An Open Letter to Our Dedicated Frontline Staff

March 20, 2020

Dear peopleCare teams,

Has it really only been one week since the World Health Organization declared a pandemic? With the spread of COVID-19 around the globe, the world is changing, by the hour if not the minute. We appreciate that everyone is likely experiencing information overload and feeling different emotions during this stressful time, as we think about how to best protect those we care about.

We are so proud of how our teams are leading through this situation and wanted to write to thank you most sincerely for all that you have already accomplished in such a short time. Halting all non-essential work so our focus can remain on resident safety and care. Stepping up our infection prevention and control measures. Not to mention putting new or enhanced precautions in place at a moment’s notice.

Just as important is how you are balancing our residents’ physical health with their emotional well-being in the absence of their family members and friends from the community. There are many examples, in every peopleCare Home, of creative ways you are making sure that, along with care, our residents continue to experience connections, warmth and fun. We know you are also doing all you can to reassure concerned families their loved one is safe and in good hands.

We have been carefully preparing for the possibility of our first resident or staff confirmed case of COVID-19, working closely with Public Health and the Ministry of Health. If or when that happens, the news will be unsettling – but we are ready to handle it. Pandemic protocols are in place in all of our Homes. We are adhering to all Ministry directives and can draw on our experience in effectively managing outbreaks and caring for residents during these periods. And at a time when the world is coming together in crisis, across the peopleCare organization we are doing the same: coordinating our efforts and pulling together as a team more than ever before.

This global public health crisis is uncharted waters for all. Please know that we are here to support you. And while we can’t predict how the COVID-19 situation will evolve in the coming weeks, we know our teams will keep showing up for one another, with compassion and strength, and continue to be the calm in the storm for our residents, families and communities. We hope you will also take a moment now and then to have a rest, be kind and share a laugh or a smile with a friend or co-worker.

Thank you for being the leaders we need during this extraordinary time.