Building Community in a Pandemic
Community is poured into the foundation and core of Menno Haven. With every resident that moves in, we add a member to our family. Although current times have created social distance, now more than ever, the strong sense of community at Menno Haven is concrete.
By definition, the word community means a feeling of fellowship with others. Throughout Menno Haven, we are inspired by the teams who continue to enrich the lives of our residents through new creative and safe avenues. While Menno Haven and the country works towards a new normal, we want to highlight some of the fun and innovative ways our teams have created community during a pandemic.
One of the perks of moving to a Life Plan Community, like Menno Haven, is the activity planners on staff. Coined, “Leisure Coordinators”, these talented individuals’ sole purpose is to plan activities for our Independent Living Residents to enjoy. While current conditions do not allow for large group gatherings or traveling, the Leisure Coordinator team has been busy planning interactive activities for all to enjoy.
Leisure Coordinator Tresa Day says, “Our team has created activities such as a community photo contest, where individuals can vote on resident photos throughout our communities. We also have hosted home decorating contests, in-home art challenges, ZOOM Bingo, and even virtual lectures!”
One of the biggest highlights has been the roving music performance through the communities. The Leisure Coordinators harmonized a musical performance on the back of a wagon while being towed throughout the streets of Menno Haven providing musical entertainment to Independent Living Residents from the comfort of their porches. Singing favorites such as John Denver’s Country Roads and hits by the Beatles, this performance brought music and sunshine to the doorstep of our residents.
Another added value to living in a Life Plan community is easy access to wellness. Menno Haven has a Wellness Team that provides classes, activities, and personal training to all residents. While the pandemic has halted gatherings, the wellness team has created fitness opportunities through virtual classes and recorded classes that are shown on the community tv channel for all to participate in. Now, Zumba classes can be done in a resident’s spacious living room on their own time! They also created a Menno Haven scavenger hunt to encourage residents to get outdoors and walk throughout the community.
One of the most important staples throughout life is good food. Luckily, Menno Haven residents didn’t have to give up their favorite dining and nutritious meals during these challenging times. Melissa Fink, Director of Culinary Services for Independently Living, proudly says, “We are providing delivery and curbside services to our Independent Living residents. We are also selling basic groceries such as fresh fruit, toilet paper, and deli products for added convenience.” Knowing that fresh dining favorites are being made safely in Menno Haven kitchens gives peace of mind to residents. Melissa adds, “I believe that the Culinary Team has been living out the Menno Haven Mission by being innovative in the way we transformed our culinary department in one week. Every team member is going above and beyond to deliver delicious meals with world-class service during these times. Our chefs have created diverse menus with a lot of variety of fresh ingredients as well as comforting home-style meals. We are going the extra mile to serve every person who lives at Menno Haven.”
Life will continue to look different but one thing is certain for the residents of Menno Haven. They have peace of mind that Menno Haven will take care of every need and is committed to serving and keeping them healthy and safe. Now more than ever, living in a community where you know your neighbors and have services available to you at your fingertips is a must. What are you waiting for? Better days are ahead at Menno Haven. Experience it for yourself and make it your happy place!