Country Living at Westview Commons

02/18/2026

⚜️ Mardi Gras Jubilation at Westview Commons⚜️

🎭 🎉 📿 Yesterday, we honored the tradition with a vibrant afternoon party among neighbors, family, and friends in our Formal Dining Room. Residents received advance word of this Shrove Tuesday soirée and arrived ready to party. Many donned their best combinations of the festive palette in gold, green, and purple. If any wardrobe needs arise, our Activities Department has more than enough Mardi Gras beads, headwear, and costuming—we assure you!

🎶✨👏 Guests at this gathering included many family members and close friends of Westview Commons residents. Excitement surrounding the event’s entertainers cast wide appeal throughout or community. We booked an engagement with The Love Dogs to celebrate Mardi Gras with an authentic soundtrack. The Love Dogs hail from the Boston, MA area—but you would swear their sound is right out of the bayou! Their dazzling set list was a fusion of jazz, brass band, and zydeco sound—matched with heartfelt vocalizations. Residents were treated to the tender tones of the lead vocalist and outstanding solos by the other band members. Each musician took a turn on the microphone in between the keyboard, drums, saxophone, stand-up bass, accordion, and the variety of manual rhythm instruments they artfully played. During certain songs the musicians ambled into the audience with their instruments in hand; bringing our guests closer to the music and marking a lively highlight.🎤🎹🥁🎷🎻🪗

👑 🎂 👑 A cultural custom of Mardi Gras celebrations is the presentation and serving of “King Cake,” a puff-pastry decorated with gold, green, and purple icing. A small baby figure (or lentil bean) is typically hidden inside the cake to be found by a lucky party patron. Whoever finds the “baby” is designated as royalty for the day—and in many traditions, that person is responsible for hosting next year’s party! We only impose the royal treatment on the fortunate finders; labor not included. Prudently, we opted to draw names of willing participants from a hat to determine our Mardi Gras King and Mardi Gras Queen, and, drumroll please…

Congratulations to Mardi Gras King Mel and Mardi Gras Queen Alice!

⚜️ "Laissez les bons temps rouler!” ⚜️

01/29/2026

01/06/2026

✨Epiphany Blessings from Westview Commons✨

Thank you, Mother Sandra Cosman of ChristChurch Pomfret! We are grateful for you visiting to break bread with us and honor Three Kings Day. Prayerful time together fortifies our bonds throughout the year, and we look to follow this bright light of fellowship as we go forth.

01/06/2026

One more round of applause for the Amity Street Brass Quintet at Westview Commons👏👏👏

Residents in our community enjoyed a holiday-spiced showcase of the group's musical talents during the seasonal festivities. Their original arrangements, lively repertoire, and heartfelt audience engagement left sweet tones in the air and kindred moments in our memories.

On this Twelfth Night of Christmas, we send happy tidings to all— as we joyfully illumine the year before us.

12/31/2025

Happy New Year from Country Living at Westview Commons!

With their jazzy, brass band ensemble, STOPTIME R***E helped us to celebrate the year in review with a variety of dance-worthy tunes. Their clever arrangements of popular songs entertained Westview Commons residents and guests as they enjoyed light refreshments and libations.

As we bid farewell 2025, we reflect on the past year's many kindred memories we created as a community. The warm essence sustained through each keynote event, seasonal change, and wonderfully average day at Westview Commons will be carried with us as we step into 2026. We look forward to seeing you there, friends❤️

12/29/2025

Holiday entertainment at Country Living at Westview Commons has delighted our community all throughout the month of December. We are always happy when our pals from The Illusions Band visit to rock the house—and their rousing renditions of Christmas songs recently resonated in our Great Room. The resident community attended with enthusiastic participation; many donning their most dashing and dapper apparel for the occasion.

As Tim, George, and Steve play, they maintain a positive energy connection with their audience. While enjoying the recognizable favorites selected by this trio, residents and guests joined the merry medleys in song and dance. At points, one musician might venture out into the audience for a little solo showcase—or alternatively, invite a resident to jump on the microphone to join the band for a number! Westview Commons resident Roger was happy to moonlight in such an opportunity; having just performed with the resident choir in the days prior.

Several members of our community invited family and friends to join them for this early evening performance. Country Living at Westview Commons has been festooned with colorful, sparkly, luminous decorations throughout the holiday season—but at moments like this, we realize the most unique, brilliant, and enduring treasures to behold are the cherished bonds among kith and kin at this special time of year.

12/22/2025

12/19/2025

The Country Living Choir completed their triumphant tour of our campus; bringing their spirited sound to audiences of all ages at Westview. Having practiced over the last several weeks, they confidently performed their medley. They cheerfully caroled several group numbers and added a few solo efforts to this holiday mix. On Monday, they visited the patients and residents at Westview Health Care Center with their song book. The audience of patients, residents, and guests at the Dayville, CT skilled nursing facility joined along with the provided lyric sheets.

Thursday held a double feature for our Country Living Choir: starting the day with the gleeful students at Westview Child Care Center and finishing their tour with a homecoming performance among neighbors at Westview Commons. The students gathered together in our big room and showed excellent etiquette and effervescent energy as we all harmonized together. At the end of the Country Living Choir song list, a group of students performed a song of their own—carefully practiced (with props!) in advance.

