December 24, 2020
Dear Community Residential Program Families:
As we head into the holidays and we reflect on the past year, I’m struck by the resiliency of our community and the positive things that have happened even in a time that was uncertain and challenging. I’m filled with an enormous sense of gratitude to all of you, to your family members and to our team for coming together in a spirit of acceptance and grace in the face of adversity.
I’m proud that we’ll be able to look back on this time and remember that it was hard, but that there was a sense of community as we faced the challenges together and tried new ways of staying connected, using our creativity to stay engaged in meaningful activities and leaning on one another for support when times felt particularly hard. Your role in supporting your family members and out team has been incredibly important and I truly want to thank you for having confidence and trust in our team and working together with us to find our way forward. Your presence, even when virtual or six feet apart has meant the world to us all.
We have always known that it’s our relationships and the quality time we spend together that means the most and we’ve been reminded that it’s also the meaningful interactions: holding hands, hugging, a reassuring touch on the shoulder that brings comfort and reassurance. We can’t wait until it’s safe to visit without rules and make plans without counting heads or feet apart. We know that with the arrival of the first doses of vaccine, we’re getting closer and we can start to imagine what those days will look and feel like.
Until then, rest assured we will continue to be diligent in following the Public Health guidelines, exercising our creativity and supporting your family members as best we can. From all of us, we wish you all the best over the holidays and very Happy New Year!
Sincerely,
Peter Duff
Director, Community Residential Program