05 May Associated Press: At Park Springs, staff stays put 24-7 to stop virus
Associated Press published a Top News story on May 5 featuring a few of the approximately 70 Park Springs staff who committed to sheltering in place 24/7 alongside more than 500 members to protect them from COVID-19. Nationwide, 20,000 deaths have been linked to virus outbreaks in nursing homes and other long-term care centers.
While most nursing homes have limited visitors, and many screen people for fevers or ask whether they’ve had contact with anyone with the virus, Park Springs feared those strategies might not be enough. Donna Moore, COO of Isakson Living, which owns and operates Park Springs, said she knew they had to do something drastic in order to protect the members of Park Springs.
Passing the month point, many of the staff have made personal sacrifices, including Park Springs Healthcare Administrator Nadia Williams, who watched her sister get married via Zoom from Park Springs. She stated her duty to her members came first.
Park Springs Food and Beverage Director Justin Craft has been missing time at home with his wife and two sons. Instead, they have weekly family dinners and date nights sitting on opposite sides of the Park Springs fence.
“I expect my family to jump in and help me out when something is somewhat of a crisis in my life. I don’t expect that from the people who are providing services for me,” Park Springs Member Kaffee McCullough shared.
When asked how long they thought they could stay, most staff responded “I am staying until the end.”
To read more, you can visit Associated Press here.