At Parker Jewish Institute, a festive, socially-distanced Thanksgiving

The Island Now
A welcoming “Happy Thanksgiving Parker Families” greeted those who preregistered for window visits with their loved ones.

This year’s Thanksgiving celebration differed from others, given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Yet by incorporating strict infection-control protocols, along with some innovative measures, Parker Jewish Institute is making this holiday season festive.

The skilled nursing facility is adorned with holiday decorations, which, in November, included a welcoming “Happy Thanksgiving Parker Families” to greet those who preregistered for window visits with their loved ones.

For these visits, residents, escorted to the windowed area of Parker’s indoor lower level cafeteria, spent time with up to two visitors. Their visitors, on the other side of the glass, sat outdoors at Parker’s Lower Level Patio. Here, residents and their visitors, protected from the outdoor elements, celebrated the holiday, while staying safe amid the pandemic.

These window visits are ongoing. And Parker’s Family Call Center continues to facilitate FaceTime visits for residents and their loved ones so that they spend time together, especially during the holiday season.

For this year’s Thanksgiving meal, residents enjoyed traditional dishes such as roasted turkey, potatoes and pies – menu items complete with all their holiday flavors.

“Our dedicated and caring team members continue to fine-tune ways to celebrate holidays, all the while staying vigilant in protecting against the virus,” said Michael N. Rosenblut, Parker’s President and CEO. “With these measures, families can look forward to holidays, share some cheer and boost their spirits.”

In protecting against the virus, Parker continues to monitor residents and patients, screen staff daily and test staff weekly. These measures are proving successful in keeping the Parker community safe.

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