Dear Executive Director:

Dear Executive Director,

I moved my dear sweet mother, 92, into your community in March of 2020.?The next Monday, our state, and her new home went into full lockdown.?As you can imagine, I was pretty upset about having just moved her out of her home and feared that she was going to be isolated and all alone.?Full confession, I very nervous that she was more likely to get the virus living there.?I even considered bringing her home, but you reassured me and went through all the safety practices going in place.?

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the dozens of phone calls to answer my hundreds of questions and for keeping me updated on my mother and the status of any outbreak. I knew that most of the time, you were sure about how to respond to any emergency, and you never caused me to doubt your resolve.?You were faithful to take your own personal phone and facetime me in my mother’s apartment each week and sometimes several times a week, when she asked about me.?She told me how good you all were to her. You brought her snacks and drinks and even played games and listened to music in the hallways to keep her entertained.?I heard how you and your staff slept overnight, prepared breakfast when no one could come and vigilantly kept an eye out for any symptoms or coughs.??

I know those were rough weeks and you walked it alone as the leader.?You missed your own family and kept separated from them so you wouldn’t put your residents, my mother, at risk.?You not only cooked but cleaned and helped with laundry and when no one could come, you put on gloves and did the sacred work of caregiving.?I never heard you complain, and you always showed up.?When we could start visiting by window or outside, you got creative and figured out how to keep everyone safe but got us reunited.?Those were precious visits that meant everything to her and to me!

I know you suffered loss, I heard about the folks in memory care that didn’t make it to the vaccine and passed away too soon.?I know some of your staff struggled with their own health and family situations.?On top of everything, you yourself got sick and even though you needed to isolate, you still managed to keep everything going despite your own weariness.??

Thank you.?These words are simply not enough, but they will have to do for now.?As I sit here reflecting on the last two years of my mother’s life, I can only dwell on the angels that God put around her and give praise to Him that provided.?He was faithful to care for her through you and I pray that He continues to bless you and your staff many times over.?You will always be a part of our family and our memories.??

With great appreciation and love,?

The Daughter waving outside the window