Respect, Love, and Admiration in Times of COVID-19

Throughout the pandemic, we have heard politicians critical of other politicians; physicians and scientists critical of other physicians and scientists, and finally, many people offer criticism against long-term care facilities for their handling of COVID-19. 

On March 26, 2021, the New York Times’ podcast, The Daily, highlighted a positive event in the lives of residents in the Good Shephard Nursing Home, a Wheeling, West Virginia facility as they emerged from lockdown. You can hear the excitement of residents returning to group activities, the beauty shop, congregate dining, and the interaction of families finally allowed to visit in the facility. 

One of the most poignant interviews conducted by Sarah Mervash involved the facility’s administrator, Don Kirsch who spoke about being “brokenhearted” over the deaths of five residents who died from COVID-19.  Mr Kirsch spoke through his tears about what he described as “the greatest challenge of our careers.” He spoke of his sense of regret over the virus entering the nursing home without his ability to prevent the spread. Mr Kirsch said he takes the deaths and the infections as a personal failure, although it is likely that the Good Shephard facility experienced the same lack of PPE, the same lack of understanding about how to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the same lack of testing, and the same lack of timely support by governmental officials that all facilities experienced at the beginning of the pandemic.  Mr Kirsch does not blame anyone but himself, yet these issues go well beyond the control of one individual. 

He had nothing but praise for his staff for their professionalism and care during the past year.  Mr Kirsch used the words “respect,” “love,” and “admiration” to describe his feelings for his staff.  

Don Kirsch is not a new administrator—he will have worked at the Good Shephard Nursing Home for 40 years this past June.  Now that we have a few minutes to contemplate what the long-term industry has experienced during the past year, can we acknowledge that we also feel respect, love, and admiration for our staff?

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