This walkable neighborhood around Webster House provides those fortunate enough to live in this boutique community easy access to both cultural and culinary experiences that will fill your days. Whether you are interested in the evening concerts at the local Methodist Church or simply want to linger at a local café, the activities you enjoy are only a couple of blocks away.

A stroll down University Avenue provides a wide range of restaurants and shops to choose from. Local favorites for Webster House residents include Café Mademoiselle Colette, Verve Coffee, Redwood Café and Café Venetia, which are all within easy walking distance of their low-rise apartment homes. This accessibility highlights the essence of independent living in Palo Alto, where convenience and community go hand in hand.

For those interested in expanding their horizons or showing their support for the Cardinal, Stanford University is only one mile away, presenting even more opportunities for engagement and exploration. This proximity to such a prestigious institution further enhances the appeal of Webster House as a premiere choice for senior living in the Palo Alto area. You can also participate in community events, such as the local farmers market or community garden.

Living in a walkable neighborhood is increasingly recognized as a key component of healthy, sustainable living. The essence of a walkable community lies in its ability to support an active lifestyle, foster social interactions and provide easy access to daily necessities and amenities. Webster House, nestled in the heart of downtown Palo Alto, exemplifies the pinnacle of walkable living, offering residents a unique blend of convenience, community and wellbeing.

Research has consistently shown that walkable neighborhoods contribute significantly to physical health by encouraging physical activity. Moreover, the Webster House community itself provides residents with a host of wellness activities, an outdoor heated pool, fine dining and access to care and support. The intimate community ensures that you’ll know your neighbors and find connections and camaraderie. 

In addition to the rich amenities and cultural opportunities highlighted, Webster House is also at the forefront of offering luxury senior living in Palo Alto. Each apartment is designed with the comfort and convenience of its residents in mind, ensuring a high standard of living that caters to the specific needs of seniors. The modern finishes and thoughtful layouts provide an unmatched level of elegance and functionality, making it easy for residents to feel truly at home.

Beyond the physical comforts, Webster House places a strong emphasis on creating a vibrant and supportive community atmosphere. Regularly scheduled social events, classes and gatherings encourage residents to engage with one another, fostering a sense of belonging and community spirit. This aspect of social interaction is crucial for a fulfilling senior living experience, allowing residents to form meaningful connections and enjoy their golden years to the fullest.

Safety and security are paramount at Webster House, with measures in place to ensure that residents feel secure at all times. From emergency response systems in each apartment to the presence of attentive staff around the clock, every detail has been considered to provide peace of mind for both residents and their loved ones.

The commitment to wellness extends to the dining experiences offered at Webster House. Nutritionally balanced chef-prepared meals are available, featuring a variety of cuisines to cater to diverse palates and dietary needs. Dining together not only provides nutritional benefits but also serves as another opportunity for residents to connect and share stories over delicious food.

Palo Alto is a culinary haven with an impressive array of dining options all within walking distance. From the comforting ambiance of Fambrini’s Café to the innovative dishes at Son & Garden and the exquisite Mediterranean flavors at Evvia Estiatorio, there’s something to satisfy every craving. The diverse and vibrant restaurant scene around Webster House ensures that residents have access to some of the best dining experiences Palo Alto has to offer, making every meal and adventure waiting to be discovered.

Choosing Webster House means embracing a lifestyle where every need is met with care and every day offers new possibilities for joy and fulfillment. It represents the pinnacle of senior living in Palo Alto.

Come take a walk around Webster House! Schedule a tour and see for yourself how life here seamlessly blends comfort, culture and community, major factors when looking for senior living in Palo Alto. Experience firsthand why Webster House is not just a place to live, but a place to thrive.

The post Walkable Webster House in the Heart of Palo Alto appeared first on Front Porch.

Senior living is experiencing a transformative shift, driven largely by the evolving needs, wants, and expectations of the retiring Baby Boomer generation. As millions transition into retirement, there’s a growing demand for a fresh approach to community living, with a heightened focus on hospitality services. But it’s about more than just exceptional food and personalized experiences.

In Palo Alto, California, Webster House, a Front Porch community, is leading a quiet yet profound transformation. Residents enjoy locally sourced seafood from the docks of San Francisco, indulge in crisp salads with lettuce grown right in the community, and engage in insightful discussions about the food’s origins — all while championing sustainability practices.

