Technology: Sharon Towers’ biggest ally in resident well-being during a pandemic by Jessica Bourque, LRT/CTRS

On March 12, life at Sharon Towers changed for our families, employees and residents. Like all life-plan communities, we were forced to make some significant changes to the way we operate to keep our residents and staff as safe as possible. Changes like mandatory masks for staff and residents, screening stations before management and staff enter the building to work, discontinuing communal dining and all group activities, no longer allowing visitors on campus, and encouraging our residents not to leave our campus for any reason. To say it was a challenge would be an understatement--in fact, it continues to be a challenge even as some restrictions relax. However, it has been inspiring to see the innovation, creativity, flexibility and resiliency abound. ... In this changing COVID-19 climate, every department has had to reevaluate how we could best serve our mission. The question for our programming department--called the Vitality and Well-being Department--was how were we possibly going to meet the wellness needs of our 300+ residents without in-person groups/sessions, without a pool and without a fitness center? The biggest positive of COVID has been that it forced us to take a new approach and reevaluate everything.