The first – and hopefully only – blizzard of 2016 is behind us. While it was fortunate that it occurred on a weekend, where most people have off and can stay indoors with a pot of soup and some board games, staff members in nursing homes and hospitals don’t have such luxury. Regardless of the weather, even more than the postman, our dedicated caregivers need to be at work, come rain, snow, sleet or hail. Of course, many workers needed to be home as well, with their children or elderly parents, shoveling their own homes and cars out and making their walkways safe. Instead, they were at work, reassuring their residents that, no matter the uncertainty outdoors, inside all was safe and warm.
At Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, we are fortunate to have an unbelievably caring staff who embody our mission of caring for each resident as if he or she were their own parent or grandparent. We often hear stories of their dedication to our residents, as is evidenced by the thoughtful acts of kindness they perform on a daily basis. But when it comes to times like the 2016 Blizzard, you really have an opportunity to see what they are made of.
In the rehabilitation center, many of our nursing staff worked multiple shifts so our residents would be cared for. Housekeepers stayed after their shifts ended and came back early. Engineering personnel spent hours outdoors, clearing snow from walking paths and parking areas so all could drive and walk safely. And our nutritional services crew worked to be sure everyone was fed. On all three shifts, staff from all departments pitched in and slept on-site, helping where they could to support our care staff and reassure our residents.
Our staff in all of our Gurwin entities, including our assisted living community, our home care programs, our dialysis center, our adult day health program, and our rehabilitation staff, put the good of our residents and patients first. This is the Gurwin family, a team that works to get the job done no matter the weather. We could not be more proud to be part of such a caring, selfless group of special individuals.
By Herbert H. Friedman
Herb is the Executive Vice President/CEO of Gurwin