It begins with one community’s commitment to innovation. Webster House’s efforts not only showcase the advantages of sustainable community living but also highlight opportunities for senior communities nationwide. In this blog post, we will explore how incorporating sustainability practices into modern senior communities is also cultivating economic and ecological efficiencies.

Local Sourcing: A Seafood Delight

Webster House is leading a culinary experience that marries delicious flavors with sustainable practices. One standout initiative is the Boat2Table program, which brings the residents the freshest seafood from the renowned docks of San Francisco. Every week, residents enjoy seafood caught just hours before, elevating the dining experience while supporting the local economy.

What sets Webster House apart is its dedication to bridging the gap between residents and their food’s origins. Local fishermen are welcomed to the community, sparking enriching discussions about food sources, the seafood varieties, their fishing techniques, and even the tales behind their boat names. This immersive experience not only enlightens residents but also deepens the connection between the community and local producers.

Cultivating Freshness: Community Gardens

In the Spring of 2023, Webster House elevated their sustainability efforts by unveiling Tower Gardens right outside the dining room. These innovating vertical gardens offer a space for cultivating fresh produce, enabling the community to harvest their own lettuce and feature it in salads several times a week. Beyond offering the pinnacle of freshness, it also significantly reduces the carbon footprint associated with food transportation.

Deepening its commitment to diversity and inclusion, Webster House forges meaningful partnerships with local minority famers. Each week, they feature produce from these dedicated growers, immersing residents in the stories behind their meals’ origins. This initiative not only underscores the value of diversity in the supply chain but also supports local farmers of color, enriching the community fabric.

A Holistic Sustainability Strategy

Webster House’s commitment to sustainability practices continues beyond the plate. In collaboration with Vesta, the community is a proud participant in the Chefs to End Hunger program to combat food waste. Through this initiative, the community is equipped with specialized containers to collect surplus food, which is then distributed to local charitable organizations. This not only minimizes food waste but also contributes to addressing the issue of hunger in the local area.

Economic & Ecological Benefits of Sustainability

Beyond the ecological advantages, sustainability practices in senior living communities, exemplified by Webster House, offer significant economic benefits. By sourcing locally, they reduce transportation costs and support nearby businesses, invigorating the local economy. Additionally, initiatives like Tower Gardens can help to further diminish costs related to purchasing produce from distant suppliers.

By sourcing locally, communities like Webster House are also reducing their carbon footprint by minimizing the distance food travels from source to table. Moreover, they contribute to the preservation of marine ecosystems by supporting responsible fishing practices and reducing the overall demand for non-sustainable food sources.

Additionally, cultivating its own produce minimizes the use of pesticides and herbicides, championing healthier and more sustainable farming practices. Webster House’s collaboration with local farmers of color not only fortifies the regional agricultural scene but also fosters equitable resource distribution, resonating with broader sustainability objectives.

Conclusion

While the efforts of a single community such as Webster House might appear modest, the community symbolizes a profound and purposeful approach to senior living. Prioritizing sustainability, locally sourced food, and partnerships with farmers of color uplift local agriculture and showcase the transformative power of sustainability practices in senior living communities.

Through locally sourced seafood, community gardens, and active engagement in programs like Chefs to End Hunger, they showcase the economic and ecological efficiencies that come with prioritizing sustainability. This community’s commitment to fostering connections between residents and their food sources sets a shining example for others to follow. It also becomes evident that building community one meal at a a time is not just about serving kindness: it’s about nurturing a better, more sustainable future.

This blog originally appeared on the CCL Hospitality Group website. Used with permission.

The post Sustainability Practices in Senior Living: Cultivating Economic and Ecological Efficiency appeared first on Front Porch.

Through Front Porch Communities Foundation’s Circle of Friends funds, neighbors extend their care and assistance to one another when they need it most. Since the very first Front Porch communities opened their doors, residents and their family members have shown their support for the Circle of Friends through annual contributions and gifts made through wills or estate plans.

