We are facing a difficult and scary time right now. Our lives have been flipped upside down, emotions are heightened and in more cases than not, fear has taken the front seat.
While hard times surround us, we urge everyone to take a deeper look and to remember why we are here in the first place.
We have grown to love each and every one of our residents, hospice patients, and families. Why did you seek us originally? You needed a place that was there for you, that would care for Mom, Dad, or Grandma like you care for them. You needed us, and you found us, and from there, another form of “family” began.
We treat your loved one as if they are our family, not only caring for them, but growing with them. We celebrate the important, happy days, and we comfort them in sadness and grief when it’s needed most. We know them by name, we know their children, and we know their children’s children. We worry about them and protect them as if they are our family and we do everything we can to care for them, not just in the face of a pandemic, but always.
Our communities and teams are made up of clinicians and professionals in a variety of specialties. We have so many passionate people in such important roles. From doctors and nurses, to social workers and aides, we all have unique roles and different responsibilities, but we all share one thing in common and that is that to us, your family has become our family.
We are a place filled with dedicated, hardworking people who followed a passion – a passion to serve. We give your loved ones medication, and meals, and provide comfort and quality of life. We read to them and create beautiful pieces of artwork with them. We work with families on new treatments and diagnoses, and we hold their hands when a loved one is in their final stages of life. We lend our families a shoulder when it’s needed, and we reassure them that we are here for love, support, and sympathy.
And when a pandemic unexpectedly hits – we rise, and we fight, and we protect. We monitor your loves ones day in and day out, constantly assessing and evaluating while still providing positivity among the darkness. Our staff adapts quickly, following CDC and state guidelines, while putting important regulations and additional PPE in place. We listen to each other and support each other as a team. We react and we push forward. We work hard together, and lean on each other, and we make sure to thank each other. We do our best to keep families connected through FaceTime, window visits, and letters, and we find comfort in local businesses who donate and help. We continue to serve our patients and families, and it is an honor. We are resilient and we are family.
This article was inspired by a Facebook post written by a Wisconsin nursing manager named Rachel encouraging those to spread the word.
