COVID Protocols & Safety, with Kelley Smith

*The following is the output of transcribing from an audio recording. Although the transcription is largely accurate, in some cases it is incomplete or inaccurate due to inaudible passages or transcription errors.

The following podcast is provided by care partners living and answers for elders radio. And Welcome back everyone to answers for elders radio. And we are back again with Kelly Smith from care partners living, and Kelly and I have been talking about new beginnings as we enter the whole world of getting vaccine vaccinated. And for those of you that are over seventy, your time is coming very soon. I know that. Kelly, you’re probably in contact with a lot of people in the senior living and senior care industry. What are you finding? Has Been, you know, the changes, the basic changes that are happening with the vaccine? Yeah, just what is the vaccine doing right now? And how is how are things progressing? I guess is a better word. Progressing is the fact that people are actually in the industry that we’re in, people are excited about the vaccine. I haven’t seen, yes, yes, sely, you of actual depression in our industry. Uh Huh. And Yeah, people don’t understand this. We Are we do this from the heart and I don’t care one industry, this industry we call it in the industry, because there’s no other way to call it what it is. But right do this moving. We don’t do this for the money, we don’t do this for the glory. We do this because art work. I don’t care if you work for Workingale. I don’t care if people are living, I don’t care what you what company. I got a buddy who works for ages. So Elizabeth shared, all these guys work are buffed off because they love the people they care for. So this year is and Hell n twenty has been hard on because they haven’t been able to do their best work because their hands is slided in so many ways. So what I’ve seen, this vaccine has renewed that fire, it’s got that passion. It’s gotten an excited again to take care of their people, because this is why they do what they do, e read. It’s why I do what I do every day. And so this vaccine is gotten people fired up again and given them that yes, they’re going to get to get back to getting the playful side of being with their residence again, getting to see their residence, because it’s not that me getting to go hang out with John and the lobby. You know, that’s not what’s sad for me. It seems John Not get to hug his grandkids. That’s what breaks my it’s knowing the and wife can’t see him for months at a time because she can’t. That’s what’s hard. That’s the part of a job that kills us. It’s not what we are involvement, it’s the fact that we watch our residence day over, day over day, not get to have the life that they had nine and people to nineteen. But now, as the VA game I’m seeing all of my friends in this industry the light back in their eyes because they’re seeing hope. Yeah, I know, there’s maybe us, those grand babies, you’re going to be back in out buildings and hug and on grandma again. That’s what they’re seeing. So interested in is this. This vaccine is bringing hope back into our buildings and that’s that’s that’s the good news. And you know that’s so important when you say that, because hope is what keeps cheople positive. I know that. You know especially and you know the twilight years of your life it’s like to have that hope of look something to look forward to. You know, I remember when my mom was in a nursing home and they’re you know, when she was progressing, you know, to the point where she needed twenty four hour care and somebody brought in or she was talking about a trillium, which is a native plant that has three least, you know, at the at the at the center, and somebody brought her just a sprink of a trillium and she wanted to root it and put it in her window and I thought, you know, that helps me. She still wants to live, she’s got something to look forward to and that made me feel hopeful to have that, that little indicator, which is just such a little thing. But if she didn’t really want to you know, she didn’t have hope, she wouldn’t be doing things like that. So I think one of the things that we, as families that are out there is, you know, find ways of, you know, as looking forward, to find things to look forward to for our loved ones and as we start to progress into a new stage where we are going to be able to be vaccinated, you know, to be able to have an opportunity to, you know, have activities that we can look forward to and and work together to to plan. I think that’s something that’s important. Even if those, you know, those have to alter, have to change, we still have, you know, we have activities to look forward to. Maybe it’s a vacation that, maybe it’s something to think about where you can focus that this is there is an end to this, and so I know we’re looking forward to to that happening for sure. So, Kelly, I know that in the industry, obviously we have home care agencies out there too, and we have a lot of home care individuals that are going into seniors that homes that are living alone and they don’t have the privilege of, you know, having people in a community like, you know, like being and care partners. What are you learning about in the home care industry, how seniors are doing right now? I haven’t heard much, but what I have heard from my different friends, like one of my favorites is assured home health and write. It’s really good, complex, good good contacts there and they’re doing such a wonderful job of keeping their people engaged. And again there’s some good ones out there that really do a nice job of keeping their people is engaged as they can. But again you have that loneliness factor. But again they’re at home, don’t have the same rules as people in a community. Sure, mom crt, mom’s at home, you can still go see mom at home. That’s began. Yeah, that’s what mom doesn’t have. Mom doesn’t have the sea in restrictions. The governor can’t say you can’t go to mom’s house. The governor camp that you can’t go to an assistant looking in sea mom. So there’s difference. So right now that you know that, that’s the only thing that’s that’s the problem is, though, if mom is got very severe situation and she really should be in assistant living, sometimes keeping her home longer is not necessarily in her