Front Porch communities support and celebrate the Circle of Friends in various ways. Recently, residents at five Front Porch communities came together for a special dinner aimed at raising awareness and support for the Circle of Friends. The Foundation collaborated with Morrison Community Living, the executive chefs from Spring Lake Village (Santa Rosa), St. Paul’s Towers (Oakland), Webster House (Palo Alto), San Francisco Towers and Walnut Village (Anaheim), as well as a committee of residents, to create a unique menu for the occasion. Residents gathered together, fostering new friendships, cherishing old ones and learning more about the Circle of Friends.

Other communities also place significant emphasis on resident assistance funds. Many Front Porch communities in Southern California educate residents during Philanthropy Week and engage in specific outreach efforts to raise funds for assisting those in need. The philanthropy committees are firmly engaged in the mission to ensure that residents who have outlived their resources receive the support they require.

The Circle of Friends resident assistance funds embody the compassionate spirit of a community that looks out for one another. The funds provide a safety net for residents facing financial difficulties and offer a sense of security and peace of mind. By fostering a strong sense of camaraderie and support, Front Porch communities continue to empower their residents to live fulfilling lives, knowing that they are part of a compassionate Circle of Friends.

The post Circle of Friends Provides a Safety Net for Residents in Need appeared first on Front Porch.

Senior Director for Resident Experience Rebecca Johnson created the program to support residents’ connection to the community and to one another. “We feel a sense of place but don’t necessarily articulate it,” says Johnson. This program allows residents to gather over time “to capture in your words why you feel as you do.”

Each Front Porch community has its own unique geography, Johnson explains. “When we hear the word geography we think, ‘mountains, landscapes,’ which is certainly part of it,” she says. “But geography is also everything that humans build. When we wrote the program, we were intentional about discussing both the physical and social aspects of geography.”

Sense of Place provides a safe environment for people who may not normally speak up in the community to address concerns. “Sense of Place is outside of the committee or council structure,” says Johnson. “Sometimes residents are looking for a new way to share their voice, a less formal way beyond the surveys and the committees that are already in place.”

“I marvel at people who have the ability to come forward and speak their thoughts,” said one resident participant at Friends House in Santa Rosa. “It doesn’t come as naturally to me, but after listening to others, I feel I can talk like that. I feel comfortable here. I feel I’m in the right place.”

Jeannie Pressey, executive director of Spring Lake Village in Santa Rosa says that Sense of Place is “an additional opportunity to gain insight from the residents on what’s working well and what they would like to see improved.”

Unlike a resident survey that provides a quantitative snapshot of the community at a moment in time, Sense of Place collects qualitative information that “puts the how, why, and what together in one place,” explains Mary McMullin, chief advancement officer for Front Porch. “A survey will tell us you think your community is great. Sense of Place allows us to understand why you think it’s great. It helps us identify rather than guess about the true community that’s here.”

Because residents were speaking directly with someone in person or on Zoom “instead of simply filling out the boxes on a survey, I feel that they were more comfortable in sharing their viewpoints,” Pressey notes. “And their views were clearly communicated as opposed to checking a box that says ‘are you satisfied? 1, 2, 3.’ You get some context on what people are trying to say.”

The program was open to any residents who wanted to participate, and a range of residents chose to join. “Having new and long-term residents in the same setting was critical,” Johnson says. She notes that newer residents who may have only experienced their community in the wake of the COVID pandemic with its lockdown protocols have a very different perspective than long-term residents who can recall and explain a community’s traditions. Meeting together gave residents a broader perspective on what community feels like based on their individual experiences.

Johnson compiled insights gathered during each session into reports for each participating community’s executive director, incorporating resident feedback, key questions, and recommendations for follow-up programs. Mark Nitsche, who became the executive director of San Francisco Towers during the Sense of Place pilot program, read the reports as a way to became familiar with the community. They allowed him to “really listen to what people are saying,” he recalls.

“People believe the ED is the last word, but it’s collaborative,” Nitsche says. Sense of Place allowed residents “to be a voice for the community and how you want to see community going forward. The program builds a sense of awareness, a sense of hope, and a sense of belonging.”

After testing the program as a pilot project at three Front Porch communities in 2022, Sense of Place is preparing to launch in more communities this year and may later be developed for use beyond the Front Porch system. Johnson is also gathering a working group to develop a new program called ATLAS, designed specifically for the new resident experience.

