Holiday cheer is strong at Aspirus Care and Rehab

Aspirus Care and Rehab (ACR), Aspirus Medford Hospital’s skilled nursing facility, helped ensure that residents were safely able to enjoy the holiday season with the help of community members.

“We feel so blessed that our residents received enough donated gifts this year to celebrate 10 days of Christmas,” said Mallori Strama, director of senior care services at Aspirus Medford Hospital and Clinics. “Not only have our residents been without visitors for the last eight months, now they will have to go through the holiday season alone. But, because of our community’s wonderful outpouring support, we will be seeing a lot of smiles.”

The senior care activities department at Aspirus also keeps residents engaged daily with a variety of different activities to help stimulate them. Hallway bingo is a fan favorite, with arts and crafts being a close second. Residents also receive an activity packet each day including trivia, history, geography, math, spiritual, fun facts and word searches. Other organized activities include writing letters to home, exercise and salon services such as manicures.

Amy Winter, recreational therapy manager at ACR, and her colleagues have started a tradition of “Friday Fun Carts” that have a different theme with snacks and beverages each week. “Friday Fun Carts have been a huge hit with our residents and the staff too! What started out as a little extra idea, has turned into weekly anticipation, joy, memories and smiles” says Winter. Staff work hard to incorporate items into the theme that the residents would remember from their past. Though group activities aren’t available at this time, Friday Fun Carts give the residents something to look forward to each week.

Other Aspirus adult living and care facilities in Medford include Aspirus Country Gardens and Aspirus Cedar Lane Assisted Living Apartments.