CAI-NJ December 2020

Silver Linings By Rebecca Mattello, Lifestyle Director – Four Seasons at Mirage

A s challenging as some aspects of the pandemic have been, it certainly has been an unexpected opportunity to get creative and connect with residents on a different level. Our residents don’t just want to survive, they want to thrive and strive for the best life has to offer in any situation! That’s where we can really serve as a lifeline and be instrumental in improving their quality of life. Finding ways to stay connected and safe have kept the heart of our community beat- ing strong! Who knew how much fun we could have in the “Zoom Room”?! Although challenging for some at the start, Zoom has turned out to be the life preserver in quarantine. From Game Nights to Musical Entertainment, Poetry Shares, Comedy Nights, Book Clubs and Coffee Hours, we’ve been able to laugh and enjoy each other’s company weekly! Now, one cannot survive on Zoom alone! We’ve found other ways to stay uplifted. Sharing “Silver Linings” and focusing on the good, bright spots that still happen in daily life, sent out to the community through email. We’ve got Scavenger Hunts, “Gratitude Challenges” and Short Story Contests getting us through the upcoming months. We’ve found ways to remind each other that we are a CommUNITY by having pink ribbons on mailboxes for the month of October, Scarecrow Competitions and turning on our porch light on at the same time each evening to sing “God Bless America”. A lot of little things that we do remind residents that the support is there and that they are not alone. Sometimes there is just no easy path through a crisis. Hard as we try, we cannot find a way around it. The only path is straight through it with as much grace, dignity and kindness as possible. I’ve learned that the type of person you are isn’t discovered by how well you handle the good times, but how well you navigate the tough times. We’re confident the best is yet to come!

“The only path is straight through it with as much grace, dignity and kindness as possible.”

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