“Sense of Place is an influencer in decision making,” Johnson says. “It’s a platform for prioritizing the things that mean the most to residents, and one of those priorities is how residents, especially new residents, develop a sense of belonging and attachment in community. ATLAS is our natural next step.

“I’ve learned so much from the resident participants by leading this program. Each community is unique, with its own sense of place. This program has helped me to understand at a deep level what’s important for residents in their particular community. I can’t wait to discover more as we move forward with Sense of Place.”

The post At Front Porch Communities, Residents Discover their ‘Sense of Place’ appeared first on Front Porch.

At Canterbury Woods in Pacific Grove, there’s been no shortage of improvements across the community, including a fresh coat of paint on all the building exteriors. A few even have a new roof! It’s safe to say our residents’ favorite upgrade, however, has been the new self-serve coffee machine. Additionally, residents who pride themselves on having a green thumb are already looking toward the spring. They planted more than 200 daffodils, mini daffodils, and narcissus bulbs, as well as plenty of poppy seeds. We’re excited to see the results!

In Palo Alto, Webster House residents continue to foster growth and exploration. From new exercise options like Tai Chi and Qi Gong to stretching, toning, and weight classes, we’re staying fit and on our game! Our Superfood Cart has been rolling to residents’ doors throughout the year, sharing new healthy snacks each month. We’ve resumed our monthly lunch outings and, in December, we’ll be headed to the theater to see a performance of It’s a Wonderful Life. With everything from TED talks and meditation workshops to virtual outings through our Well Connected Museums at Home tours, we’ve got plenty to talk about and look forward to as 2022 rolls in.

At San Francisco Towers, our residents are exploring our new online resident portal to build connections and community digitally. We’re also celebrating the return of happy hours, social mixers, and performing arts outings. We celebrated our 24^th anniversary at the beginning of November, were recognized by US News and World Report in the elite 13% of high performing properties in 2021-22 Best Nursing Homes rankings, and construction is moving ahead for our new Memory Care neighborhood opening in Spring 2022. The future promises continued excitement and activity!

At St. Paul’s Towers, it truly has been a year of growth as a community. We also marked our 55^th anniversary as a Life Plan community in the East Bay, offering a wide range of care levels to meet the evolving needs of our residents. For the holidays, we’ve been reflecting on the meaning of Christmas through our Advent series, and we enjoyed our Chanukah candle lighting ceremony accompanied by songs, stories, and refreshments. In addition to our spiritual events, residents love socializing at our annual Christmas tree lighting party. And we are all looking forward to celebrating New Year’s Eve at another get-together.

At Spring Lake Village in Santa Rosa, being able to come together for in-person activities and outings once again has been one of the highlights of our year. In the spirit of the holidays, we’ve put up our beautifully decorated Tree of Hope in the lobby, which puts a smile on the faces of many residents. On December 8^th, new and long-time residents were delighted to see dining staff dressed up as Charles Dickens characters, an annual tradition. And we are all eagerly anticipating our upcoming holiday sing-along in the Chapel on December 21st. Whatever the season, we’re grateful to be able to gather as a community to celebrate.

Also in Santa Rosa, at Friends House, we’ve made several improvements to the property, and we are planning to add more apartments in 2022. Updates to our dining area and fitness center are also on the horizon! Expanded care levels mean we have new options to offer, including our new high acuity assisted living health center, which is unique in the area. And with plenty of holiday activities to keep our residents busy, we’re closing out the year on a high note.

As the affiliation between Covia and Front Porch continues to strengthen, we’re looking forward to even more great things to come. Here’s to a great 2022 and beyond!

The post A time to reflect. A time to celebrate! appeared first on Front Porch.

In Santa Rosa, at Friends House, most activities are resident led, which means if there’s something you’d like to explore or share, you can make it happen here. The library group raises money to donate for educational charities by selling books online and at events.  You’ll often encounter interesting lectures in the lobby about a variety of topics—a recent one focused on land use and the impact of freeway access on communities. You can take part in a Buddhist sangha (community meeting) on Mondays or join a variety of indoor, outdoor, and even chair-based exercise offerings almost any day of the week. Whatever your interests or your goals, this is a great place to indulge them.

