As a registered nurse and nursing instructor, who holds a Ph.D. in nursing science, resident Ann Grant is well versed in infectious disease protocols. And as a Villa Gardens resident, she understands how vital it is for continual engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"From what I have experienced here since February 2020 when I moved in, is that Villa Gardens is doing all the right things to keep residents safe and engaged," Ann said. "Staff are all very professional. I was particularly impressed with the Wellness Center's nursing staff and the support they give residents during this time. As a nurse, that made a big impression on me."
Ann is a very social person and when she moved in, she was looking forward to a full social calendar. But in less than a month, Villa, along with the rest of the world, "shut down" and had to creatively rethink the way it operated. Everything from delivering meals to residents' apartments to adapting popular in-person life enrichment opportunities to virtual or socially distanced events, were a challenge but something Ann appreciated.
"After the lockdown began, I soon realized I was so happy to be here," Ann said. "Sure, we do things a little differently but there has been no shortage of interaction. Unbelievably, it's been a very active time here, despite the pandemic. If I had to endure a pandemic, I'm very glad I could do so with the support of Villa Gardens where our healthcare is paramount, and where all our needs are supported. I'm confident in saying that I'm safer and happier at Villa Gardens than I would have been if I had stayed at my previous home."
While the world slowly returns to normal, Ann is looking forward to picking up her social life where she left off. In the meantime, she continues to enjoy exercise classes from her balcony, Villa's closed circuit TV channel that offers an abundance of opportunities and meetings with Villa's in-house senior advocate group on Zoom.
Ann holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, a Master of Arts degree in education, a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing and a Ph.D. in nursing science from The University of Texas at Austin. And most recently she completed an Associate of Arts degree in art history. She enjoys writing, art, music and is a devoted supporter of the Villa Gardens library - one of the many reasons she made the decision to move to Pasadena's premier retirement community.
Ann has taught at private colleges, community colleges and public universities in the United States and in Europe, including teaching for more than 40 years within the California State University system, where she is currently employed. She is also a researcher and an author. Ann is currently teaching an online class on nursing research design.
Her daughter, Mary, and family live in Pasadena, and Ann looks forward to bringing her family to Villa Gardens for Sunday dinners in the future, as the slow journey to normalcy continues. She also looks forward to working out in the solarium gym, attending community concerts and continuing to edit the weekly Tales from Fortress Villa resident newsletter.
"I look forward to seeing my friends and neighbors without their masks in the future and I know Villa is doing everything they can to make that happen as soon as possible," Ann said.
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