chef left, but not before recommending that Chino replace him.

“I made it!” Chino said. “And I was, and am grateful for the opportunity. I’ve worked at many different places but there is something special about Kingsley. I get so much interaction with the residents. The residents are like my family and there is no better joy than to cook good food for your family. My mom and grandmother taught me that.”

Chino enjoys creating a variety of interesting and delicious cuisines. On any given day, the dining room is filled with Italian, Mediterranean, French, Spanish, Mexican, Indian and of course Filipino selections, among others. “Our residents are very adventurous and appreciate diversity so they like the variety along with good old American comfort food. They make it easy for me to experiment with new ideas.”

Chino is able to create menus for most diets, including gluten free, low sodium and low-fat, which residents appreciate.

“He’s a terrific chef,” said resident Virginia Elwood-Akers. “His daily specials are as good, if not better, than anything you will find at a nice restaurant. He goes out of his way to please you. He’s a special man.”

“He really makes an effort to accommodate everybody,” said resident Annabel Brennan, whose favorite dish is Chino’s spaghetti bolognaise.

Even though he has realized his career goal, Chino remains humble in his work. He reminds himself of that with a computer screensaver that says … “Stay humble, work hard, be kind.”

“My goal is to serve the residents the best food possible,” Chino said. “Our residents are a social group who enjoy good food and good conversation during meals. I’m glad I can play a small part in their joy.”

The post Familial Roots Drive Chef Chino’s Passion for Food appeared first on Front Porch.

As a boy living with his family on a farm in Guatemala, Miguel remembers intently observing his father, an amateur beekeeper, watch his hive for hours.

“I did not understand his fascination with bees until I started taking care of my first hive,” said Miguel, a facility services supervisor at the community for nearly three decaes. “I then realized how fascinating bees are. Watching their behavior is like watching my children at the playground. It brings me so much satisfaction.”

Among his nine siblings, Miguel is the only one who followed in his father’s footsteps to embrace the hobby and become his family’s next generation of “bee whisperer.” His father taught him all he knows – not only what to do but also what not to do when it comes to bees.

“I think my first lesson was the time my father asked me to move one of the hives,” Miguel said with a grin. “He told me exactly what to do but I did not follow his instructions. The bees all left the hive and swarmed me. I had bees all over my body and head. I had to wash them away with water. Miraculously, I only got stung once.”

The art and science of beekeeping has changed since his father taught Miguel this centuries-old craft more than 50 years ago. “My father made his own protective suit and helmet and built his own wooden hives from scrap wood,” he said.

These days, hives are available commercially at farm and ranch supply stores, online or at specialty beekeeping shops. They are composed of a queen and bees that have been collected from the wild, split from another hive or marketed as a package or nucleus.

A nucleus looks like a tote with wooden frames on which the bees draw comb. These cells of wax store everything they need to survive, including pollen, eggs, the larvae or brood and honey. 

When building a hive from scratch, Miguel said it’s important to allow enough space for bees to move around but not too much that they begin building comb in unwanted areas. The first level of the hive, the brood box, houses the queen, her army of worker bees and male drones whose primary purpose is to breed. Worker bees live at least 28 days, and queens can live up two years or more.

“My dad never sold the honey, he just gave it away to his friends and family,” Miguel said. “I remember on holidays, like Easter, friends and family would come by excited to get honey. He liked to see the smiles on their faces when they received it. I sometimes give the honey from my hives to my friends, and of course to Friends House residents. I get the same smiles as my dad got. But I have to be careful not to harvest too much. How much honey you take is matter of conscience. Honey is the bees’ only food source. I have to leave enough for them. But I’m really not in it for the honey. I’m more interested in perpetuating the bee population and the surrounding environment they pollinate.”

Miguel currently maintains five hives at his Santa Rosa home, each of which he estimates contain at least 1,000 bees.

