Residents at Masonic Village at Burlington traded their living rooms for the streets of Madrid and Barcelona last month as part of the community’s popular Armchair Travelers Program, a monthly series that brings the sights, sounds and flavors of a different country to residents’ doorsteps.
“Travel can be complicated, and for some of our residents, getting on a plane just isn’t realistic anymore,” said Lisa Reitter, Masonic’s independent living activities and volunteer coordinator. “Our Armchair Travelers Program gives them the joy of exploring somewhere new without the hassle. We want residents to feel like they’ve truly stepped into another culture for the day.”
The program is held monthly, with staff selecting a new destination each time based on resident interest. Past trips have included Greece, Paris and Italy. The popular program reflects the community’s broader commitment to enriching residents’ lives through creative, engaging and fun programming that goes beyond traditional activities.
In a perfect world, Reitter would love to travel with all her residents, but she knows that’s not possible, so she figured out the next best thing. She also wanted to give her residents something that they might not be able to do anymore, hence the chance to “travel” somewhere far.
“I wanted to bring that to them, as well as memories from when they’ve traveled before,” Reitter said. “I wanted to be able to bring back past memories and also bring something new to people. There are a lot of residents who have never traveled, so this is a fun way for them to do that without actually getting on a plane.”
Residents experienced Spain’s rich culture on July 28 through travel films, history and authentic Spanish-inspired tastings that bring the destination to life. They also got a boarding pass and refreshments from a flight attendant (Reitter) who went up and down the aisle seats offering drinks and snacks. After every program, participants receive a little memento souvenir. For Spain, it reminded them that the country was this year’s FIFA World Cup winner. Reitter would like to see the program continue annually, and she’s hoping to inspire other activity directors and activity departments from different facilities.
“I’m running with it; I’m really looking to create an experience for (the residents),” Reitter said. “There are so many places that they want to visit and we have a plethora of places to visit. There’s no rhyme or reason to where I choose where we’re going. I want them to come here knowing that they’re coming to experience a new, fun life, something that they worked hard for.”
Lisa Reitter, independent living activities and volunteer coordinator at Masonic Village at Burlington, stamps a passport for a resident following the facility’s Armchair Travelers Program.
