No one at Western Reserve Masonic Community could guess how much their lives would change over the timespan of just a few months when, in mid-March, everyone was told to shelter in place and stay at home due to the outbreak of COVID-19. Community members really didn’t know what to expect and the leadership at WRMC, like medical teams and scientists around the globe, were learning as they went and responding with rapid-fire decision-making.
You are probably thinking, this had to be terrible and very lonely – even frightening – for the WRMC community members. But some of them will tell you differently.
Connection
For instance, celebrating birthdays is a cherished tradition and The Ohio Masonic Home Foundation, didn't let that tradition fade or become any less special for anyone. They were able to put tablets in the hands of hundreds of WRMC community members so that they could celebrate with their loved ones. One community member, DeLean Dotterer, even celebrated 105 years young with her family! Like DeLean, community members were able to talk with their loved ones and could even see the excitement on their faces when they blew out their birthday candles.
It's no secret that COVID-19 has changed all of our lives forever and technology is ensuring that every moment in life can be honored with meaning. The same tablets that unite families around celebrations also help bring peace and comfort in saying a final goodbye during unprecedented times. Not only were tablets provided to our community members, they were provided to families in other facilities to make sure that connection remains strong. From that connection was born the campaign “OMH Together, Powering the Connection,” an effort to ensure all community members have access to a tablet. For more information or to help grow this connection, visit The Ohio Masonic Home Foundation website TheOMHFoundaton.org/connection.
Having Fun While Remaining Protected
Change can be difficult for everyone, especially for the senior population. Making sure there is not a feeling of isolation becomes a part of the everyday care provided by staff. The team at WRMC is never short on ideas. Some days, community members may be celebrating National Iced Tea Day, National Donut Day or even National Strawberry Day. And let’s not forget The Great WRMC T-shirt Toss – that put a smile on everyone’s face.
In the midst of all the fun, employees at WRMC remain vigilant and focused on safety, preparation and response to COVID-19. Robert Lane, Corporate Director of Procurement at The Ohio Masonic Home – the parent company of WRMC – is helping with that.
Robert shared, “At The Ohio Masonic Home we are very grateful for fantastic relationships with our core suppliers. Also, because of our reputation in the industry, we were able to create many new relationships that gave us access to additional protective products. Along with great suppliers we have an internal supply chain team that is 100% focused on making sure our front-line staff have all the tools they need.” Thanks to Robert’s hard work and that of his team, no employee has to worry about whether they have the appropriate protective tools they need.
Safety
What makes WRMC community members feel safe? Is it the care that they receive, the meals that they enjoy every day or the cleanliness of their rooms? Scott Buchanan, CEO for The Ohio Masonic Home commented, “I am so proud of our team. Every member, across all three campuses has stepped up to make sure that community members’ needs are always met."
Scott continues: "To help guide resident care during these unusual times, The Ohio Masonic Home invited members to complete a national industry survey. We were honored to be rated above the national average in all 15 areas that were scored. We want to express our thanks to those community members who participated in the survey.”
In the ongoing fight to protect its community members and staff, The Ohio Masonic Home is taking proactive measures and testing every employee for COVID-19 at its three campuses. Specifically at WRMC, they are waiting to hear when the Ohio National Guard will be paying a visit to the campus. They will be testing all employees for COVID-19. Jason French, Administrator says, “Our team members are the reason we were able to act as swiftly and concisely to prevent the spread of the virus on our campus. We as an organization were prepared. We had all of the equipment/PPE in place prior to having positive cases. This allowed our dedicated and heroic team members to provide care for our community members when they needed us the most, in the safest manner possible.”
WRMC is prepared should a new case be identified and will follow its pandemic plan, including contact tracing, isolation and rigorous disinfecting to ensure the continued safety of community members and staff.
For more information about Western Reserve Masonic Community and The Ohio Masonic Home, visit OhioMasonicHome.org or call 330.622.5152.