I have a lot of thoughts about people protesting social distancing and not following protocols right now. I’m going to share true personal experience now to offer some perspective. I don’t talk about my workplace much on social media because I am in HR.

I also don’t speak about it because it is a healthcare facility. Put that together for a double whammy of confidentiality. What I am going to share with you has all been reported in the news. That is the level we are at now.

Our nursing home has an average of 176 residents. Some have been living there for years. It is a very tight knit community. You see the same faces at bingo. During men’s and women’s groups. Just out and about in the hallways.

We were proactive in protocols. PPE required. Every employee and visitor that entered the building had to fill out questionnaires. Get their temperatures taken. Sanitizer and wash their hands. We were weeks ahead on this. Essential employees only. Visitations stopped.

CoVid still got in our building. Once it did, all residents started being tested. Over 80 residents were positive. More than 40 employees tested positive as well. We had employees step up to the front lines and pull extra weight. We’ve also had several resign or never come back.

As this spread like wildfire, directors were putting PPE on personal credit cards to have enough on hand. We were getting supplies brought in from our sister locations. If gowns were sold out, we were ordering plastic ponchos. Anything to keep going and stay safe.

Within about 2 weeks of the first detection of it, we had 21 residents die. Without their family and friends by their side. Without their friends in the home being able to congregate. It is a predominantly Jewish nursing home. Their families couldn’t hold shiva and mourn together

21 different groups of people mourning. This is like a tidal wave in a small community. And what about my employees? Caring for people on a daily basis. Knowing them and their families so well. Having 21 people pass so rapidly within the same walls. The mental damage this does.

Employees are staying in hotel rooms so they do not bring anything home to their families. They are performing jobs outside of their scope to be able to continue the level of care needed for the residents. They are tired. They are sad. They are stressed.

During this, we had a beloved employee pass away unexpectedly. This was a huge blow to the staff during an already extremely stressful situation.

We would all love to blow off steam. See our friends. Hang out for a while. My employees need it more than ever right now. But we can’t. This will not end if we do. We are all missing holidays and birthdays. Which is way less important than those missing funerals.

Unrelated but just adds to how bad this time is right now for this community: a man was arrested by the FBI for attempting to fire bomb one of our buildings. It was a directed hate crime toward Jews. All 3 of these things are horrible alone, but too much all together.

Just try to think of someone other than yourself if you want to cry about going to the beach or having beer with your friends.