Navigating COVID-19 Together, Yet Apart—Erik’s Story.
“There’s an overall positive feeling at The Carrington. The people are great—the staff, the receptionist, sales, the maintenance people, the guy who picks up the garbage, the person who drives the van—top to bottom. They are always engaging. Always asking how my parents are doing.”
Erik
Mother & father have been residents since October 2018
Besides the positivity he experiences every time he visits his parents at The Carrington, Erik says he appreciates the responsiveness of the staff. Everyone is exceptionally nice—not just to my parents, but to me, too,” Erik says. And not just during pandemic times—when times are normal too. Erik likes to tell this story:
“I see responsiveness all around The Carrington, because I’m there a lot—in the shadows of a lot of situations. So, I see when staff are responding to the residents. One day, I could see my dad needed help positioning his chair. One of the staff comes up and fixes his chair. Just little things. Dad told me the other night, ‘You know everybody else gets one cup of ice cream for dessert, but they give me two.’ I don’t know if that’s true, but they make him feel special.”
Erik’s mother is in the highest risk category for COVID-19. She has COPD and is on oxygen 24/7. She became infected with the virus, overcame the illness and is currently in rehabilitation. “My dad tested negative,” says Erik, who is thankful the couple can stay in proximity of each other, even though they have been separated during this critical time. Erik’s mother will soon return to her memory care residence, where nurses are constantly calling him with updates. “Even when I don’t ask for them,” Erik says.
Having gone through a COVID-19 infection with his mother, Erik says, “I feel more confident now than ever before, because I know the staff here has all protocols in place—things are going to be taken care of.”
Checking In On Mom & Dad During COVID-19—Jared’s Thoughts.
“I like to look at how The Carrington took on this unprecedented event (the pandemic), and the positive way they’ve handled things from the beginning. For me as their son, it’s just very comforting knowing that there are loving people there who truly care for them.”
Jared
Mother & father have been residents since October 2019
Jared admits his parents’ decision to move last fall from their Skokie home of 45 years was not an easy one. The concerns were common—loss of independence and privacy. And then health issues for both entered into the picture—and a move was inevitable. “Before the snow flies,” was his father’s request. The next major event in their lives: COVID-19.
Had his parents not moved to The Carrington, Jared shares, he would’ve discouraged them from going out shopping during this time. But he knows his dad still would’ve escaped when Jared wasn’t there. Plus, there would’ve been at-home caregivers coming in and out of their home, then into the community—creating a real risk for virus spread.
“The Carrington was extremely proactive about COVID-19,” says Jared. “They actually began restricting access to immediate family much earlier than other places. I was actually disappointed one day (before official stay-at-home orders) because I wanted to see my parents, and I couldn’t. They were very firm as they were trying to keep everyone safe. I was sad I couldn’t see them, but it gave me a lot of security and comfort knowing that truly loving people were caring for mom and dad.”
Jared commends the nursing staff at The Carrington, some of whom even gave out their cell phone numbers so he could have immediate access, especially when his dad was in the hospital. “I would call them at 7 in the morning and 10 at night, and they would still be working. They were going to extreme efforts, pulling crazy shifts and being extremely responsive to my concerns—just as concerned about my dad as I was.”
As the days pass, Jared feels his parents are out-of-the-woods. “I’ve spent a lot of time with The Carrington staff and talked to my parents enough to realize that the general attitude there is a caring one—like a family.”
During these days of “Stay-in-Place,” we invite you to experience The Carrington virtually and check out our Facebook page. Join us for a face-to-face virtual conference by calling us at 847-744-9469 or by completing an online form. See what we mean by The Carrington Strong!
