“The selflessness of the staff as they stand in the gap for our residents and families is inspiring.”
A Nursing Facility administrator shares his admiration and gratitude for the healthcare workers who care for its residents.
I want to share this story because I am the Administrator of a Skilled Nursing Facility. The selflessness of the staff as they stand in the gap for our residents and families is inspiring. Each day they come to work prepared to protect our vulnerable, beautiful souls in The Legacy.
Each day we walk through the doors of our skilled nursing facility knowing that we must wear PPE as we enter the building. More importantly, we must wear and portray our attitudes of joy and hope, and smile with our eyes as we interact with the beautiful souls who live in our facility which is their home. They don’t live in our workplace - we work in their home. Every person who works at The Legacy (nursing, nutrition, plant ops, housekeeping, billing, administration, and others) is committed to avoiding exposure and preventing transmission of respiratory illnesses including COVID-19.
We do not fear the virus. We fear the impact on our residents and their families. We conquer that fear by dedication to preparation, demonstrating compassion for each other, embracing the new normal, and utilizing skills to care for residents’ psychosocial, physical, and mental needs during this time in our history.
The most beautiful sight in my day is the joy on a resident's face while talking to their family member through the window, the smile on a resident's face as they talk to a staff member, or the song they sing with great enthusiasm. Each staff member stands in the gap for family and works hard to keep families connected with each other. Their tears are the balm that soothes the residents and their families as they know how much we care.
In nature, many animals shelter their young or weakest members under the shelter of their wings, in safe places such as dens or homes. They shelter them in the middle of the herd, or they hide them away to keep them safe from danger. God does not promise that we will never face danger, but He does promise to shelter those who trust Him “under his wings.”
Each day, staff show up armed with the tools to shelter and protect our residents and give them the best quality of life possible during this season of life. The staff at The Legacy are truly my Heroes and I am so proud of the work they are doing to protect our vulnerable population.
Jonni Belden - Nursing Home Administrator