We are Acclimated to the “New Normal”
A phrase that has been thrown around quite a lot over the past few months has been the “new normal.” An example of how we have created a new normal is that while certain things, such as group activities and certain in-person visits, have had to be put on hold for a while, we have adapted and created a “new normal” with regular video calls and one-on-one activities in their place. Mental health experts spoke to the importance of normalcy and routine for the wellbeing of those in our care by saying, “The COVID-19 pandemic has replaced packed schedules with unstructured time that can be detrimental to good mental health. The structure of even small daily routines become important patterns and expectations that give us just enough positive stress to get through a day with a sense of purpose and well-being.” The hard work of creating that new sense of normalcy has already been done so, if a new wave of COVID-19 should come around, we will be much more prepared to adapt and retain the “new normal” that may bring.
Our Heroes Have Overcome Fear
We are not completely out of the woods yet in regards to fear and anxiety related to being an essential worker during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, we have found that our staff is much less scared than they were at the onset of the virus. That is, naturally, due to the fact that they have been bravely and selflessly reporting to work on a daily basis and have started to overcome those fears that were originally associated with coming to work. Our Administrator, Steven Salvanto, at Spring Hills Post-Acute Care Livingston discussed this by saying, “The team has changed. In the beginning, we all were scared because it was the fear of the unknown. Now that things have become more routine and we have the proper processes and procedures in place, I think the knowledge keeps people more in focus and it really reduces the stress level.”