It is December 1st and, as usual, all the neighbourhood elves have been busy making our home festive. The season would not be complete without the annual Decorating Competition. However, with COVID-19 protocols and precautions in place, this will be a very different Christmas at KL. Sadly, we will not be able to host our annual Christmas recital. Instead, the Recreation staff, under the guidance and talent of our Music Therapist, Sheila Harry, are producing a CD featuring performances by several Elders and staff. Part of a fundraising initiative, copies will be available for purchase at $10 each. KL is also partnering with Stenberg College again to produce our always anticipated desktop calendar for 2021 showcasing our talented Elders’ artwork. Our Elders sure have been busy! In addition to Music and Art Therapy, there are still many small group activities happening in each neighbourhood. The Elders have the freedom to choose how they wish to spend their time, whether it be participating in News & Views, Hymn Sing, Baking or many more activities!

Reflecting on the past year, we are proud of our successes and there are many quality initiatives in the pipeline that will keep us busy in 2021, such as:

• Remaining COVID-19 free. This will be challenging given the high transmission of the virus in the community and not having the vaccine readily available until possibly next summer.
• Finding out how to launch Rapid Tests for the virus that are accurate for LTC.
• Officially launching our refreshed brand/logo and website www.kinsmenlodge.ca.
• Maintaining our annual FHA Licensing Review at low hazard, low risk.
• Participating in the quarterly Licensing Audits for COVID-19.
• Exceeding $100,000 annually in donations. So far, we have received $94,000 in 2020 thanks to grants from the SurreyCares Community Foundation, the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, SafeCare BC, BC Care Providers Association and donors like you.
• Hoping to have at least one ABBY unit placed in all seven of our neighbourhoods. These interactive devices provide Elders living with dementia the opportunity for meaningful, easy to access, activity experiences. Currently, KL has installed the wall-mounted units in two of our neighbourhoods.
• Completing the construction of the in-house laundry on the parking level. Work has already started and is expected to be complete by early January.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and check out our new website for more photos and updates on our Christmas activities and the happenings at KL.

From our entire Kinsmen Lodge family:

We wish you and your loved ones Christmas joy, good health and good fortune for 2021. To quote Dr. Bonnie Henry, “be kind, be calm and be safe, and together we will get through this pandemic.”