10 minute read
Onward & Upward
Silver Linings of a Stormy Year
Nancy and William Pearson celebrate at a Fourth of July picnic in Elizabethtown.
Reflecting on nearly a year and a half of restrictions and changes, everyday life is slowly returning to normal across Masonic Villages’ campuses. The COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges, which led residents and staff to alter the way we gather, communicate, work, eat, shop and even leave our homes.
As we make daily decisions on what restrictions to loosen, Masonic Villages’ staff also reflect on silver linings which have emerged since last March.
Dining and Food Services
Eating without the company of friends and family became the norm last year, which was especially isolating for those who live alone. Masonic Villages’ restaurants have gone through different occupancy levels over the last 18 months, but as of late July, are all fully open. Meal delivery will continue to be available for retirement living residents, and deliveries continue to be popular even with restrictions lifted. Groceries may still be delivered in Elizabethtown, with options through the gift shop in Lafayette Hill and home care services in Sewickley.
“Residents like to experience dining at least once a day, see their friends and be social, so we anticipate those who are able will transition back to inperson dining,” Greg Thomas, director of food services, Elizabethtown, said.
In Dallas, more residents participated in the meal plans during the pandemic because of convenience and continue to take advantage of them even with restrictions lifted. There are also grab-and-go options now available in the Walther Apartments. Wellness – Inside and Out
Staff at the Baird Wellness Center in Elizabethtown will continue to offer personal training via Zoom and add Zoom options to all their wellness coaching, workshops, classes and support groups. The Barley Wellness Center in Sewickley will also keep providing virtual classes to give residents more options. In Lafayette Hill, staff hope to continue one-onone visits in resident apartments for those who may have interest.
“I’m encouraged by staff’s flexibility during a pandemic to endure new tasks and still deliver an outstanding product for our residents,” Mark Cerneskie, wellness manager, Sewickley, said.
The experience has also inspired Baird Wellness Center staff to develop more outdoor programming, such as corn hole, kickball and biking and walking groups.
“I am hoping this experience will lead more people to focus on being well,” Stacy Schroder, director of wellness and prevention, Elizabethtown, said. “We have emphasized ways to boost immunity and how to practice stress reduction over this past year, and we also remain focused on mental health.”
“When you aren’t able to ‘physically’ do something, you are forced to look at other aspects of wellness – the foods you are eating, how you are taking care of your mind, your friendships
– those kind of things become even more important,” Kara LaFreeda, wellness manager, Lafayette Hill, said. “We would like to see that continue even as gyms open.”
Staying Engaged
With the cancellation of movies, concerts, games and all group activities, staff and residents were challenged to think more creatively and learn to use tools they may have initially been hesitant to try.
Residents in retirement living areas increasingly used technology, such as Zoom, to connect with family members or physicians. In Elizabethtown, some clubs even used Zoom for meetings, which will remain a good option for some groups moving forward.
In Elizabethtown and Lafayette Hill, virtual bingo was popular during the pandemic, and staff plan to continue it. In Warminster, they alternate between hosting bingo in their large community room and hosting it in residential hallways. Staff there also used carts to deliver food, drinks and activities directly to residents’ rooms for special occasions, which will be useful in the future to engage with residents who may be unable to leave their room.
“For Friday’s Happy Hour, we brought the Happy Cart to them,” Trisha Lamb, activity director, Warminster, said.
In Lafayette Hill, retirement living residents were able to take advantage of virtual tours, like the National Constitution Center, in Philadelphia, but staff feel residents are ready to get back to some normalcy.
“They have missed being around one another,” Angela Hurst, director of recreation, said. “The energy the community feel gives off is so rewarding to them. I believe when people are lonely, it causes depression and anxiety. Residents are excited about the human contact.”
In Sewickley, both staff and residents are eager to get back to in-person groups, large or small, although staff have learned virtual programming has greatly improved in delivery and content. It has allowed them to “take” residents to places they wouldn’t be able to see otherwise. They also saw benefits in small or one-onone interactions with residents in nursing and personal care areas, according to Ann Beck, recreation director.
“My staff has frequently commented that doing more one-on-one visits for longer periods has enabled them to get to know individual residents on a deeper level and to meet their specific interests and needs at a higher level,” Ann said. “This has been beneficial both to staff and residents. We have also seen benefits in programming more often for smaller groups of 10 or fewer. We can tailor the program better to meet particular interests.”
Sell Chapel in Elizabethtown started a YouTube channel to broadcast services, and spiritual care staff will continue to use the channel since many residents have appreciated being able to watch the services online.
“One of the wonderful things we have seen is our residents enjoying the outside services, and we look forward to continuing these,” Pastor Preston Van Deursen, director of spiritual care, Elizabethtown, said. “We’ve heard from residents that we have kept many of them encouraged and watching to receive God’s blessings.”
The Bowman’s Wedding Photo From 1949
Dallas resident Kathy Dolembeski takes advantage of the CIP Rehabilitation services offered on-site.
Health Care Services
With families unable to visit, video chats became part of daily activities across all nursing and personal care areas throughout the state and was embraced positively by families. From April through December of 2020, staff estimate they assisted with 12,756 video chats.
