It all starts with a good cup of coffee; talk smoothly flows after that first sip. Conversation topics range from how to make a good crepe and proper ways to fillet a pike fish, to name just a couple. Residents in their late nineties and early seventies join together, some arriving to Wake Robin this month, and some who’ve lived at Vermont’s only Life Care Community for decades. They call it Coffee Connections, and now that the state is over 80% vaccinated, they meet in person every Friday morning, ordering coffee, hot tea, and pastries from the Wake Robin kitchen and bringing plenty to chat about. “Coffee connections is like catching up with old friends,” one member said. “‘What’s going on in your life?’ and ‘how was your week?’ open up a world of conversation. There’s no agenda – it’s a space where we can learn about each other lives and truly feel connected to our neighbors.”
The Coffee Connections crew
Coffee Connections started as a need to meet the social challenges many residents felt during the restrictions of Covid. Staff brainstormed ways to make residents feel connected and not isolated. Exercise classes and Great Courses aired on 919, Wake Robin’s internal TV channel. Residents gave virtual presentations based on areas of their expertise, from sculpture to journalism.
Program and Events Coordinator Jena Necrason and Resident Services Coordinator Gretchen Roberge were motivated to offer more of a group dynamic solution. The goal was to create a virtual space where folks could have regularly scheduled social appointments. So Necrason and Roberge started casual Zoom meetings every Wednesday and Friday. “At the outset of the pandemic we realized it was crucial for Resident Services to still be approachable, especially during that difficult time,” said Roberge. “Coffee Connections provided that bridge for us and residents.”
Coffee Connections has met continuously since April 2020! Usually the conversation is open ended, but on two occasions the meetings were Thanksgiving and holiday themed. As Vermont increased Covid resistance, the group officially switched from virtual to in-person in May, when some restrictions were eased. What started out as a group of four to six people during the virtual meetings has now grown to a dozen or more! “It’s amazing that it’s in-person now,” one original member said. “It allows for anyone who’s strolling along to come on over and chat with the group! A resident who moved into the community just a few days ago joined and we were happy to have her, because we’ve all been in her shoes.”
Friendships have blossomed because of Coffee Connections. Bob and Alice, who moved here during the pandemic, became fast friends with Claire, a Linden Health Center resident, who came to Wake Robin when it was established in 1993. From first introductions on Zoom, the trio now meet regularly for meals. “Coffee connections has been a fantastic way of learning about people’s backgrounds and how they came here,” commented Claire. “I almost feel like a historian of Wake Robin in sharing all the transformations of the community. The group gatherings have been a real means to meet new residents and share my love of this place.”
Enjoying a good conversation
From empowering new residents to virtually meet their neighbors, Coffee Connections has matured into an informal and inclusive social group. Engagement is a major part of the Wake Robin culture. Whether you participate in pickleball, enjoy a larger group gathering like Coffee Connections, or prefer walking the trails with a single friend, there are many opportunities, small and large, to feel a great sense of belonging here.
