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• JUNE 5, 2020 • Midlands Business Journal
Health & Wellness A section prepared by the staff of the Midlands Business Journal
Companies place health and wellness at forefront by Gabby Christensen
Now more than ever before there is a spotlight on health and wellness as companies implement changes to maintain the health and safety of employees. While technology was already increasingly being used by nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospices and home health agencies to enrich residents’ and patients’ lives, Heath Boddy, president and CEO at the Nebraska Health Care Association, said COVID-19 accelerated its use even more. “We have seen many examples of health care workers getting creative and incorporating technologies like tablets and iPads to keep residents Boddy and patients connected with loved ones and other health care providers,” Boddy said. With a mortality rate of 20-30% for residents who become infected with COVID-19, he said long-term care facilities have been at the epicenter of this pandemic. “The focus has shifted entirely to COVID-19 relief and support — areas such as securing adequate personal protective equipment, adjusting to modified staffing requirements, accessing continuing education hours virtually and staying
James Summerfelt, president and CEO of Visiting Nurse Association. on top of the latest COVID-19 communica- hospice or home health agency. James Summerfelt, president and CEO at tions,” Boddy said. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, he Visiting Nurse Association, said VNA is actively said the availability of direct care workers was at caring for COVID positive patients, as well as a critical low. Now, as the virus impacts the pool sharing infection control expertise with patients, of available workers, Boddy said it’s even more homeless shelters and the community. “As a home health care organization, our vital to compel people to consider working for their local assisted living facility, nursing home, biggest adaptations have been increased use
June 5, 2020
of personal protective equipment (PPE) and accommodating our staff so they can work from the home or office safely and efficiently,” Summerfelt said. “VNA and the Infectious Disease Department of Nebraska Medicine have worked in partnership for over 20 years. In early March, we increased the amount of PPE required with every patient, no matter their exposure to COVID-19. Current PPE requirements for our staff includes gloves, mask and goggles or face shield.” He said these are anxious times for everyone. “At VNA and Easterseals, our staff members know their safety is very important to us, and we provide training, consultation and ample personal protective equipment to keep them safe,” Summerfelt said. “Beyond that, we recogVyhlidal nize their great work by providing gift cards for lunch, posting banners and sidewalk decals with words of encouragement, sending weekly emails that communicate information and gratitude and providing access to behavioral health resources for those who feel overwhelmed.” In the industry today, Tonya Vyhlidal, workplace culture and wellbeing director at The Wellbeing Partners, said two trends are really rising to the surface — mental health/ well-being technology solutions that include cognitive behavioral therapy protocol, mindfulness, resilience and stress management protocol. “Workplaces are looking beyond their EAP [employee assistance program] to provide larger scale solutions for their workforce,” she said. “There’s more focus on emotional intelligence and the importance of expanding emotional intelligence skills in the workplace.” According to Vyhlidal, the health and wellness industry has been impacted by COVID-19 both positively and negatively. While it has always been important for people to focus on their health and well-being, she said it has become even more highlighted during this time. “The COVID-19 crisis has provided many new challenges for people, communities and businesses,” Vyhlidal said. “All of the changes and concerns impact an individual’s overall mental, emotional and physical well-being. Because there is so much negativity and fear, it is more important than ever to find ways to take care of ourselves. Selfcare is vitally important, taking time each day to care for ourselves — physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually is an important way to help us cope and function well.”
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Health & Wellness — inside JUNE 5, 2020
THE BUSINESS NEWSPAPER OF GREATER OMAHA, LINCOLN AND COUNCIL BLUFFS
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VOL. 46 NO. 23
Alliance Group benefits from expanded public sector regulations
THIS WEEK 'S ISSUE:
by Richard D. Brown
OneNeck builds on relationship with Microsoft, supports clients through pandemic. – Page 2
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Purdy combines variety of skills to create events at Omaha Performing Arts. – Page 3
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Crises present opportunities for far-reaching improvements to the ‘normal.’ – Page 21
Gathering the statistics of the employment rolls of more than 150 small business clients, analyzing the data and packaging it to meet the needs of area banks to be in compliance with Paycheck Protection Program requirements gave the 23 employees of Omaha-based The Alliance Group a hefty challenge a few weeks ago. However, President Michael S. Mapes and his wife Carolina Mapes, vice president of operations, still maintain that such back-office human resources work and their astute demands for accuracy are why their company — best described as a professional employer organization — continues to thrive. The 23-year-old Alliance Group has grown to become the largest and oldest locally-owned professional employer company in Nebraska. The firm also has an employee located in Denver and is pursuing additional growth opportunities. “Essentially we help our clients avoid the land mines in human resources management,” Michael Mapes said. “Everything we do is Continued on page 9.
President Michael S. Mapes and Vice President of Operations Carolina Mapes … Role as professional employment organization grows as PPP loan requirements move front and center. (Photo by MBJ / Becky McCarville)
Metro Stars Gymnastics rolls out social distancing program by Becky McCarville
With large, open spaces at its two facilities — 26,000 square feet in Papillion and 23,000 square feet in Elkhorn — Metro Stars Gymnastics is following guidelines to strategically and safely resume in-person classes, the lifeblood of the sport. Before the shutdown, Metro Stars
Gymnastics had just opened its new multimillion-dollar facility in Papillion. Its other location is in Elkhorn. “For us the whole thing is especially hard,” said co-owner Erik Lilla, who started the business with his wife Elizabeth Lilla in 2006 with just five students Continued on page 9.
From left, Amy Rummel, director of marketing and public relations and Nancy Round, director of education and outreach at Joslyn Art Museum.
Community ‘shows up’ to support stressed families, nonprofit needs by Michelle Leach
Co-owner Erik Lilla at the Papillion location … Gymnastics company hit wall after shutdown, but quick pivot to online programs filled gap before limited classes resumed.
Editor’s note: This article is part of a series sharing firsthand experiences from local organizations on how their respective industries are adapting to COVID-19. As COVID-19 reared its widespread and society-altering head, Joslyn Art Museum had to “start from scratch,” according to leadership with the museum. “Our usual programming relies on face-to-face encounters
with original works of art, so we really had to … rethink, reinvent everything,” said Nancy Round, director of education and outreach. “Everyone has had to learn new tech skills they never imagined needing — and everyone has really stretched and grow when it comes to creative problem-solving in order to accomplish a lot with limited resources.” Director of Marketing and Public Relations Amy Rummel Continued on page 8.