The fitness offerings at Spring Lake Village, also in Santa Rosa, are nationally recognized for their resident-driven programming. From chair volleyball and Pilates to pickleball, aquatics, and yoga, the exercise calendar is always full of options. Plus, you have built-in accountability with plenty of friends and neighbors participating. Whether you want to take up art, drumming, gardening, meditation, or another activity, you can try out new things or dig deeper into existing hobbies with ease. Add to that all of the classes, concerts, and hosted conversations and it seems like making progress on your goals for positive aging is almost automatic here.

Involvement in the arts plays a big role at San Francisco Towers, from writing books to volunteering with the Ballet and Symphony or serving as docents at local museums. There are also museum-like displays of art throughout the building, all thematically curated by the resident art committee. Each wing and floor feature a unique period or style, and many of the pieces showcased, including paintings, sculpture, china, and other mediums, come from our residents’ own collections. The committee has even put together a guided tour they’d love to share with you.

At St. Paul’s Towers in Oakland, our goals for positive aging span physical, intellectual, social, and spiritual engagement. From ping pong and chair volleyball to dance classes and hiking in nearby regional parks, there are regular opportunities to get some exercise and try new activities. Our frequent museum visits, theater outings, book clubs, memoir writing groups, and art and clay classes in the ceramics studio offer fun intellectual stimulation. We also have discussion groups and plenty of other activities to encourage social engagement. And on the spiritual side, our chaplain’s Let’s Chat discussions on every topic under the sun are always lively and inspiring.

In Palo Alto, Webster House’s ongoing monthly Tai Chi/Qigong workshop series with Master Lee Holden has many of our residents exploring a new practice for healthy aging. From our Museums at Home tours to our upcoming TED Talks on the stellar history of modern astronomy and the secrets of resilient people, there are lots of opportunities to think, grow, and regularly set new goals. And residents will uncover lifestyle habits like meditation and inner smile practice to enhance their quality of life with our upcoming series of workshops starting this month.

At Canterbury Woods in Pacific Grove, the competitive spirit is strong. Chair volleyball has become a resident favorite. It’s a chance to have a bit of friendly competition while letting go, laughing, and having fun with neighbors and friends. In our recent Halloween Pumpkin Carving Contest, the creations were incredible and every resident got to vote on the funniest, scariest, and most unique pumpkins.

Finding ways to keep challenging yourself and evolving is an inspiring way to deepen your life experiences. With all the activities, committees, and involved people at our communities, it’s easy to explore your interests, learn new things, support others, and build stronger connections. But it’s not always about activities. Sometimes fulfilling your goals can be as simple as spending more time connecting with new friends and celebrating old traditions. What goals do you have for your future?

The post Setting Positive Aging Goals appeared first on Front Porch.

The Life Enrichment Directors across Covia Communities have been meeting monthly to share their upcoming plans and find ways to collaborate and share their virtual activities with residents of other communities. Alex Gerasimov, Covia’s Project Manager for resident experience, says, “In this time, our Life Enrichment teams united to support one another and to learn about each other’s best practices on keeping residents and staff engaged and involved in meaningful programs that enhance their health and wellness.”

Residents of Canterbury Woods and Webster House meet together on Zoom for weekly lectures and discussion groups on current events and world travel. Ania Spiering, Life Enrichment Director at Webster House, shares, “Both programs engage residents in conversation, which keeps it lively and interesting. It is wonderful to see people coming together and utilizing the possibilities that technology provides.” The two communities also share musical programs with each other. Every week, a Canterbury Woods resident shares a recorded concert, and in return, Lily Godsoe, the Webster House chaplain, offers a flute and meditation session.

Other communities have taken advantage of the virtual space to invite residents from all communities to join their ongoing events, creating more enrichment opportunities.  St. Paul’s Towers invited residents of the other Covia communities to join its sponsored webinar about water issues facing Northern California, offered as part of the UC Retiree Learning Series.  San Francisco Towers is also opening up its weekly lecture series to all communities. In September, the guest lecturer was Dr. Tammy Duong on dealing with loneliness and depression during the isolation of the pandemic. Spring Lake Village, known for its award-winning active wellness and fitness programs, shared all of its fitness videos with the other Covia communities so all residents can stay active in the comfort of their homes.

