Residents at an Ohio long-term care facility have been waiting 34 years to celebrate their favorite team in the Super Bowl, and their caregivers are planning a major celebration in honor of the Cincinnati Bengals.
“We didn’t want to let this go by without a big celebration,” said Megan Ulrich, vice president of marketing and business development for Maple Knoll Village in Cincinnati.
The 141-bed long-term care facility offers independent, assisted living and skilled nursing services in Cincinnati. It is hosting a watch party this weekend for residents to enjoy the game-day festivities and cheer on their favorite team.
The facility wasn’t able to host many activities in January due to high COVID-19 infection rates around the surrounding area. But once the Bengals secured a spot in the Super Bowl, facility leaders were “bombarded with calls” from residents to have a party, Ulrich said.
“A lot of our residents actually watched the [playoff] games alone or with family members in their home. They weren’t able to gather together for celebration,” she told McKnight’s Long-Term Care News on Wednesday.
Staff decided the best route would be to open up its auditorium to host a watch party on Sunday. The party will include a bar with Cincinnati-themed dishes, trivia and other treats for residents during the game.
So far, more than 125 residents have said they’re coming to the watch party. The auditorium can fit up to 175.
As they plan for the event, Ulrich added that staff are trying to be as careful and considerate of concerns surrounding the potential spread of COVID-19. Measures include requiring residents to wear masks at all times, unless they’re eating; social distancing; hand sanitizer on all tables and encouraging people to only sit with those they’ve already been in contact with.
“We’re trying to be as safe as we can be but still kind of giving them the opportunity to celebrate,” Ulrich said. “We wanted to offer this opportunity for those who feel comfortable with celebrating.”
She added that residents are “beyond thrilled” leading up to the game.
“We’ve got people and fans who have been following the Bengals since they started in Cincinnati in the 1960s,” Ulrich said. “For them to see this come to fruition again is something that’s incredible.”
