Keep Calm and Make Lemonade

Letters From Lynne

These are strange and uncertain times. When COVID-19 first broke, I wondered whether it would spread to the United States and if so, how long that might take. The answer to that question is now, unfortunately, clear. COVID-19 is here, so we must figure out how to manage the challenges.

We have all seen the many posters that say, “keep calm… and carry on” or more recently from the CDC, “keep calm and wash your hands”. In the case of COVID-19, hand washing is very good advice. Keeping calm is always a good idea. How we “carry on” in light of COVID-19 must change.

The situation we are facing is dynamic and often confusing. What we do know for certain is that older adults and those with existing health issues are more susceptible and harder hit. It is also true that we need to make sure that these more susceptible individuals are safe. And last, but certainly not least, we want to share our love and support.

One of the ways that our country is addressing this situation is to ask us all to be careful and limit the number of people with whom we come in contact. This makes sense given the nature of COVID-19. Schools are closing; public events rescheduled or cancelled.

At Juniper, we have chosen to limit visitors to our communities and to change the way in which we present our public events. This is not only mandated by various regulatory agencies, but makes good common sense! However, this does not mean that there will be no contact or that you can’t visit with your loved ones or participate in some of our planned activities.

At every Juniper community, we have the capability to help our residents, staff, and families connect. While it may not be possible to get together in person, we can still connect! All of our communities have the capability to help our residents and families visit virtually. We have devices and programs that can make that possible.

Many of our residents have smart devices and know how to use programs like FaceTime to speak with and see their friends and family. For those who do not, each community can provide a smart device to allow a resident and family to get together and not only speak with one another but see one another.

With regard to activities, in the next couple of days we will begin providing a number of our planned events virtually. This will allow not only our in-house residents but also their families and other community members to participate and share some of our day-to-day experiences with you. Stay tuned for instructions on how to access educational programs and some great entertainment too.

So, let’s keep calm and make some lemonade out of the lemons in our midst!