A single bee colony can pollinate 300 million flowers each day. Grains, like wheat and rye, are primarily pollinated by the wind, but fruits, nuts and vegetables are pollinated by bees. Seventy out of the top 100 human food crops — which supply about 90 percent of the world’s nutrition — are pollinated by bees.

Miguel says there are plenty of fascinating facts about bees: Bees thrive in temperate weather. It can’t be too cold or too hot, which is the perfect climate in Santa Rosa. Bees who belong to different hives rarely if never interact. Bees can identify if a bee from another hive has infiltrated its hive (many do so to steal honey). “Soldiers” are tasked with killing intruders or driving them out. Bees also need plenty of pollination sources to survive and to help humans survive.

“I think the biggest myth about honey bees is that they are aggressive,” Miguel said. “People tend to lump similar insects together. Wasps, yellow jackets and hornets can be aggressive and attack with little provocation, but the common honey bee is basically docile. If you leave them alone they will leave you alone. The worst thing you can do if you encounter a bee is to swat at it. Instead, just stand still and slowly move away.”

During his 26 years at Friends House, Miguel has educated dozens of residents about bees who have come to appreciate them and Miguel’s special knowledge.

“He knows his stuff,” said one resident. “We love Miguel. His work is along the lines of our philosophy at Friends House – preservation and sustainability.”

And what about passing on his hobby to his children? “I have four children and only my daughter was interested in beekeeping when she was young,” Miguel said. “But now she’s married and busy with her family. We’ll see if one day she catches the beekeeping bug again.”

The post Friends House Staff Member Miguel Giron Has a Hobby to Buzz About appeared first on Front Porch.

As a new resident, you’re sure to meet Wellbeing Director Ryan Fillingane shortly after your arrival. Ryan takes pride in explaining how to use the fitness equipment, is eager to learn all about your fitness goals, and ready to tailor a program to meet your unique needs. Or, if you wish, you can jump right in and use the equipment and pool at your leisure.

Ryan earned his bachelor of science degree in kinesiology with an emphasis in clinical exercise science from Cal State University Fullerton. He started at Walnut Village about a decade ago as a fitness coach and is now the Center’s director.

“Before coming to Walnut Village I had an internship at another senior living community and the experience of working with older adults was so great I wanted to make it my career,” Ryan said.

By working with older adults, Ryan knows the importance of how movement, of any kind, is a big contributor to continued well-being.

“My goal is to create a well-rounded program to meet all needs,” Ryan said. “Even if someone has limited abilities there is something they can do to move. For example, one of our more popular classes is chair volleyball. Residents stay seated but their upper bodies are moving. One of the many myths about exercise is that you need to spend hours in the gym for it to be beneficial. But actually, you can stay fit if you exercise for as little as 20 minutes a day. And you don’t need fancy equipment to do so. I can show you how.”

The Center also includes an indoor, master’s size saltwater pool and hot tub maintained year around to a warm 86 degrees for maximum comfort. Resident June Watanabe is an avid user of the Fitness and Aquatic Center. She enjoys walking, yoga and the balance class, among other activities.

“I like that the gym is so convenient, open 24 hours and has such a wide choice of classes,” June said. “Ryan provides a variety of challenges that help keep me fit.”

Other classes and programs offered include, water aerobics, chair exercises, stretch and flex, Zumba, Wii gaming, CyberCycle (an interactive recumbent bicycle), putting, weightlifting (with state-of-the-art, older adult-friendly pneumatic weight machines), health and well-being discussions and dance, just to name a few.

Other fitness activities include hybrids of exercises for the body and mind like the always popular scavenger hunt, during which residents search the community for hidden treasures. There’s also “walking Bingo,” which keeps residents on the move, listening for letter and number combinations after walking to different stations around the community.

“Exercise is always best when I can generate a lot of resident laughs and smiles,” Ryan said. “We offer easy, fun routines or more advanced, challenging workouts,” Ryan said. “Residents can participate as little or as much as they like. It’s all about choosing whatever fits you best at Walnut Village.”

