Spread CHEER, Not COVID

Jasmyn Winey, Administrator

​I’m just going to come out and say it, this year has been challening and the holidays are going to be tough for all of us.

The second wave of the Coronavirus is back in full force as the days get colder and we are forced to be inside more, making socially distancing harder.

Whether we like it or not, the most responsible thing any of us can do this year is to celebrate the holidays with our household.

As the Administrator at Nippenose Valley Village, I have been dreading November and December for months. The question that has been turning over in my mind is, “how can I keep the morale of my resident and staff (ok and myself) up during the Holidays?”
The answer? By spreading CHEER.

Spreading CHEER is not just running around with a smile on your face they can’t see under the mask, telling people to turn their frown upside down, although I admit, I do that! It’s also a little acronym I came up with:

Continue to socially distance. This protects me, my family, my staff and my residents. I limit my exposure by using parking lot delivery services for groceries whenever possible and ordering presents online.

Hand wash frequently and mask up. Washing hands in hot soapy water for 20 seconds often and wearing a clean mask is the best thing you can do besides socially distancing to kill germs and viruses you may come in contact with. When you can’t get to a sink, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. 

Explore different options. Just because we can’t conduct many of our traditions this year, doesn’t mean we can’t still enjoy the holidays. Could one person cook the meal and deliver it in containers to everyone, then use a video chat service to pretend you’re all together? What about an outdoor picnic with a bon-fire? Could you celebrate in person with your co-workers instead of family, because, let’s face it, we’re all in this together. Maybe you could celebrate Christmas in July with your loved ones in six months!

Encourage virtual visits. We are so lucky to live in an age where technology allows virtual visits. There are many ways to do this, though FaceTime, Zoom, Skype, Amazon Echo Show, and I’m sure there are others I am not aware of! We have purchased an ipad to help our residents with seeing their loves ones.  A great gift this year for the holidays would be a phone, tablet, grandpad, Echo Show or other device they could use to video chat anytime!

Remember this is temporary! If we all work together, socially distance and practice the CDC guidelines, we will get through this sooner than later!
 
We’re all tired of this pandemic. It’s natural to get a little grumpy now and then at this situation, but whether we choose to have a negative or a positive attitude, we still have to get through this. So, this year why don’t you join me in Spreading CHEER, not COVID this holiday season!

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