Community, staff show support to residents at Wesley Village in Shelton

Chef Hector Velez creates an omelet for a resident of Crosby Commons Assisted Living Facility in Shelton./ Contributed photo

SHELTON - The community and staff at Wesley Village are continuing to bring joy and support to residents despite the current global health crisis. 

COVID-19 restrictions may be prohibiting activities and visitors, but that has not stopped the outpouring of love, support, and acts of kindness.

The team at Wesley Village is finding creative ways to engage residents while practicing social distancing. Our dining teams show their love through food. 

Special meal deliveries to apartments and cottages always bring joy, especially when Chef Hector Velez, from Crosby Commons prepares doorway omelets for breakfast or fires up the pizza oven for individual pies. 

Each evening when the dining team at Bishop Wicke completes their work, they head outside to make rounds and greet each resident at their window. 

At Wesley Heights, Chef Richard Scaife and his team make Breakfast Baggies for staff with healthy food and inspiring notes.

Due to social distancing restrictions, residents are no longer able to gather together. Social distancing doesn’t have to equate to social isolation.  

A top priority has been finding new and creative ways to engage residents and continue to enrich their lives. One important step taken was the creation of WVTV, a TV channel created for Wesley Village residents, full of programs based on resident input. 

A variety of original content has been created, including “Words of Inspiration with Chaplain Cathy,” exercise classes, virtual BINGO, and debuting yesterday, “GNN – The Good News Network Show”, highlighting all the good taking place on campus. 

The show can be viewed on our YouTube channel (UMHCaring) via this link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsD4wfKL99Y.     

Both family members and the local community have shared their support. 

State Rep. Jason Perillo, R-Shelton, donated over 2,000 face masks to Wesley Village.  

Local business including AIEP Host Families donated hand sanitizer and Modern Plastics, who recently changed their production to make face shields for healthcare workers, dropped off a supply to the campus.

Meals donated

Matt McGee, a senior at Shelton High School and an active member of the community, took to social media asking for donations from local businesses and families to support Wesley Village. 

Since then, more than a dozen families and organizations have stepped forward to provide take-out meals for our staff to thank them for the care and service given our residents. 

If you are interested in showing support for the Wesley Village team, please email goodnews@umh.org.

Wesley Village is a senior living campus at 580 Long Hill Ave. and is part of United Methodist Homes, a local not-for-profit organization. 

The Wesley Village campus offers assisted and independent living, memory support, skilled nursing, short-term rehab, and outpatient therapy and fitness services. 

To learn more, visit www.wesleyvillage-ct.org.

This is a press release from United Methodist Homes.