If residents prefer, Ryan can work with them in a group setting, one-on-one, or even in the privacy of their own home.

“We’re here to help you with anything you need to support your well-being plan,” Ryan said. “It gives us an opportunity to get to know you, and for you to get to know us.”

For the well-being team, building strong relationships with residents is key. Knowing residents’ likes and dislikes and how they’re feeling from day to day helps the trainers modify an exercise regimen if necessary, or recommend something new.

“We will instruct residents on exercises to help alleviate current challenges and prevent future injuries,” Ryan said. “It’s all about helping the residents be the best they can be.”

The post Stay Fit and be Well at Walnut Village with Wellbeing Director Ryan Fillingane appeared first on Front Porch.

“I have the attitude of … let’s give it a try!” Henry said. “I love developing programs, really pushing boundaries
and thinking on my feet. Even if only four or five people try something new and enjoy it, they will invite their friends to come next time. At Claremont Manor, life enrichment is constantly evolving for the better.”

Henry’s goal is to provide residents opportunities to do what they enjoy while also exploring new pursuits. Whether it’s a game of billiards or poker, acting in resident-produced plays, attending art classes or exchanging ideas during a guest speaker presentation, there is something being offered to engage the mind, body and spirit.

“Life enrichment at Claremont Manor is about looking at the whole person,” Henry said. “My goal is to provide options. I want to touch all the bases with group or individual activities large or small. And if residents already have an established hobby or passion they have always enjoyed, I want them to continue to pursue it and even share it with others.”

“Henry works hard to come up with some great ideas,” said resident Ross Goodman, who moderates
Claremont Manor’s current events group. “Henry has been my biggest supporter.”

Henry recently started a seven-card stud poker game on Fridays, he hosts a history timeline discussion, and also hosts “What if History?” an alternative look at historic events. “I feel like the more I educate myself on various topics, the more I’m able to create meaningful programs others will enjoy.”

Henry’s knowledge from many disciplines provides residents with all-encompassing experiences. “I like to do hands-on cooking programs using my culinary background, which ranges from salmon canning and recipe development to restaurant management,” he said. His experience as a college and professional football
player helped him to host a great Super Bowl party.

“I appreciate that Claremont Manor has more adventurous residents than where I previously worked,” Henry said. “Here, residents have the opportunity to assist with, suggest and provide the life enrichment programming. That is not always the case at senior living communities but it’s encouraged here.”

Resident-run committees and programs include a music program, early morning exercises, current events group
and more. With 21 years of experience, Henry has made many connections. He is looking forward to developing
new programming at Claremont Manor that include wine and whisky tastings, intergenerational opportunities with the local elementary and high schools, an architecture corner, a lecture series and music performances in
partnership with the Claremont Colleges.

“I would not be in this field, as long as I’ve been if I was not immensely enjoying it and feeling like I was making a
difference on a daily basis,” Henry said.

The post Henry Hermosillo Says ‘Let’s Give it a Try’ When it Comes to Life Enrichment at Claremont Manor appeared first on Front Porch.

Her desire to do so was recently remedied when she joined residents Sally and Russ White for a “Blind Date,” Villa Gardens’ innovative program that pairs residents and staff for a “get to know you better” lunch.

“I see Mr. and Mrs. White all of the time, but I didn’t really know them on a personal level,” Maria said. “I thought they were serious people, but discovered that they both have great senses of humor, particularly with each other. We talked about all sorts of things. She told me about her family and I told her about mine. We definitely found a connection. The more I know about our residents the better I can serve them.”

“Our lunch with Maria was quite wonderful,” Sally said. “She was little shy at first, but after about two minutes we were laughing and telling each other stories. I think it’s important for staff and residents to get to know each other personally. It brings a family atmosphere here.”

