◆ Care Center showcases birthday displays amid pandemic.

If you drive by the Star Valley Care Center these days, chances are you might see a joyful birthday display painted on a window.

The birthday window displays are the brain child of Star Valley community member Carol Hoskins.

“Since no one is allowed to celebrate their loved ones birthdays in person, I hired Patty Fuller to paint the outside of four Star Valley Care Center residents windows,” said Hoskins. “It seems like a big hit with the residents and care givers alike.”

According to Hoskins, the idea of birthday windows stemmed from thinking about how family and friends were missing big milestones in their loved ones lives.

“Several of my husbands friends in the Star Valley Care Center were having birthdays in March,” she said. “None of us could celebrate with them. Patty Fuller came to mind because she painted windows downtown for Christmas. We thought, ‘wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a positive, long term reminder of our love?’”
“We got the permission to go ahead and do the project,” Hoskins said.

According to Hoskins, Fuller was more than willing to be a part of the birthday window project at the care center.

“Patty thought it was a good idea,” Hoskins said. “At first she wanted to donate the windows, but I wouldn’t hear of that and paid her.”

Fuller works as a waitress at Heggs. With the food service industry being hard hit with COVID-19 regulations, Hoskins believed the birthday window job could help.

“I feel I was helping more than just my husband, Wally,” Hoskins said. “Patty herself, the staff at the Star Valley Care Center, the residents all benefit from these little pictures.”

According to Hoskins, the birthday window project was a success. In all, four windows were decorated for residents Hoskins knew had birthdays in March.

“They don’t have to be just for birthdays,” Hoskins said of the painted windows. “That was the goal of these first four but other [events and celebrations] can be pictured.”

According to Hoskins, looking for creative ways to remember and celebrate important events with care center residents is important.

“Anything to keep the moral up for our loved ones who can’t understand not getting visits,” she said.
According to Joel Johnson, vice president of communications at Star Valley Health, showing love in creative ways is the new normal.

“With the current visitor restrictions for long term care centers across the country we have had to become pretty ingenious with how to provide activities and personal interaction to our residents,” he said.
Kathy Ziegenfelder, Director of Nursing for the Star Valley Care Center, said “the birthday window paintings were a way to bring cheer to our residents. They were very happy, excited and felt appreciated.

One residents family stood outside and sang happy birthday through the window.”

“Since the residents should not gather in groups we are playing hall Bingo where each resident sits in their door way and our staff are placed along the halls calling out the numbers,” Ziegenfelder continued. “Our activities department has provided a roving St. Patrick’s Day party and on a regular basis will walk the halls playing music and singing. We encourage family and friends to write letters of emails to our residents.”

If you would like to set up a video call with a resident call the Star Valley Care Center Activities desk, 307-885-5951, and they will help with the arrangements, Johnson said.