Jonathan

Now that Copley at Stoughton is opening up, we are able to book live music events for our residents and their guests on our outdoor patio. Our Activities Director, Cheryl Woodward, is scheduling performances at least once a week. In my mind, this is not just another step but a significant milestone, as music provides much more than entertainment for our residents.

Studies show that music is like a super fruit for the brain at any age.
It can easily improve your mood, is uplifting, can get you moving, and for some, religious and patriotic music can be particularly inspirational.

But music is also social, especially at Copley. Our live music events encourage everyone to get together, reducing isolation and boosting social contact. Everyone greatly appreciates this after such a long time of reduced contact!

Music can also do a surprising number of other things, such as boost creativity, improve language skills, manage pain, and even help people recover from illness or injury faster.
The overall snowball effects of music, socialization, and physiological benefits are reduced stress, better sleep, better overall health, and a brighter outlook. In turn, that leads to a better quality of life – and for many a longer life, too.

It’s been said that music heals the wounds that medicine cannot touch. It is so uplifting to again see residents and their guests singing along with their favorite entertainers. I’m so glad this is back!

Copley at Stoughton recently celebrated National Nurses Appreciation Week (May 6 to 12) here as we do every year. Now that we can schedule visits and accept new residents, we can take a little breath of relief. And while this is a welcomed turn of the corner, I can’t help but reflect on what a difference our nursing staff made during this year of the pandemic.

You’ve all heard that nurses were literally on the front line of the pandemic. And “front line” is such an appropriate phrase here. They put their lives at risk to ensure the health and welfare of our residents. We took every precaution we could to reduce the risk of COVID at Copley. But all of us in healthcare were well aware that this insidious virus can sneak in through any crack. Our nurses lived with this frightening prospect every day. We – and most importantly, when I say “we,” I mean our entire nursing staff – had to be constantly vigilant.

What amazes me most is despite this fear, our nurses remained cheerful and upbeat on the outside, no matter what they might have been feeling on the inside. That, I can tell you, was tremendously uplifting for our residents. Nothing was normal this year. But our nurses were leaders, showing that we could still look on the bright side, no matter how bleak things looked during quarantine. I know many of our residents felt reassured that everything would be okay eventually, based solely on our nurses’ positive attitude and a familiar face to see every day.

That’s how dynamic and invaluable they all are – providing care in a way that goes above and beyond.

I want to give a public “Thank you!” to our entire nursing staff, who bravely, professionally, and with a smile on their faces helped us through the worst healthcare crisis of our time. Next time you’re visiting, please think about giving our nursing staff a special thank you.

Art can be therapeutic. Copley at Stoughton’s lobby mural is an excellent example of that. Not only does it provide a creative outlet for our residents, but it also brings brightness and happiness to our hallways and a great way to greet visitors.
Normally, with the help of our incredible activities department, residents change the mural with the seasons, a symbol of constant rejuvenation at Copley. It’s sort of like a garden in that sense, bringing a fresh perspective every few months or so.

Of course, that’s one of the many things that changed with COVID. Restrictions meant our residents couldn’t gather to paint their beautiful murals. The last mural had to be done one resident at a time. But now, with vaccinations finished, we can start our in-person activities, with safety protocols in place, of course. So, the summer mural is now in full swing, with residents meeting in small groups, painting, and socializing with their friends, all for the common good!

If “COVID” was the theme for 2020, then I hope “back to normal” will be this year’s theme. As I’ve reflected in this blog, every month, we seem to get closer to the way things used to be, and life, in general, is getting a little bit lighter.
Spring is always a time for transformation, but it’s particularly significant this year. For me, this year’s summer mural will be one of the most important symbols for that change and rejuvenation.

I’m not sure we will ever truly get back to the way things used to be. But then, what garden looks exactly the same, year after year? Even if you put the carrots in the same place and the peonies and the tomato plants, the garden still looks slightly different than it did last growing season. Sometimes you even get good little surprises sprouting up.

That’s what I’m hoping for this year: good little surprises. Our newest mural will be a symbol of this too.