“Our adaption to technology and its offerings will continue to help us connect families, even across the globe,” Matt Mayo, assistant executive director/nursing home administrator, Elizabethtown, said.
Whether video chat continues to be used as often will vary by resident. While families appreciated it, some residents were hesitant to embrace it, according to Tracy Leja, assistant executive director, Sewickley. With additional
iPads available to staff, it is comforting to know residents have the choice. Also, the use of telehealth “has been a lifesaver and positive tool to care for residents,” she said.
Kelly Weaver, executive director, Warminster, and her team have used technology to make simple changes like allowing families to participate in care conferences via video chat, which was something they hadn’t done prior to COVID-19.
Beyond restricting family visits, the hardest part of the pandemic for staff was when residents tested positive and, unfortunately, passed away as a result of COVID-19. Compassion for family members and accommodating them, while still following safety regulations, was a top priority.
“With the exception of three residents who passed unexpectedly, we were able to get every resident’s family in to have their final visits and say their goodbyes,” Tracy said. “That is something we are very proud of – residents and families had time together.”
The silver lining of the pandemic for Melissa Sudduth, assistant executive director, Lafayette Hill, was “seeing staff so dedicated and hardworking to meet the needs of our residents,” she said. “This was a scary time for all of us. We had positive cases in March and April [2020], and to see some staff really step up and take on extra tasks to ensure residents were taken care of was heartwarming. We have a great team and employees who really care.”
Masonic Villages’ staff and residents weren’t in it alone. They had the support of government and community partners, donors and the Masonic fraternity.
“We are fortunate to have supportive donors, including Masonic lodges, the Order of the Eastern Star chapters and other partners who provided supplies and financial donations to help keep our residents and employees safe and services continuing uninterrupted,” Matt said.
Helping Families “Just Be Family”
Masonic Village at Elizabethtown saw an increase in home health and home care service utilization due to families unable to freely visit as they were before to help their loved ones. This growth has sustained and continues to grow, even as restrictions are lifted.
“I believe COVID-19 propelled it, but the need was always there and just underutilized. Many family members are now more aware of our services that allow them to ‘just
Top photo, residents in Warminster enjoy a group activity in July. Bottom photo, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra visits Sewickley in June.
be family’ versus a family member and caregiver, which can lead to burnout,” Lisa Livingston, administrator for home and community based services, said.
“Considering the higher risk of infection/spread in hospitals and healthcare settings, etc., more people prefer to receive services in their own homes.”
Welcoming New Residents
To reach prospective residents, virtual tours and events were the only option for several months. Staff now have new tools in their toolbox, and will continue to use them in the future, for those who may live farther away from the campus of their choice or for anyone who prefers to learn from the comfort of their home.
In Lafayette Hill, while it wasn’t a preferred impetus for change, the pandemic led staff to think more creatively. “I see that as a positive,” Bridget Harris,
Celebrating Father’s Day: top photo (l-r), Bob and Gloria Hocking and Annette Girsh, in Elizabethtown, and bottom photo, Chris Reynolds and Herb Thomas, in Lafayette Hill.
director of sales and marketing, Lafayette Hill, said. “We can use technology to our advantage and be open to different forms of communication. In-person is always best, but we now have other options.”
In Elizabethtown, the initial response of prospective residents was mixed. Some opted to move forward with their plans since they were confident Masonic Village would keep them safe, while others placed plans on pause until immunization rates increased. Interest has grown significantly since the spring.
“Our response has shown our residents and their families that Masonic Village at Elizabethtown has the staff and resources to take care of all our residents’ needs, whether it is a simple health concern or a worldwide pandemic,” Kelly Eakin, director of sales and marketing, said. “It reaffirms our long-standing history and experience in caring for people. We've had several residents tell us how relieved they were to be in a place like Masonic Village since big decisions were made on their behalf.”
In Dallas, staff saw a huge increase in people interested in moving, which Joy Hubshman, director of sales and marketing, felt was a result of the pandemic causing people to shelter in home. “Here, you’re around other residents,” Joy said. “It pushed them into a position to want to plan for the future. Unforeseen things can occur, and they now understand the benefits of living in a community during unprecedented times.”
Silver Linings
“This past year has been eventful to say the least,” Angela said. “It has opened up my eyes to many things, one being the value of life, how we choose to live it and how we let it define us as human beings. We are all pieces of a puzzle in life, and we all have a place to fit in that puzzle. At Masonic Village at Lafayette Hill, staff in all areas pulled together to make it through this pandemic. We were dedicated to the mission and continue to be. The silver lining is simply to have faith things will work out if we all work together.”
“The Masonic Village at Warminster team showed up and supported our residents throughout the roughest of times, and we are proud of the work they accomplished and are proud of our community,” Kelly Weaver said. “The relationships we have with our residents and families were strengthened throughout the crisis, and we hold on to that.”
“We were able to keep our residents safe, and they were very appreciative,” Joy said. “Family members felt safer knowing their loved ones were here.”
“We will always be grateful for the support from corporate, our sister facilities, our team members and the families who were so patient and understanding,” Tracy said. “We really were all in this together.”