For the evening concert among the kith and kin of Country Living at Westview Commons, there was a celebratory atmosphere shared between the singers and their audience. As we regaled the season with familiar melodies, this new collection of moments together form warm images in our hearts. Bravo to our vibrant vocalists! Your choral cheer brightens our way—we lift many, many thanks to the Country Living Choir for giving us their gift of song.

12/13/2025

Making ready for the Holidays!

12/12/2025

Applause to the Westview Commons Readers’ Theater performers for their Christmas show! Our colorful cast of characters was composed of eager talents sourced among any and all willing residents. With a bit of rehearsal under the highly capable, creative cue of the show’s Director, Kay, the troupe set a date to perform among their community in our Picturedrome Theater.

Fans, family, and friends happily joined the audience of Westview Commons residents and filled out a standing-room only showcase this week. The whimsical narrative they played out for the attentive attendees involved holiday hijinks around the North Pole. They highlighted the hilarity of crossed signals and mixed messages during this busy time of year for Claus & Company. The characters included Santa (of course), Mrs. Claus, and a brigade of earnest elves with more benevolent ambition than basic awareness. The performers had fun coloring in their roles with expressive details. A few plot twists and character reveals later, the story resolved in rousing applause as the Westview Commons Readers’ Theater players took their bow.

Congratulations to the animated cast of the show: Sandra, Roger, Morrey, Dottie, Mel, Betsy, Paula, Carol, Clarice, and Pam. The actors benefitted from a bounty of costume and prop elements to playfully portray their characters. Residents Gwyneth, Bea, and Bill provided the essential elements of scene narration, lighting cues, and sound effects, respectively. One last encore is due for Westview Commons’ Activities Director Louise Taylor and Activities Coordinator Brenda Gabel, this performance’s proud producers. After the curtain, the stars of the show celebrated their creative endeavor with a cast party in our Family Gathering Room. The collective contributions of everyone involved manifested into this charming gift of entertainment. Now, like all holiday presents, it’s wrapped!

12/03/2025

Carleh Avery gathered accolades in September as Westview’s Employee of the Month. Carleh is a Server and Dietary Aide at Country Living at Westview Commons; ensuring residents’ reliable meal delivery with genuine friendliness. She began working with the team at the Dayville, CT independent and assisted living facility in April 2023 while still a junior at The Woodstock Academy. She knew she wanted to find an opportunity to work with people and gain experience in the “humanities” as she prepares for a future career in nursing. Since that time, she has begun studying nursing at CT State Three Rivers; viewing her time at Westview Commons as an invaluable step toward understanding care and building relationships in a healthcare setting.

Beginning when she came on board with Westview Commons, Carleh built strong rapport and mutual respect with the residents. In the moments building up to this recognition and press acknowledgment for Carleh, several bystanding residents affirmed their appreciations. Carleh shares her gratitude in return:

“I love the residents here! I always say they’re like my family; they’re like my grandparents. When I come through the doors, they greet me, ask me about school, and now that many know I’m pursuing nursing, they offer encouragement. That support really means a lot,” Carleh remarked. Her consistent engagement with residents allows her to further develop an understanding of empathy, communication, and individualized care. Carleh’s camaraderie extends to her coworkers just as well. In the dining domain, humor and collaboration are essential ingredients. “There’s never a dull moment in our kitchen. When we’re creating together, someone’s always laughing,” she added.

Carleh lives in Canterbury, CT and values the quality time she spends with her mother Tisha, father Peter, and brother Emerson. Their family also includes two Labrador Retrievers (the chocolate-covered “Wrangler” and the silver-coated “Bailey”) and Carleh looks to take more adventures with her canine companions. Outside of work, Carleh enjoys hanging out with friends—especially her best friend, a fellow classmate from Woodstock, CT. Shopping registers as a hobby for Carleh, as she is frequently drawn to Killingly Commons for a few finds. She loves to read a variety of fictional novels in quieter moments; often being charmed with romance narratives. Carleh and her family are seasonal campers in Lebanon, CT and have a great appreciation for the great outdoors. Paddleboarding, swimming, and hiking are among their favorite pastimes while taking their 40-foot, fifth-wheel RV to go “glamping” (as she describes). Carleh is every bit as enthusiastic about international travel as well: during a 10-day European trip as a Woodstock Academy student, she visited Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, and England. Carleh looks to continue exploring internationally, with plans to return to Italy following the completion of her degree.

Emphasizing her gratitude, Carleh went on to say: “I am honored to be selected as Employee of the Month. I truly enjoy going to work each day. Honestly, it doesn’t feel like work to me because I consider our residents to be like family. I enjoy all of our shared conversations and the stories they tell. This award means a lot to me, and I am grateful to be recognized!”

David T. Panteleakos, Executive Vice President of Country Living at Westview Commons, applauded Carleh’s dedication and impact. “Carleh’s warmth, reliability, and positive energy make her an such a strong member of our dietary team. Her rapport with residents, collaboration with colleagues, and eagerness to learn reflects the campus-wide spirit of Westview. Carleh helps us to create the welcoming, engaging, and caring atmosphere here at Westview Commons every day. Congratulations to Carleh!”

09/30/2025

🎼The Country Living Choir rounded out their September song circuit with a home show for fellow residents at the Dayville, CT independent and assisted living facility. This choral crew coordinates quarterly to bring sing-along performances across Westview’s three facility campus. Following last week’s performance for patients and residents at Westview Health Care Center, the audience at Westview Commons’ Picturedrome Theater enjoyed another song session among neighbors.🎶