Q & A with sisters on defending their nursing dwelling residents amid a pandemic

Woodford County, Ky. — Because the world started shutting down in March 2020 as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, a small congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph the Employee in jap Kentucky devised a technique to forestall the virus from affecting the residents of Taylor Manor, a Catholic nursing dwelling they run.

Taylor Manor started in 1958 in Versailles, Kentucky, when life-long resident Ophelia Taylor Hoppins died, leaving her complete property to the Diocese of Covington with the aim of making a long-term care facility, in response to Sr. Christina Murray, mom superior of the congregation’s Walton, Kentucky, motherhouse. Hoppins needed the power to retain the title Taylor Manor. In the present day the nursing dwelling has 35 aged residents, ages 70 and older.

Though not a Catholic, Hoppins had attended a Catholic boarding college for one 12 months, and sometimes spoke about her fond reminiscences of the nuns, in response to Murray. Taylor Manor was owned by the Diocese of Covington and initially operated by one other congregation. In 1976 when that congregation might now not employees the power, the Sisters of St. Joseph the Employee have been requested to run it.

The Sisters of St. Joseph the Employee congregation was accepted by Rome on Might 1, 1974. It was based by Mom Ellen Curran and Bishop Richard Ackerman of the Diocese of Covington with ministries targeted on well being care and training.

Finally the diocese gave possession of Taylor Manor to the Sisters of St. Joseph the Employee when the Diocese of Lexington was created. Versailles, (inhabitants 9,251, in response to the 2020 U.S. census) is 13 miles west of Lexington and is a suburban neighborhood recognized for its horse farms and a number of other flavorful Kentucky bourbon distilleries.

Along with Taylor Manor, the congregation additionally operates the St. Joseph Academy in Walton, Kentucky, a Ok-8 program which has 29 college students plus 13 college students in a home-schooling help program. The house-schooling help program operates two days every week for college students in grades 3 by way of 8, and this 12 months a three-day-a-week freshman program is being added. Plans name for including a brand new grade every year, till the sisters have a highschool help program.

Sr. Mary Faustina Zugelder is the administrator of Taylor Manor, which was acknowledged in September 2021 with an award for the way it remained accessible to residents and their households throughout the pandemic. 

The award got here from Main Age Kentucky, a nonprofit statewide affiliation whose numerous membership consists of nursing houses, private care amenities, assisted residing facilities, persevering with care retirement houses, and intermediate take care of individuals with mental and developmental disabilities.

Zugelder acquired a plaque for devising a singular method of social distancing for each the residents and their visiting households. The tactic, which concerned a easy curtain and wooden body barrier, successfully enforced social distancing rules and helped hold Taylor Manor occupants protected. The long-term care facility has operated this manner for over two years.

Though six shoppers examined constructive for the virus throughout the pandemic — and the power’s priest, Fr. Frank Sherry, needed to quarantine at one level — just one resident really developed signs. Most vital is that nobody within the facility died from it.

Zugelder is assisted on weekends by Murray, who’s a registered nurse and likewise serves because the director of nursing. Murray humorously describes herself as, “the boss,” however to the opposite sisters she is the one that does all the things — cooks, cleans, offers photographs, and so on., as a result of, stated Zugelder, “that is what nuns do.”

Working alongside Zugelder at Taylor Manor are additionally Sr. Virginia Marie Thomas, and Sr. Celeste Marie Downes.

Zugelder and Murray have been interviewed for this text.

GSR: How a lot do — and did — your residents rely upon private contact throughout the shutdown?

Zugelder: At this stage, of their lives, fairly a bit, and for individuals who have that kind of help from their husbands, wives, youngsters and grandchildren, this [the family visitation] is an nearly day by day factor. 

We aren’t a rehab middle — we handle those that are sick and dying — which is why COVID made the scenario so onerous. I rigged up a telephone system [with the help of our center’s activities staff] geared up with headphones, that allowed our residents’ households to nonetheless go to them and people with dementia to nonetheless hear a liked one’s voice.

Contemplating the toll that dementia takes on a member of the family tormented by it, one has to think about even this straightforward thought an incredible present.

How did the curtain thought itself come into being?

Zugelder: I noticed on the Web the place a mom had arrange a curtain in her entrance yard for the grandmother’s visits. The youngsters bought a hug from her and have been allowed to see their grandmother as effectively. I believed to myself, “We might do this right here,” and in the long run it grew to become a giant deal; simply with the ability to attain out and contact the one you love.

The middle’s upkeep man, David Reed, constructed three wood frames that the plastic body might follow, and a neighborhood veterinarian provided lengthy gloves which allowed members of the family to stay their arms by way of the curtain.

What was the results of all of this effort?

Zugelder: Really there have been a number of rewards, as a result of this was such a giant deal. First, our residents simply getting to the touch and squeeze anyone, then the success of our by no means having bought COVID, and though there have been residents who did go away naturally, nobody died from the virus.

How did individuals reply to being vaccinated?

Zugelder: We acquired phrase about our getting the vaccine three days earlier than Christmas in 2020, after which permission varieties needed to be gotten, papers signed by members of the family, and so on.

Sure, individuals have been afraid of it, however additionally they knew that we wanted it, and in the long run 70% of the residents took it on the outset, 99% acquired it general, and a lot of the employees have been vaccinated instantly.

As for me, to set an instance, and out of affection for our workers, I had no alternative.

How did you react to the primary information that COVID-19 is perhaps approaching our nation?

Murray: I’ve to confess that in the first place I had a moderately flippant angle, one thing like, “That is the US and our well being care system will handle it, and apart from, proper now it’s in Italy.”

Because it bought nearer nevertheless, I believed, “That is the time to alter that boastful angle,” and begin praying. I additionally took medicines to the sufferers — who at instances did put on masks — and did all the things to see that they weren’t afraid.

How did you react to the information that Sister Zugelder was to obtain the award?

Murray: I used to be the one who submitted her title to the Main Age Kentucky individuals, and I heard again from them fairly shortly. She was the one one who did this — devising a way of protected visiting — right here within the state, and I needed to submit her title for her and the residents.

What did you are taking away from this trial — assuming that the worst could also be behind us?

Murray: The most important factor for me was being conscious of the individuals round you, and seeing Sister do that vital factor. Socially and spiritually we’re physique and soul, and letting somebody know that she or he was not alone is vital.

And with you, Sister Zugelder?

Zugelder: I found how vital it was for households to see these individuals whom they liked — to see these employees right here dressed as much as give Communion as a result of individuals wanted it. And lastly, I realized to not make choices out of concern, as a result of concern is a software of the satan.