Guardian Care: When six feet becomes six miles

When Six Feet Becomes Six Miles Families are being kept apart from their loved ones in elder care.

By Valada Flewellyn

Our most vulnerable citizens are seniors and children, the anchors of our existence.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mandates that there must be social distance. This has disturbed the way we live. We are robbed of precious moments that cannot be reclaimed. Our sick cannot be comforted by family. The dead cannot be funeralized. Human contact is on hold. These new social demands have placed added stress on those charged with caring for our seniors. In Orlando, Fla., Guardian Care Nursing and Rehabilitation Center (Guardian Care) is working hard to meet the challenges for the health and well-being of its residents and staff. The center’s visitation has been cut off completely. Family is an essential ingredient in the well-being of the elderly residents who are at higher risk of dying if they are diagnosed with COVID-19. We are cautioned to keep children away from older people. What precautions are nursing homes taking? How will this pandemic change the way we care for the sage members of our community forever? How will we manage to survive the stress? According to Director Eloise Abrahams, R.N., N.H.A., Director, “ When the families of Guardian Care residents were told that family visits would be prohibited until further notice, the overwhelming response was, “thank you for putting the welfare of our family member first.” All persons entering the building will be screened and their temperature taken to ensure that residents are protected from any health risk.

Family members unable to visit frequently, and now unable to visit at all, viewed the news with some regret.

“We take so much for granted,” one family member lamented. She lives out of town and is unable to visit her loved one. “I plan to call more. I cannot help but think about the times I postponed a visit in order to take care of matters that were pressing me at the time. Once this is over, I will consider re-prioritizing my choices. After all, what is more important than family?”

One member of the staff brought to work a mask that his mother had sown in response to the outcry of health workers

that personal protective equipment was sorely needed.

Abrahams, was a 2019 ONYX Magazine’s Women on the Move honoree. As director, she has helped to lead Guardian Care to several notable recognitions, including the Silver Quality Award from the Agency of Healthcare Administration (ACHA) and a 5-star rating with ACHA and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) websites. When asked what is most challenging of COVID-19, Abrahams responded, “Each catastrophe brings its own challenges. The Guardian Care staff is constantly assessing how to manage the unexpected. We installed generators long before the government mandated it and we continually look for other areas of exposure. We are always fighting germs and evaluating the condition of the facility to ensure that it is sanitized and safe by taking whatever measures are warranted. While COVID-19 is something new, we will meet it with the same commitment to make the health and safety of our residents and staff our first priority.”

“The most effective treatment for our residents is love,” says Abrahams. “Our staff continues to come in to work despite the risk it presents because of their responsibility as first responders and more importantly because of the love they feel for our residents. Knowing how important family is to the wellbeing of the residents, Guardian Care staff members assist some residents by arranging facetime (by appointment) with their loved ones. Guardian Care is constantly exploring ways to support the family connection and reassure the family that their loved one is safe.” A surprising number of Guardian Care residents are technologically savvy and able to navigate the web and use facetime on their own.

The Guardian Care facility, opened after WWII, during the Civil Rights era as, The Dr. P. Phillips Memorial Hospital for Negroes in 1958 in the recently development Black neighborhood of Washington Shores. Prior to the hospital’s construction, Black patients were relegated to a ward in the basement of other hospitals. Thanks to the generous support of Orange Grove planter and philanthropist Dr. P. Phillips, and the generosity of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, a 58-bed hospital was built with plans of expanding to a 120-bed facility. In 1968, a 501 (c)(3) organization (Guardian Care, Inc.) was formed to continue caring for the community’s long-term nursing needs. Today, the former hospital operates as Guardian Care Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Plans are under way to expand the campus to include an Adult Daycare Center that was scheduled to open in April 2020. A brand new 80-bed skilled nursing facility is currently under construction. Guardian Care is located at 2500 W. Church Street in Orlando.

Sage Advise

“Grandma, it looks like the world is coming to an end. What do you think?”

“Child, let me tell you, our people have suffered greater tragedy, greater threats. Never forget what brought us through: prayer. So do not be afraid. This is God’s world and He will take care of it. Pray, pay attention, follow instructions, and do all that you can do. Most of all, trust God to see you through. Everyday things change. Only God is constant. Prayer changes things. God is calling us to trust and obey.”

How African American Elders Handle Stress

Ann W. Nguyen penned an article in the Summer of 2018 issue of “Generations: Journal of the American Society on Aging,” titled African American Elders, Mental Health, and the Role of the Church stating:

Based on national surveys and polls, African Americans have the highest levels of religious involvement in the United States. Among older African Americans, religion is particularly important. Compared to younger African Americans and older Whites, older African Americans are more likely to attend religious services, participate in congregational activities, and read religious materials. Older African Americans also are more likely than older Whites to consume religious media (books, television, and radio), engage in private prayer, use religion to cope with stress, consider religion to be important, and consider themselves religious.

Stress and coping If you, or someone you care about, are feeling overwhelmed with emotions like sadness, depression, or anxiety, or feel like you want to harm yourself or others call: • 911 • Substance Abuse and Mental

Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985- 5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746. (TTY 1-800-846-8517) • Older people are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 which may result in increased stress during a crisis. • Fear and anxiety about the

COVID-19 pandemic can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions. Things you can do to support yourself: • Take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories and social media. Hearing about the pandemic repeatedly can be upsetting. • Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate. Try to eat healthy, well-balanced meals, exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, and avoid alcohol and drugs. • Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy. • Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling. • Call your healthcare provider if stress gets in the way of your daily activities for several days in a row.