5 Ways Vi at Palo Alto is Keeping the Community Spirit Thriving During the Pandemic
The Lifestyle Department at Vi at Palo Alto has always sought to help residents connect with each other and to discover new passions and hobbies in retirement. However, just like the rest of the world, we have had to adapt to a new normal as stay-at-home orders continue to shift across the country. As many residents choose to spend more time in their apartments, our Lifestyle Department, with the help of staff members across all departments, jumped into action to find creative ways to bring the sense of community and connection to the residents.
“We are constantly striving to better meet resident needs with innovative, enriching opportunities to stay physically active, mentally sharp, and socially engaged,” shared Lifestyle Director Jessica Lyngaas.
Below, discover just a few of the ways that staff members keep residents engaged and connected while keeping them safely apart:
1. Dining in and al fresco.
On the culinary side, our teams have shifted seamlessly from dine-in to delivery, even adding opportunities to surprise and delight with birthdays, holidays and just-because days observed with personalized treats, notes and themed meals delivered directly to front doors.
The team also places weekly grocery orders for residents to keep them stocked with essential staples and anything they might need should they wish to cook at home.
The Lifestyle Department developed a plan for monthly if not more frequent surprise and delight opportunities for residents with birthdays, holidays and just-because days observed with themed treats, notes and gifts delivered directly to front doors. One particular favorite was a s’mores kit for the community’s virtual campfire fire program hosted on Zoom.
2. Staying fit and having fun.
Our team works together to bring the same fitness and wellness programs offered in the gym to our residents directly via the community TV channel. Yoga, meditation and functional fitness classes are staggered throughout the day to ensure residents can partake as their schedules allow. And residents are encouraged to get outside and enjoy the outdoor spaces within the community.
3. Going techie
Staff and tech savvy residents work together to get the less technologically inclined comfortable with online communication tools like Zoom and FaceTime® Voice and Video Calling.
And Lifestyle Directors across all 10 Vi communities pooled their collective research and resources to bring a new selection of virtual entertainment to residents every day, including museum tours, online classes, movies and more within an app that all residents can access.
4. Encouraging connections.
With residents set up with user-friendly voice and video calling apps, existing groups and clubs were able to resume meetings, from book clubs to choir practices. Residents also host online luncheons, happy hours and dinner parties.
And the Lifestyle Department facilitated the return of a little friendly competition and camaraderie by equipping residents with access and instructions to virtual group Bridge games. Residents can set up games against fellow Vi residents from the comfort of home.
5. Getting creative.
And as for entertainment, staff members from every department pulled out all the stops.
In addition to curating and delivering content like movies and lectures, staff conceptualized and recorded their own videos, including comedic skits, employee features and behind-the-scenes looks into the efforts of staff members and entire departments. They also created a monthly series of contests and raffles intended to engage resident afar, including a costume contests on Halloween to a community-wide bingo game on World Kindness Day that challenged residents to complete physically distance random acts of kindness within the community.;
And the creativity and resourcefulness of staff members at the community show no signs of stopping. Every day, they continue to find new ways to connect with residents and to connect residents with each other. And residents appreciate the hard work.
Glad to be connected!
There’s a lot to consider when embarking on the next phase of retirement—and contacting us is a big step. (Well done!)
We’ll be in touch soon to share expert insights and resident perspectives that we hope are helpful, and one of our team members will also be reaching out to answer any questions you may have.
Ready to learn more?
What's happening at Vi