distinterest. But that’s a family decision. That’s not my business. That’s a family decision that they need to make woods that. Fortunately, fortunately, there is home care agencies out there that can help keep mom safe until the family really does feel that they can let going on and let her move in to a place where she goes have for our kids. You know, we just had a situation where a home care didn’t call us and say hey, she’s not safe here anymore, and we finally have the family convince the Min but they have to make that decision. But again it’s a it’s a really, really to edge sword because mom needs twenty four hour care, but if we move her in there. We can only sear through the window now and I house next to m the couch. What do you do? What do you do? So again, this vaccine it there’s a possibility that people are going to get the best of both worlds. Maybe it’s it’s going to be kind of a way out. We have to wait and see what’s going to happen and we don’t. We don’t, we don’t all the variables yet. But if you can afford home care and and your mom is safe there, then I’m telling you do it, do it right, and then the train comes, an assistant will leaves the right thing, and you can afford that as well, then do that. But if she’s at home and afford home care and it gives you the opportunity to go and spend time with her, you got to weigh everything out and as long as covid is not in the picture and you’re not you don’t run the risk of infecting her at home, then I don’t see what the problem is. You know what I’m saying. If people look at me crazy like, but don’t you do assistant living for her living? No, I do human beings for a living. I do. It’s right here exactly exactly know what I mean actly. Know this is we do and let’s right. For a lot of people it’s not assistant living, let’s write, for a lot of people staying at home. And you have to you have to be realistic. And and again, for some people, you know, some people it’s just the right thing. You know. So may be smart about your choices. That’s all absolutely and and you know, I think one of the things that I know in our in our industry, as I say, that we’re all for the what’s right for the family and what’s right for the senior and everybody’s decision is as unique as a snowflake, because there’s different health concerns, there’s different financial concerns, there’s different types of opportunities are, you know, availability. Some families have the ability to move mom and dad into their home and, you know, build out a mother in law, you know, apartment and have you know, have somebody there that wants to take care of that. There’s different up there’s different circumstances in every single situation and I think that’s one of the things that to our listeners, you know, you have your own unique situation and you know, for our families that have been doing their best to navigate through all of you know, the stress factors that that covid has brought on this last you know, now we’re talking, what is it, nine ten months now. It’s been overwhelming for so many of you and certainly, you know it’s good to see the light at the end of the tunnel, but there’s also I think it’s important that we let our listeners know that there are resource spelt there even now, and whether it’s maybe it’s a couple of days of home care to start, maybe it’s, you know, finding that adult day center that mom or Dad, you know, could go to. It’s, you know, if one wants things open up, things like that. There’s different types of opportunities out there for families and I think that’s one of the things that you guys certainly provide. And so obviously, you know, as as the vaccines are rolling out, people are excited. You guys are going to start doing activities again and you’re going to be starting to do some new things. And so, Kelly a little bit about, you know, where you guys are at. I want to take the last half of our hour and talk a little bit about what’s in the plans for care partners what you guys are up to as far as your expansion, because there’s so many new things that you’re doing, which is really amazing. And so in the meantime, we’ve got about a minute left, why don’t you give as kind of an overview of number one, how can we reach you and what kind of questions can you guys answer for our families? Well, first of all, I want people to know you can reach us and you can find us. If you want to know specifically how to lead one individual in the admissions process, you can go to www care partners livingcom and there’s a place on there called meet the admissions team and you can actually see what I look like. But don’t run away screaming. I’m actually had a nice smile. But anyway, you can use the find but but you could also see all of our different communities are virtual tours and pictures and seremonials and all that, and get a rule feel for kind of who we are. We’re pretty down the earth, but there’s something else about us. We’re not pushy. We’re not going to get you under our under our wing and make you try to buy something you don’t need. That’s not who we are. We are a great announcers. We talk to you and we think you know what your mom really would be better, but just a few days of home care. That’s where we’re going. That’s what we’re going to talk to you about. I’m going to give you repel, not not just a referral because I happen to like Annie. No, I’m going to give you referral because Annie Somebody I would trust alone with my own mother. That’s who we are. That’s the thing. Yeah, we are. I’m not going to make a referrals because I feel like it. I’m going to give you a referral based on something that I would use myself, because that’s how we feel about our people’s families. So you’re not really sure about because there’s you’re not really sure what angle to go on. We’re happy to sit and talk to you and we’re not going to try to talk you into something you’re not ready for. We can give you resources on what might be a really good opportunity for you to do what’s best for your loved one. And you, based on what you’re dealing was right now, will know that awesome. Well, and, Kelly, I want to talk about that in the last half of our hours, so everyone. Kelly will be right back right after that. The preceding podcast was provided by care partners living and answers for elders radio. To contact care partners living, go to care partners livingcom