“Blind Date” was inaugurated around Valentine’s Day in 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic by Life Enrichment Director Katherine Custodio and her team. At that time, interaction among staff and residents was limited so Katherine drew inspiration from internet dating sites that pair people up based on mutual interests.

“The idea just popped up,” Katherine said. “I thought, why couldn’t this same dating concept translate into something here at Villa. But instead of pairing up people for romantic relationships we would pair them up so they could engage with each other as new friends. We like to think of innovative ideas to keep residents engaged.”

Interested residents and staff sign up for a casual lunch and Villa’s life enrichment team pairs the participants up. They do not meet until lunch is served. The new friends dine on the terrace, outside of Villa’s bistro lounge, sitting six feet apart and enjoy specially catered meals from local business, in order to support the Pasadena community.

 “We particularly encouraged staff who work mostly ‘behind the scenes’ at Villa to sign up for a blind date,” Katherine said. “Sometimes staff who work in the kitchen or on the night shift don’t have a chance to get to know residents as much as they would like and vice versa. We hope bringing people together anonymously would add to the excitement of getting to know someone new and it has.”

To help facilitate conversations, participants are given a list of icebreaker questions. However, after just a few minutes, most said there was no need for help initiating conversations – they seemed to flow naturally.

“At first I was nervous but excited at the same time,” said Pauline Zamora, who works as Villa’s overnight receptionist, when interactions with residents are minimal. “I was paired with Janice Schaefer, a physicist, engineer and retired professor. “What an impressive career she had! But what I remember most is that she was so kind. I felt that she truly wanted to get to know me.”

“Villa set up everything beautifully,” said resident Roberta Lawrence, who was paired with a health center caregiver named Aura. “She told me why she became a caregiver and I told her about my career as an architect. It was a pleasant conversation and when I see her around the community I always remember that day.”

The blind date event proved so popular, it resumed during Valentine’s Day week in February 2022, which is International Friendship Month.

“This event turned out to be so valuable to the community,” Katherine said. “Everyone really enjoyed making connections. This is definitely something positive we created as a result of the pandemic. We feel we will continue our blind date connections for years to come.”

The post Getting to know You: Innovative Program Creates Connections Between Villa Gardens Residents and Staff appeared first on Front Porch.

At Spring Lake Village, we take pride in understanding and using the latest technologies and thinking to best serve our residents.

My most informative course this year was “Brain Power.” The lectures were of particular interest to me because, when I meet with residents for their annual fitness and balance assessment, a common report is fear of cognitive decline. The Brain Power course provided helpful tools for slowing and even stopping the downward trajectory of cognitive changes during aging.

Cognition refers to mental functions that allow us to acquire knowledge and understanding through sensory input, experience, and thought. Things that can impact cognition include exercise, sleep, stress, nutrition and environment. There are also normal age-related changes to cognition. Our brain function can be negatively influenced by disease or co-morbidities but, conversely, can be optimized by lifestyle modifications (such as exercise and diet). Normal cognitive aging includes some neuronal decline, some neurodegeneration, which translates into general slowing of daily activities, losing things from time to time, occasional word-finding issues, and possibly missing paying a monthly bill.

Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to change in response to experiences. We are extremely “plastic” as children. Researchers have only recently discovered that the brain can continue to change into later adulthood, but the effort required to elicit change is often greater.

By age 80, a healthy brain is 5% lighter than a brain in middle adulthood. These decreases in volume and weight are often due to physical changes in the brain and  decreased blood flow. Therapeutic approaches may potentially reduce the risk of pathological brain volume decreases. These include: Mediterranean diet,   supplementation, exercise, treatment of cardiovascular conditions and improving cognitive reserve. Cognitive reserve is like a cognitive gas tank. It tells us how long we can expect good cognitive functioning and what the course of cognitive aging is likely to be. A higher cognitive reserve yields a longer delay to dementia, more mild cognitive impairment, and may even slow the normal course of cognitive decline.