*This article was originally posted in the Fall 2020 edition of Community Matters

The post Enriching Community Through Shared Experiences appeared first on Front Porch.

A primary challenge for dining services at each community was shifting from a seated dining room experience to packaging all meals for delivery or take-out. Dining staff rose to the occasion with creativity, experimentation, and flexibility. At Canterbury Woods, residents even volunteered to help coordinate the orders for their neighbors so everyone could get what they wanted. To enhance their regular meal offerings, the San Francisco Towers dining staff offered a weekly door-to-door cart with wine and cheese and fresh produce from the farmer’s market.

At St. Paul’s Towers, a server went out of his way to bring Margaret Hasselman, an SPT resident, part of her meal that had gotten left out of her bag. “Last night after I returned to my apartment from picking up my dinner at the bistro, I heard a knock at my door. It was Roderick! He came up to my 12th floor apartment to bring me crudités that were missing from my bag,” Margaret says. “I still am so delighted that he would do that. Such an act of kindness, generosity, and thoughtfulness. ”

At Webster House, Executive Director Linda Hibbs checks in on residents by personally delivering glasses of wine door to door in the evening. At Canterbury Woods, the “Good Humor Crew” was a big hit, with dining staff going door to door delivering ice cream. “It makes me feel like a kid again!” says one happy customer.

Activities directors also had to adapt, and staff and residents alike began embracing the virtual possibilities for group activities. Spring Lake Village, which has a robust wellness program, created a schedule of fitness classes for residents to enjoy via the Zoom online platform, accessed by computer or tablet. A parcourse with exercises to be done outside along the walking path was also created as a way for the residents to get exercise while socially distanced. Musicians who would typically perform for an audience in the Spring Lake Village Montgomery Center recorded concerts to be enjoyed online. Residents also staged impromptu concerts in courtyards for neighbors to enjoy from their windows and doorways.

At St. Paul’s Towers, the program team organized a socially distanced virtual happy hour where residents visited the lounge to pick up a glass of wine, sparkling water, or portioned ingredients to make their own cocktail of the day. Residents took their beverages back to their apartments and tuned into a Zoom session to catch up and enjoy each other’s company.

Social distancing may mean that our residents and staff can’t be physically close, but fortunately, there are still plenty of ways to connect with each other and the outside world while staying safe at home.

*This article was originally published in the Summer 2020 edition of Community Matters

The post Sheltering in Place – Adapting to a New Way of Life appeared first on Front Porch.

At Spring Lake Village, Jodi Arnheiter, RN and Director of Staff Development, and Sherry Taylor, RN and Director of Nursing, have led the local infection control response. Jodi, who has worked at Spring Lake Village for over 10 years, was trained by the Association for Professional Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) — the leading professional association for infection control specialists. The training includes epidemiology, microbiology, science-based infection prevention practices, and implementation of practices in a long-term care setting.

“We are so lucky to have Jodi on our staff. From the first day, she was providing daily guidance on what we had to do to be prepared,” reports SLV Wellness Director Diane Waltz. Jodi communicates frequently with the Sonoma County Public Health Department on any new data regarding the current situation, as well as reviewing the updates from CDC and the California Association of Long Term Care Medicine (CALTCM). Jodi’s colleagues praise her calm, reassuring presentation of the facts and actions that need to be taken.

In Oakland, Lisa Hiltbrand, the daughter of Helen Hiltbrand, a resident in the healthcare center at St. Paul’s Towers, expressed her gratitude for the staff, whose compassion and care for their residents was especially important during a time when family members had to stay at a distance. “Since the beginning of the restrictions due to the virus, their extreme dedication and professionalism have been exemplary. The nurses and staff have gone to extraordinary lengths to support my mother. Ranka and the other nurses have organized regular Zoom meetings for my siblings and me,” Lisa says. “It is such a relief to see our mother when we cannot be physically with her. These extra steps are even more spectacular as they’re taken in a time when the staff’s workload has been increased. I know they are taking extra time for interacting with residents due to the lack of visitors,” she says.

