Tackling a Pandemic from all Angles

By Catherine Campbell

Lately, my conversations are often pandemic-related. Some wonder how we faired, but most comment on how well we have managed at The Berkeley. And, it’s true, we handled the pandemic exceptionally well because we took the threat of COVID-19 very seriously.

Our leadership team mobilized quickly. Guided by our commitment to ensure the safety of both residents and employees, we put a no visitor policy in place on March 14th and we followed the advice of Public Health very closely. We mirrored all recommended protocols and communicated regularly with employees, residents, and their families.

During a crisis, leadership is important, but so too is the strength of the entire team. Remaining cohesive involved all employees feeling safe and valued for their everyday contribution. We recognized their efforts often and applauded their dedication. Creating a sense of confidence and maintaining positive energy in our buildings was an equally important part of the puzzle for everyone involved.

With our safety measures in place, we turned our focus to keeping residents upbeat and physically active. We maintained their routines, continued with daily activities, and kept our dining rooms open so they were not impacted by a sense of isolation and loss. We made changes to allow for physical distancing, of course, but recognized the critical importance of their overall health and wellness. We wanted to limit the impact of COVID-19 on our residents in every possible way.

We all missed seeing family and friends and longed for life as usual, coming and going as we pleased. As the restrictions lift, we feel a sense of relief and are enjoying newfound freedoms and some semblance of normalcy. However, we cannot let down our guard just yet because the threat still exists. At The Berkeley, we have lifted many restrictions with continued reminders to practice regular hand hygiene, physical distancing, and the wearing of masks. We have kept some measures in place like our no visitor policy. It is important that we continue to control our environment for now, especially with concern around a second wave.

I stand in awe of our entire team. We could never have had such great success without excellent leadership, regular communication, and consistent team cohesiveness. The experience of this pandemic has left me feeling fortunate to work with such amazing people whose collective human spirit is remarkable. What they say is true, there really is no ‘I’ in team.