Stimulating activities and novel experiences are a pinnacle of healthy brains. As research has begun to emphasize, the combination of exercise or physical activities that possess elements of social contact, novelty, stimulation, cognitive demand, and positive mood states have significantly greater effects on cognition than any of these components alone.

A particularly successful technique involves performing two tasks simultaneously, one primary and the other secondary, and include a physical and a cognitive component to the activity.

The physical component includes tasks such as stepping, squatting, balancing, gait, strength training, and postural control. The cognitive component includes visual tasks, mathematics, working memory tasks, verbal fluency tasks, or rhythmic tasks. Research indicates that for adults 60 and older, a dose of cognitive-motor training of at least 60 minutes per week for a total of 12 hours (or 720 minutes) seems to be necessary to positively improve the cognitive domains of memory, executive functioning, processing speed, and attention.

At Spring Lake Village, we encourage all residents, to the best of their abilities, to be as active as possible. The phrase “If you don’t use it, you lose it,” is relevant to our brains. When connections are not used, the brain will allow them to degenerate. Sedentary behavior can be a main culprit. Research shows that participation in intellectually stimulating activities and physical activity, like those offered at Spring Lake Village, are two of the most effective interventions in promoting healthy cognitive aging. Our goal is for our residents to continue enjoying what they love and to discover new opportunities for fun and growth. There is no better way to do that than by maintaining brain health!

— Diane Waltz is the wellness director at Spring Lake Village. She holds a master’s degree in physical therapy form Stanford University.

The post Maximize Your Brain Power at Spring Lake Village appeared first on Front Porch.

Just ask Claremont Manor resident Richard Montes, a retired judge, who has been dabbling in this sport of men, women, kings, commoners and presidents, since high school and his frequent pool partner, buddy and one-time billiards novice, Claremont Manor dining room host Elmo Fernando.

The two play at least twice a week in the resident lounge, mostly during Elmo’s lunch hour on Tuesdays and Wednesdays when they manage to get in three or four games. Elmo has worked at Claremont Manor for around four years. About two years ago, a group of residents that included Richard, asked him if he wanted to join them in a game of billiards.

Elmo had little experience with the game except for playing the similarly played carrom in his native country of Sri Lanka. The resident players taught him the basics as well as the finer points of the game: how to best hold the cue, keep score, improve his stroke and speed, get the best angles and keep a winning attitude.

“It is so much fun playing and learning and socializing with residents,” Elmo said. “Everyone at Claremont Manor makes it a point to get to know residents on a personal level. It helps us serve them better. This was my way of getting to know our resident pool players, including Mr. Montes.”

“Elmo is not just a staff member here, I also consider him my friend,” Richard said. “I love how this game has brought us together.”

Elmo and Richard remain regulars each week playing games like “eight ball,” “numbers,” and “straight pool.” In addition to competing in games, the duo like to set up difficult shots for each other and see who comes out on top. They, of course, disagree about who is the better player.  The two love to engage in a gentle and humorous “trash talk” with each other but in a friendly way. Richard has the reputation around the community as somewhat of a jokester by his fellow residents and staff.

“Let’s just say we use our words to inspire each other to get better,” Richard said with a laugh. “I like to beat Elmo in all different ways.”

“You, my friend, make a lot of lucky shots,” Elmo countered with a grin. “It’s not all skill.”

Studies show that playing pool hones good hand-eye coordination, sharpens the mind, enables stretching and balance, helps build focus, burns calories and is a great way to socialize.

The post Friends Elmo and Richard Take ‘Cues’ From Each Other During Billiards Games appeared first on Front Porch.

“Getting in front of a camera is no easy thing,” says Jen Sabaot, Front Porch’s director of communications, who spearheaded the project. “If you know how stressful it is to be in a Zoom call, imagine how stressful it is to be in front of a camera and asked to give your personal story.” To help put video participants at ease, Jen got to know each one individually and sent some sample questions in advance. “Without that time getting to know each other, I don’t think we would have been able to get as authentic as we did.”

