26 Jun The Champion: Park Springs workers head home after voluntary lock-in
The Champion published a story on June 26 regarding the return home of 75 Park Springs staff who voluntarily locked-in on campus for nearly three months to ensure the safety and well-being of their members during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Nurses as well as workers in food and beverage services, environmental services, plant operations, and administration lived on campus with residents for months to ensure basic services continued while reducing potential exposure to COVID-19 from outside the community. The workers are being hailed as “heroes” by Park Springs management.
“We have an extremely dedicated employee body and I am so honored to work with people who are committed to loving and serving our members in such a selfless way,” stated Donna Moore, chief operating officer at Isakson Living, which owns and operates Park Springs. “Our decision to lock-in was purely based on the fact that limiting human traffic into Park Springs was the best way to keep COVID-19 off our campus to protect our members and our staff. Over the last 75 days, these 75 heroes have been our mission in action.”
Park Springs is entering Phase Two of its response to the novel coronavirus, which includes precautions such as testing and screening all staff, limiting and screening visitors, continuing to provide meal delivery services, doubling existing infection control protocols, practicing social distancing and use of personal protective equipment. Some services which had been temporarily suspended, such as dining room service and limited in-person programming will be available, with heightened safety protocols.
“We are proud of the actions we have taken to be at the forefront of protecting our staff and members while continuing to provide much-needed services,” Moore said. “Naturally, we are all happy to be returning to our families. However, it has been such a privilege to serve our members in this capacity and have them become a part of our extended families. None of us will ever forget this experience.”
To read more, you can visit The Champion here.