To the Abode Healthcare Community,
I hope this note finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy. The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting each of us in different ways. As we navigate the current situation together, I want to provide an update on the steps we have taken to be there for our community, our employees, and our patients.
All of us at Abode Healthcare are focused on providing the highest quality of care to our patients. I provided an update at the end of March outlining the changes we implemented to prioritize safe patient care in this new environment. Every decision we have made, and continue to make, has been based on the priority of the health and wellbeing of our patients and employees.
I am deeply grateful for our employees who display incredible dedication by continuing to fulfill their commitment to our patients during this especially challenging time. These individuals, and everyone working on the frontlines of care, deserve to feel protected, confident, and taken care of.
In recent weeks we have made informed decisions and taken actions that ultimately support and benefit our entire community:
PPE: At the first sign of COVID-19, we prioritized spending where it’s needed most and to date, have purchased $1 million of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) so no one reported to work without protection. I’m proud to say that we’ve not had to turn down any patients due to lack of PPE. We’ve even been able to assist other homecare and hospice organizations, and hospitals serving the Navajo nation as well as other underserved populations, in providing supplies for their employees by donating thousands of PPE items. In addition to our company’s commitment, several executives on our team have made personal PPE donations for local health organizations so they can work safely.
Paid Leave: To support employees who risk their own health and safety to care for patients, we instituted a special paid-time-off policy modeled after the Families First Coronavirus Response Act designated for companies with fewer than 500 employees. In Abode’s plan, employees receive unlimited leave for issues relating to COVID-19, including a newly instituted emergency paid time off (EPTO) benefit that is in addition to the PTO employees accrue with regular benefits. These additional benefits allow employees to potentially recover from COVID-19, care for a family member who is ill with the virus, or care for children whose schools and daycares have closed.
Business Investment: Rather than cut back, we’ve leaned into the business to make sure that we are even better prepared to care for patients. Some of these actions include:
Building out our telehealth and remote care solutions
Retaining a dedicated, talented workforce
Hiring new employees and growing our team locally and nationally
Expanding our team’s knowledge with the addition of an infectious disease physician, Dr. Shannon Thorn
Charitable Donations: As we have every year, we continue to support charitable organizations in our communities. That will not stop just because of COVID-19. Support for neighbors, near and far, is needed now more than ever.
I am extremely proud of how everyone at Abode has reacted and handled the unique situation that the COVID-19 pandemic has presented. It’s difficult to adequately express my appreciation for our community—patients, employees, and partners. I have been reminded, once again, what an incredible organization we have—one that is driven by a common purpose of caring for, and serving, vulnerable patients. Every member of our team has come together to do what’s right, and I thank you. We look forward to continuing to work together and supporting each other through this challenging time.
Stay safe and healthy,
MikeHospice of the Midwest is celebrating nurses during the Month of May! Meet Barbara and learn about her passion for nursing as she explains her “why.”
“I chose nursing simply because I love people, especially the geriatric community. I have a lot of prior experience with long-term care, and hospice always caught my eye when experiencing it in those settings. When I finally graduated nursing school, I knew I wanted to be a hospice nurse.A friend talked to me about this company, and I decided to give it a go. It is one of the best decisions I have ever made. Hospice is hard because you know your patient’s end result; however, you create a bond with them and their family that is indescribable, and still talk to many of the families. With hospice, you get a lot of one-on-one time with your patient, so you truly get to know them as a person. You aren’t supposed to become attached, but this is impossible. We are with these people at their most vulnerable times and guiding families through each step of the way, and attachments happen, on both ends. In most other nursing settings, you do not get the opportunity to create these bonds. I continue to thrive in this company because I have people around me who support and encourage. They give constructive criticism when necessary & help find solutions.”Hospice of the Midwest is celebrating nurses during the month of May! Meet Jane and learn about her passion for nursing as she explains her “why.”
“I was lucky enough to be the first LPN/HHA at Hospice of the Midwest in Johnston, IA. I had always done long-term care, and my affinity for the end of life was the reason I went back to Hospice from a Long-Term Care facility. I have been a nurse since 1979, retired from the field, and now work a day and a half in the Johnston office. I love this because I still get to see the staff who lovingly care for their Hospice patients.
I became a nurse as I wanted to make a difference one life at a time. I tell everyone when they say “Oh, Hospice would be so hard!”that I ALWAYS received more than I gave. You never can measure the gift of being invited into someone’s last days and hours. That issacred time, and an honor.
Each day, all our staff makes a difference, whether they realize it or not, and I am proud of the entire staff at Hospice of the Midwest!”
Today, we recognize our nurses for their hard work, support, and compassion. Because of you, we live in a happier, healthier world. Happy Nurses Day!
Your hard work and dedication does not go unnoticed. Now, more than ever, we appreciate you!
