OHCA The Oregon Caregiver Fall Winter 2021

www.ohca.com FALL/WINTER 2021 The Oregon Caregiver 23 SPONSORED CONTENT treatments with activities, or arrange holiday decorations into a walkable “holiday village.” Consider stepping out the community doors and petitioning neighbors to step up as volunteers. Even if you cannot safely accommodate visitors at this time, neighbors may be very happy to send personalized cards or video messages to residents, film nearby holiday lights displays, record religious services, and share these short films with residents. 4. Bring in the Celebrities Are there any local celebrities who could be asked to bring some virtual holiday cheer into the community? If a group of residents enjoys a certain tv program or movie, try getting a community-wide message from a favorite actor via services like Cameo or Memmo. Even someone like an evening news anchor or radio personality with whom residents are very familiar would be a welcome addition to the party. They may be very willing to send a digital greeting or host a virtual sing-along or game night from a safe distance. 5. Virtual and Digital Speaking of virtual, the 2-D connections have been vital to keeping seniors feeling connected during the pandemic. Try new ways of connecting at the holidays by setting up a virtual sing-along with a local choir or children’s group; family, friends, even other communities may want to join in! Does your community have a virtual reality program? What about a virtual drive-through holiday lights display or Santa’s village for residents to enjoy? Utilizing technologies will allow residents with hearing loss to maximize their enjoyment of music and conversation this holiday season, and throughout the year. The long term sector has been through a lot and being able to celebrate another year together with your residents shouldn’t be a chore. Rally your commu- nity, departments, neighbors, and suppliers to help you send out 2021 with a bang! Jen Bruning is the director of nutrition and brand innovation with Incite Strategic Partners, OHCA’s purchasing partner and an OHCA business partner. This article has been sponsored and provided by Incite Strategic Partners.