By Jordan Green
BAY CITY – If you planned on seeing grandma over this extended spring break, don’t.
Because nursing homes and senior assisted living facilities are shut down to the public in the wake of the fast spreading coronavirus, or COVID-19.
While Governor Gretchen Whitmer ordered a temporary shutdown of bars, restaurants, clubs, movie theaters, gyms and casinos from March 16 until April 13, care facilities across the state have also shut down to protect their residents and staff as a necessary precaution.
The New Hope Bay Independent Living closed to the public last Friday, March 13 to prepare for the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The first two cases of coronavirus in Michigan were reported on March 10.
Many senior care facilities have serious protocols already in place to prepare for unusually rough flu seasons.
Director of operations at New Hope Bay, John Czarnecki, says that includes several hand sanitizer stations throughout the building, sanitizing the building more frequently and limiting contact to the outside world.
Employees are to enter and exit through one door, sanitize when they walk in and have their temperatures checked. Caregivers also have their own protocols and are encouraged to stay home if any symptom, flu-related or not, emerges throughout their shift or at home.
Czarnecki called the families and received appreciation and gratitude for the decision to close the facility to the public to ensure the safety and health of his residents.
“They all were overwhelmingly appreciative; that does not take away from your son or daughter coming in to visit you or vice versa being able to see your mom or dad,” assures Czarnecki. “So what we do now is set up FaceTime phone calls or Skype phone calls where we can get them more active […] to try to fill that void.”
Czarnecki says his staff is keeping their residents’ spirits up during this time by having goofy karaoke sessions or group sing-alongs to lighten the mood of having zero visitors.
“These are the times when you really show your passion for taking care of others, because it would be a lie to say that a healthcare worker today isn’t putting themselves at risk,” explains Czarnecki on his employees’ dedication during this difficult time. “And yet, they’re willing to do that to be able to take care of another person and that’s really the core of why they do what they do.”
While entering a facility is off limits, nursing homes and senior care centers can be supported through the donation of any helpful supplies in this unprecedented pandemic. Supplies can be dropped off at the doorstep outside and can include hand sanitizer or a simple cheery card to make a resident’s day.
“I think everybody is supporting everybody else at this point,” says Czarnecki. “For us, it’s just a matter of everybody trying to take care of themselves and to be smart about what we’re doing. That’s how we can best help each other.”