COVID-19 Letters
December 2021
As we think about the Christmas season, we reflect on the birth of Jesus. Luke tells us of one of the stories of Jesus’ walk on this earth, with the story of Jesus’ birth. “While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.” Luke 2: 6 – 7 NIV
Those who grew up in the Christian tradition heard many stories of Jesus’ life, from sermons on Sunday morning to Sunday School classes and Vacation Bible School. As a child, I was always fascinated by Jesus’ life and the diversity of his life story. I learned early on that Jesus was a person with more than “one single story.”
Born of Mary, Jesus was a student of the law and the Torah, a teacher, and a carpenter. He accepted all, including the Woman of Samaria. He spoke to the multitudes at the Sermon on the Mount, was a healer of the dead and the living, and provided food to thousands. Jesus was a person with a complex and vivid life. One title or role does not define his presence on earth. This month we celebrate his birth.
You are like Jesus, a person with a multitude of stories that tell us who you are. Be sure to tell your story to loved ones this Christmas season. Some of our residents, team members, and Board members have shared their stories with us. These stories are published in a book titled “We are More than a Single Story.” A copy of this book is in your campus library. Or drop an email to Cheryl.doolin@greencroftcommunities.org and we will send you an electronic copy.
Have a blessed Christmas.
Peace and Hope,
Mark King
President & CEO
August 20, 2021
Dear Resident and Family Member,
As you may have heard, on Wednesday August 18, President Biden announced he is calling on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to require all nursing homes who accept federal reimbursement to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for team members. We recognize that this mandate will be met with mixed emotions. Some will be undoubtably relieved while others will be disconcerted and alarmed.
Since the COVID-19 vaccination availability, we have done our part to encourage all team members who are able to get the vaccine. We feel it’s the best way to maintain the safety and health of our team members, their families, and our residents. At the same time, in accordance with our CROFT values, we respect those who choose to think differently.
You may be asking what this mandate means? The answer is, we don’t know for sure. It appears we will receive communication as early as September. We ask for your patience as we await formal guidance from CMS and our state department of health with the policy and procedures. Once that is received, we will begin to process this guidance as an organization in conjunction with our team members
In addition, we are working with our state and national non-profit associations to advocate for team members who are unable to receive the COVID-19 vaccine due to religious beliefs and/or medical conditions. We expect these protections will be included in the mandate but feel it is vital for us to have our voices heard now.
Should you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact myself or another member of the leadership team. In addition, you may also email your concerns or questions to covidquestions@greencroftcommunities.org.
Sincerely,
Mark King,
Greencroft Communities President/CEO
March 2, 2021
This prayer is one I offer up to God this month, as we mark the one year start of our country’s response to this pandemic. Please join me in a time of talking with God
“Gracious God,
As we approach the end of the first year of this pandemic,
We are tired, we are weary, and our world is exhausted.
Our team members have experienced undue challenges at work and at home.
They have to labor with COVID expectations that are hard to meet.
They have children and grandchildren that are struggling under virtual and distance learning.
They seek refuge and hope from you, their creator and Lord.
Our residents are lonely, isolated, and afraid.
They sit in their apartments watching the world around them, in chaos.
They long for the days when they can visit with family and friends, in person.
They live in expectancy of the healing of our world, through you our Lord.
Oh God, you gifted us your child, Jesus, a few millennia ago.
With that gift, you gave us a new covenant.
A covenant that we are redeemed through Christ’s blood and resurrection.
Your covenant reminds us that you are gracious and good.
There may be nothing to learn from this time in history.
There may be much to learn from this time in history.
Help us live in expectancy of the good you bring to us and through us.
Walk with us today, be beside us every day, and help us see you every minute.
As we approach the end of the first year of this pandemic,
We are hopeful, we live in expectancy and our world longs for healing.
Oh God, in our longing we say …. Amen, Amen, and Amen”
Peace and Hope,
Mark King, President & CEO
September 3, 2020
Greetings!
The fullness of summer has been with us during August, hot temperatures, limited rain, fresh corn, ripe tomatoes and all the good the end of summer brings. September will bring a time of transitions to final harvests, leaf color changes, shorter days, cooler nights and the wonder of the fall season every day. It is refreshing to see you out and about in this season and to experience the grandeur of God’s world.
