Extended Care Facility News By DONNA RYALS
The town of Charleston is the name of the place we live in and the place where ECF is located, but “town” in no way explains what has happened at ECF because of the wonderful people who think about us daily.
If any word describes the meaningful interactions that continue to happen that bless our residents and staff, it has to be community. Webster’s definition of community is a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes.
We have seen this behavior and interaction for years with community churches providing Sunday school, church services, and Tuesday night Bingo. We have seen it in groups that came and sang with us, worshipped with us, and loved us. But for the past twenty months we have been unable to share all of that wonderful fellowship; yet this community has not forgotten us for even one day.
Last week we started trying to entice our residents out of their rooms on “Popcorn Wednesday” by offering a movie. One resident said she would come if we showed “Sound of Music.” Easy choice right? Wrong, I could not find it anywhere. I texted Nancy Ray and the rest of the story is what community means.
The search for the “Sound of Music” hit the text circuit, and about one hour later Nancy texted me and said, “I’ll be at your house in a few minutes.” The Lowery’s, my neighbors, had the movie and were glad to share it with us. Nancy picked it up and a movie afternoon was made possible because of a community that heard about the needs at ECF and responded.
A couple of days later two large baskets arrived, and aides, nurses, housekeeping and others were laughing as they searched for their favorite candy, nabs or chips. Community....those that care what your day is like.
I was asked a few days later what needs we had at this time, and I mentioned we were out of the good body washes and shampoos that First Presbyterian Ladies Group had provided a couple of months earlier for our CNA’s. Many of you may not know that CNA’s and nurses buy the good smelling stuff themselves, so that their residents look and feel their best.
We have plenty of medicated washes, but I have found that CNA’s love the smell-good products. Two days later Ray and Dana Clolinger call and tell me to drop by the CARE building, as they have a box of those wonderful body washes and shampoos for our aides to use. Community....people who care about the need of others.
These are just three of the latest gestures that have brought such warmth to my heart as we continue to serve the residents of ECF.
Visitation at the ECF facility continues to be active on both wings. These smiling faces that enter and leave our facility touch each of us when they thank us for our service and what we do for their loved ones. We aren’t perfect, but there isn’t a day that goes by when you don’t see the best effort given by our maintenance staff. There isn’t a day that goes by when you don’t see the giving spirit of our dietary unit serving hundreds of meals. There isn’t a day that goes by when you don’t see our housekeeping and laundry department search for a lost garment or help a resident who can’t find an item in there room. All of this while they keep their rooms clean, neat and smelling great.
Not a day goes by when CNA’s and nurses don’t give their all to assure residents they have their medicines and checked on a concern or given a hug to calm a resident’s concern. If one of them is having a rough day, you see one of their co-workers step in to help.
There isn’t a day that goes by when a phone, nurse call light, or computer has a problem that our IT department doesn’t rush to keep us all connected and safe.
In activity we have a bird’s eye view of these special people who make up th ECF team. These photos show the residents they serve daily. We do this because we are also a community of workers dedicated to the safety and happiness our seniors so deserve. Community...a fellowship of those concerned about each other.
We are thankful for the community we live and work in. We will forever remember that you stood by us during this difficult time. ECF is fortunate to call Charleston its community.