At Webster House Health Center, Executive Director Linda Hibbs shared her gratitude for her staff’s hard work: “I’m impressed with the dedication and compassion you have demonstrated to our residents, families, and staff. This has been a challenging time with many of you anxious about the COVID-19 virus implication and the economic future of family members. Thank you for your professionalism and willingness to be a team of heroes! The care you show for our residents makes Webster House such a great community.”

Organization-wide, the COVID-19 response is led by a task force of nine executive leaders representing Operations, Life Plan Communities, Affordable Communities, Clinical Care, Human Resources, IT, Community Services, and Communications. Grant Edelstone, Covia’s Senior Director of Risk Management, and Cynthia Shelby, RN and Regional Director of Quality and Care, are critical team members, providing guidance for local staff on best practices for infection control and compliance with local and state regulations.

As conditions changed rapidly, Grant’s support to track and implement changing mandates and rules was invaluable. St. Paul’s Towers Executive Director Mary Linde, who is also a nurse by background, says, “I am so grateful that Grant is on our team, especially right now with the onslaught of information coming from multiple regulatory agencies. Grant ensures that we all get the information and sends it to us with a concise recap. He also finds the information for us when we are scrambling to meet the demands of our situation. And he does all of this with patience and kindness.”

For the past three years, Cynthia Shelby has worked across Covia, providing support to the six health care centers at Covia Communities. She, along with other members of the Clinical Team, offers guidance  on the complexities of skilled nursing, including regulatory requirements, preparing for surveys from state regulators, billing questions, staffing concerns, training, and even filling in for key roles as needed.

“A key part of our mission is the continuum of care and how the full team helps residents transition through changes,” says Covia President and CEO Kevin Gerber. “The continuum of care is also about the whole person — not just thinking about their physical needs, but all of their needs.”

Covia has been able to get staff the supplies they need, ordering personal protective equipment (PPE) like masks in larger quantities and distributing to the communities as needed. Shelby, as part of Covia’s COVID-19 Task Force, reports daily on the needs and concerns of the skilled nursing teams, as well as the creative solutions they are implementing — such as turning sections of the health care center into isolation areas should a COVID-19 positive resident need to be kept separate from others.

“We’re making history,” says Shelby. “We’re doing things we’ve never done before. We’re introducing lots of new technologies, new ways of doing things, new ways of communicating to our families. Everyone as a team comes together for that.”

*This article was originally posted in the Summer 2020 edition of Community Matters

The post Leadership at All Levels appeared first on Front Porch.

“When we were restricted to our homes during the first stages of Shelter-in-Place, it was a natural choice to turn to ice cream to try to ease the stress and concerns on campus,” Kershner says. Since residents were no longer able to get their favorite flavors in the dining room, Kershner and his team turned to favorites like Dove Bars, Good Humor Cones, and It’s Its (ice cream sandwiches from San Francisco) to bring back comforting memories of years ago.

Each Thursday, two teams wearing masks and gloves “walk throughout the campus, knocking on every door to offer some edible comfort,” Kershner explains. Pushing a cart with a cooler attached and ringing a bell as they go through the 6 acre community, the ice cream delivery teams have become an important part of the week for many folks who now refer to Thursdays as “Ice Cream Day”.

Now, the “Good Humor Crew” has become highly popular as they make their rounds. Kershner says that people want to hear the full list of choices, and then sometimes ask for two. “One of our happy customers said it makes everyone feel like a kid again!” shared Mary Lou Kelpe, Life Enrichment Coordinator.

Ice cream has also become an important part of keeping the Webster House community connected. “I thought this would be a nice diversion for the residents to be outside eating a cold ice cream on a summer day,” explains Executive Director Linda Hibbs. “This is the first community social activity for our residents that have been sheltered in place.”

Each Wednesday at 2:00, about one-third of the residents meet outside for ice cream sandwiches, ice pops, or sorbet and an opportunity to meet and catch up while staying a safe distance apart. “The residents have the ability to socialize with their friends which I feel is best for their overall well-being,” says Hibbs. The ice cream is really just the cherry on top.

At Canterbury Woods, Kershner says it’s difficult to find words to describe what made these visits special. “When people open their doors and see who we are, the looks on their faces are very rewarding,” he says. “These folks were missing interaction, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

The post The Importance of Ice Cream appeared first on Front Porch.