Please accept my sincere wish for good health amid the pandemic. Please continue to stay safe, to wash your hands regularly, to wear masks, to self-isolate as much as possible, to be mindful of your neighbors and to keep our community safe.
Within our Greencroft system, we have lost friends and family to the virus, though much less than what we heard we might experience last March. Team members have done a wonderful job living our CROFT values or Creativity, Respect, Openness, Fairness and Teamwork. We see this everyday as they come to work and serve the residents living in this ministry.
As we start this fall season, please remain vigilant: wear masks, wash your hands, clean surfaces that may have been exposed, and limit your exposure in public places. Find ways to be safe yet get the personal interaction you need to maintain your mental, spiritual, physical and social wellbeing.
Finally, it is that time of year to get your flu shot. For those who are able, please consider scheduling that with your physician or your pharmacy. As we head into the winter season, this safety precaution is one of the best ways to avoid the flu and keep everyone healthier.
May you enjoy the cooler temperatures and the beautiful show God provides as the leaves change.
Peace and hope,
Mark King
President & CEO
6 May 2020
Dear Residents and families,
This week our Governors outlined their roadmaps to safely reopen Indiana, Ohio and Michigan. The road will likely not be a straight line. We will make changes along the way. Our States are expecting an increase in cases over the next few weeks. So, our best approach is to continue using good universal precautions at home and at work. Keep wearing your face mask as needed, keep washing your hands for 20 seconds, and be cautious in stores and public spaces following social distancing guidelines.
Across all campuses, nearly thirty residents and team members have been tested since mid-March. This includes skilled nursing, assisted living and independent living residents, and team members
- Two independent living residents have tested positive. One was quarantined in her home and has recovered (Greencroft Goshen). The second was admitted to the hospital for about ten days and is now in one of our skilled COVID-19 units (Golden Years).
- Two employees in the Golden Years assisted living building tested positive for the virus. One was admitted to the hospital and the other is being cared for at home.
- Of the remaining nearly 30, team members and residents tested, none others have tested positive.
We continue to provide a safe environment for our team members to work in. As a part of our effort to provide for them during this time we have added the following benefits:
- Expanded sick time coverage for those with the virus
- Expanded supply of personal protective equipment (PPE)
- A dedicated COVID-19 Unit or area, which will have the necessary supplies to provide good care for residents in need
- Critical Care Pay for direct care staff that provide care in the COVID-19 unit or area
- Expanded Employee Assistance services to providing counseling and referral services to address any of our team members concerns and worries
These are very challenging times for all of us, both at work and at home. Over the next several weeks, as we follow the governors’ road maps, we’ll remain diligent in keeping you and your families safe. Thank you for living with us and for trusting us in this way.
We know these are hard times. We ask that you keep following our Governors’ guidance. Know that your loved ones in our healthcare and assisted living settings are cared for by loving, compassionate team members. We know you want to be there with them. We can all look forward to the day when it is safe to be together again. Thank you for working with us to provide a safe place.
Sincerely,
Mark King
President & CEO
27 March 2020
Dear Residents,
Living in a community is about working together. Our community, our state, our country, and our world has always stepped up and worked together in times of crisis. It is a blessing to see all of these groups come together. Locally we see our state and our county stepping forward as one, working for the interests of all.
As a country, we are adapting to the COVID-19 virus that is spreading around our world. The issues we face around COVID-19 are not black and white and are not always clear. Our organization has an emergency plan that we are following and changing as needed. The plan includes working closely with our county health departments, our hospitals, local governments and state governments.
There are precautions we are taking on our campuses and in our offices. We ask you to keep up your caution, wash your hands often, use good habits like social distancing, and stay home. We are here to help you get food or other items if you need them.
As a business, we are classified as essential, but it is our team members that are essential and important. These are the people providing services every day that are deemed important and essential to our community’s health and wellbeing. Each team is essential and needed to provide and keep our services running smoothly. The team includes:
- our CNAs and nurses – caring directly for you every hour of every day
- culinary – providing three meals every day
- our housekeepers, laundry, and maintenance – keeping our buildings clean, our laundry clean and our building’s systems working
- our social workers – working with residents and families to aid them in this time
- our office staff – making sure that we bill for the services we provide so we have money to pay our team members; paying our bills so we can still receive needed supplies; recording donations and developing marketing material, and keeping our accounting systems current and accurate
ALL IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL ROLES
We are working with state and local partners to provide for a safe workplace by implementing best practices. For the past number of weeks, the state has asked that we only use masks in Healthcare, when we have an active case. This week, the state informed us that we need to have all CNAs and RNs using masks every day, even though we do not have any cases. So, when you see team members wearing masks, know that it is for our resident’s protection and required.
