Sweet Home Is Hit Hard by COVID-19
Share
Tweet
October was a challenging month for the staff and residents at Sweet Memorial Nursing Home as they learned that despite their best efforts, COVID has a presence in the Home. Those challenges continued into November.
On October 28, officials from the Home posted this announcement on their Facebook page:
As of today, at Sweet Home, we have three (3) confirmed positive staff members and three (3) confirmed positive residents. We are also extremely sad to report one COVID-19 related death. Our prayers and condolences go out to the family and friends of the individual. The positive residents that remain at Sweet Home are being isolated in one area of the building; staff that are positive are home isolating.
By November 4, Sweet Memorial Nursing Home was reporting their fourth COVID-19 related death and an additional hospitalization. As of November 5, thirteen staff members and twenty-two residents of the facility were COVID-19 positive, including the one hospitalized.
During this dire time, four members of the Montana National Guard arrived at the facility on November 2 to help with staff shortages. Those residents who have tested positive continue to be isolated in one area of the building and positive staff are isolating at home. All staff and residents continue to be regularly screened and tested for COVID-19.
About the National Guard's presence, a spokesperson from the home said, "We are blessed to have four members of the Montana National Guard here in our facility. As we experience this time of staff shortages, while fighting a battle we tried our hardest to prevent, we are grateful for the extra sets of hands that free up our own staff to do what we love – taking care of our residents.
"We sincerely appreciate all the thoughts, well wishes, and prayers being sent our way during this challenging time. The treats and goodies and food that has shown up for us has been a comfort as well.
"We express our heartfelt sympathy to the family and friends of the residents we have lost. We will get through this together.
"As we continue to trudge through these COVID-19 waters, everyone is working harder than we ever imagined we would need to as we care for our Sweet family and coworkers."
"Because we have COVID in our building and all of our time has been dedicated to the care of our residents, we did not do a newsletter or calendar for the month," Ward Clerk Carla Uhl reported.
In order to maintain some sense of normalcy and security for the residents, the staff engaged in efforts to make their residents smile. For example, Physical Therapist Aide Carmen Van Voast brought her children Cali and Chase dressed in pirate costumes, and they went around on the outside of building for the residents to see on Halloween.
On another occasion, hoping to lift spirits, Administrative Assistant Heather Nesslar joined with Social Services Department employee Sandra Sorenson to accompany Uhl and Van Voast on a round of visitations. "We went around to all the resident's windows, Sandra showed the sign, and our quartet sang You Are My Sunshine," Uhl said.