“I had a really incredible experience,” Victor Ceron, senior director of facilities, says of the filming process. “I didn’t really prepare for the interview per se, because I really wanted my words to come from my heart.” In the video, Victor spoke about the connections he has been able to make over the course of his career. “The incredible people you meet on this journey is humbling.”

Raymond Ruiz, director of life enrichment at Kingsley Manor, appeared in the video alongside resident Karen Palmer. “Karen has always been someone I go to,” he says. “It was a very humbling experience, making a connection and talking to somebody who you see on a day-to-day basis, especially during difficult times. It made me think about the tough year that we had and why we do what we do.”

Katie Wade, senior director of creative engagement, also found herself looking back on her career path. “It was really nice to reflect on the origins of my work, and lovely to think about an older adult in one of our programs who has influenced me.”

One thing that Katie didn’t expect was how hot the room would be where filming took place. “We had to turn off the air conditioning in the interview room to make sure the sound levels weren’t affected.” The video shoot took place over two days, one day at the Home Office in Glendale, and the second at St. Paul’s Towers in Oakland. Video crews also went on site at Villa Gardens in Pasadena and Oak Center Towers in Oakland for “B roll” shots of people in action.

The original objective of the video project was to bring Front Porch’s new mission, vision, and values to life. Formally adopted by the Front Porch board of directors on April 1, 2021 as Front Porch and Covia affiliated, the new, shared values of the combined organization illustrates what brought them together to begin with – values that were already being lived out by employees and residents.

“I am so excited and delighted to get these values out and about – not that we haven’t all been living them already,” says Lauren Mouton-Beaudry, director of ethics and education. “These values are action-packed and they really speak to me. I truly believe that our shared values bring us together. I want to thank everyone who participated in the video. You were using your heart, and that’s what came through.”

The authenticity of voices comes through for Katie as well, and she sees it as part of the authenticity of the work she and others do every day. “It feels very true for me in my daily working environment that people really bring their whole selves to work. We don’t have to compartmentalize our personal self and our work self. I think that is so critical for the relational type of work that we’re all doing.”

“I think it takes special team members to do what we do on a daily basis,” adds Victor.

To Lauren, the video is only the beginning. “It’s interesting: at the end, we say, ‘that’s a wrap.’ But actually, I am feeling like now is when our work and play is really going to begin. We’re going to be sharing our values. We’re going to be strengthening our relationships. And that’s what’s going to make us an even stronger organization.”

The post Mission, Vision, Values, and Video: Behind the Scenes appeared first on Front Porch.

He has been a maintenance technician at Vista del Monte ever since, with only limited opportunities to practice his former trade. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit earlier this year, this big-hearted man with extraordinary skills took the initiative and sewed more than 700 cloth masks for his Vista colleagues and residents.

“I had the ability as a tailor to make the masks so I decided it was the right thing to do,” Mateo said. “I knew at the time, there was a shortage of masks so I wanted to do something for my co-workers.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends, during the pandemic, that people wear face coverings in public settings and when around people who don’t live in the same household.

Working at a retirement community, with residents who may be at high-risk for COVID-19, makes staff extra vigilant about following established protocols.

Mateo found a mask pattern on the Internet. He received fabric donations from residents, colleagues and others, as well as using any extra fabric Vista had on hand. The result were comfortable, colorful, breathable and reusable masks made from cotton or cotton blends, for anyone who needs them.

“Any spare time I had I would sew the masks,” Mateo said. “I want to help keep people safe and make sure anyone who wanted them could have one.”

As soon as masks became more readily available, Mateo donated extras to the community’s Corner Store, the on-campus resident sundry shop. The store sells the masks with proceeds benefiting the FACT Foundation, Vista del Monte’s philanthropic partner that supports the resident assistance fund and other philanthropic funds.

The post Mateo’s Best Stitch is Making Masks appeared first on Front Porch.