There are job opportunities in our work. If you know of family, church friends, and others, please let them know that our campus is looking for great team members. We have already started advertising on Facebook and other media outlets about our staffing availability.
These are scary times … these are not the first times our community, our country and our world have faced these stressful situations. We will get through this by working as a community and working together to make our world safe and secure.
Sincerely,
Mark King
President & CEO
25 March 2020
Dear Residents,
These are some of the most challenging times for our country, our world and our communities. We know that every day you are dealing with a changing landscape: changes to our practices on campus, grocery stores changing hours, stores closing or limiting hours, and handling the issues your family faces during this time. This is not easy and takes extra energy and time.
We know that how we are being asked to do business now is disrupting your lives. We are working closely with federal, state and local government(s) to provide a safe and secure place for you, our residents, your families and our employees. These changes are designed to limit the rapid spread of COVID-19. We appreciate your willingness to work with us by following these new guidelines to keep each of you safe.
Our campuses are open twenty-four hours, seven days a week. Some of our residents are more vulnerable and need the greatest protection. Our team members are remaining vigilant in using universal precautions to reduce and minimize infections and their spread. We are working with team members to ensure a safe and secure place for you.
The symptoms associated with COVID-19 are fever, cough, and shortness of breath. As always, our CROFT values provide us the framework to make decisions in this ministry. Therefore, if you are experiencing these, please let us know. When possible, we will work with you to arrange a time for you to get tested and walk with you through this time of waiting for results and potential illness.
We are meeting federal and state directives limiting community activities and access to buildings. This means that some services have been modified or curtailed. Our staff are here to provide guidance and assistance to meet your needs. If you run out of food or have other needs, please let our team know so we can strategize with you on how best to go about getting your needs met. By working together, we will be a community that gets through this and becomes stronger.
We continue to adapt as the federal and state government(s) put in place new requirements for this pandemic. We will modify as we are asked to by our governmental leaders. Our first priority is to keep you, our residents, healthy and safe. We will keep you informed and updated as significant developments arise. We understand the trust you have placed in us and take this responsibility seriously.
Sincerely,
Mark King
President & CEO
March 12, 2020
To Our Residents, Family Members, and Staff,
We all are grappling to understand how the spread of COVID-19 (the new coronavirus) will impact us and our communities. We pray for God’s wisdom and guidance as we move forward in this tumultuous time. Our hearts go out to those who have been impacted and we remain committed to supporting our team members, families and residents as best we are able in the days, weeks and months ahead.
At Greencroft Communities, we prioritize the health and well-being of our team members, residents and their families. The framework for what we do is rooted in our core values as a ministry. We look to our CROFT Values (Creativity, Respect, Openness, Fairness and Teamwork) to help us determine the best course of action. We also look to trusted experts like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as state and federal survey agencies to ensure we have proper protocols in place.
Please know that we are working closely with county, state, and federal agencies to ensure we are following regulations and recommendations on prevention steps, including following strict handwashing procedures and infection control protocols. We have plans in place and will put them into action as needed to protect those who call this ministry their home.
At this time, we ask that you do not visit your loved one in our healthcare or assisted living areas. We are restricting all visitors to our healthcare and assisted living unless there is an emergent situation. We have signs posted on our entry doors to notify visitors of this policy and are actively screening visitors who enter the building. We ask that if you show any signs or symptoms of respiratory issues such as fever, sore throat, or coughing, please stay home. Call your doctor for guidance. If you must visit, we request that you call ahead so we may make accommodations for your visit.
To screen individuals, we are limiting the access points into our healthcare and assisted living buildings. You may be required to use another entry. We ask for your patience and understanding.
We have not had a confirmed case of COVID-19 on any campus at this time. We will post new information on our website as we gather additional information from our regional, state and federal partners.
For specific information for each campus, please follow the links below. We will keep this updated, so you have the most current information. We have also provided links in our FAQ to credible sources to find information about COVID-19.
With warm regards,
Mark King
CEO
Greencroft Communities