People across the globe are navigating through their response to COVID-19, and this of course includes senior living providers like Sunrise, which are committed to protecting the health and safety of all community members – residents, team members, partners, and friends. Part of my role as Chief Clinical Officer is to continuously ask questions of myself, my team and leaders across our organization. What new information has come to light, and does it change our approach? Who can we learn more from? What can we do better? We never rest on our laurels. And we never make assumptions. Each day, I speak with other experts and government health officials across a variety of focus areas – skilled nursing, assisted living, gerontology, epidemiology, infectious diseases – and I ask them the same questions. I want you to know that these individuals, who are leading the charge in our nation’s COVID-19 prevention efforts, have all reinforced that Sunrise is taking the necessary steps to protect your health and safety.
We are honored to have a seat at the table with federal health officials for these important discussions, and serve as a leader among our fellow peers when it comes to infection control. Still, we understand that the constant news cycle and uncertainty surrounding the virus itself may lead one to wonder, “Is Sunrise doing enough?”
We are sailing in unchartered waters, and our best course of action is to treat expert guidance from organizations like the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, Canadian Public Health Resources, and the World Health Organization as our compass. I’m not prone to quoting novelists in my day-to-day, but I heard a quote earlier this week that is so timely and perfect, I want to share it with you.
The two most powerful warriors are patience and time.
Working alongside our community teams over the past five years, and even more closely over the past several weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to witness firsthand the calm, measured and level-headed approach they take in caring for residents and addressing concerns from families. Housekeepers, nurses, designated care managers, maintenance coordinators, food service and dining, and many others have channeled the commitment they’ve always had for our seniors into an unrelenting commitment to keep them safe, while never losing sight of the need for warmth, love and friendship. It has also been humbling to see expressions of gratitude, support, and appreciation from families across North America.
Sunrise team members are truly heroes in the face of challenging times, and we are proud to say that Heroes Wear Orange.