MORRISON, Ill. — With rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, some area nursing homes are having to return to lockdowns, but not Resthave Care & Rehabilitation in Morrison.
"I think it's always in the back of your mind what we went through and just fearful that we could end up in that spot again," said Resthave Assisted Living Director Jamie Troutman. "We just take it a day at a time and hope and prays about all we can do."
The administrator of Resthave, Jill Smith, said if just one resident or staff member tests positive, they are required to go into lockdown. They'll shut down to visitors again and test all residents and staff, and the outbreak isn't considered over until they've gone 14 days without a positive test. This hasn't been a problem for Resthave recently. In fact, they haven't had a single COVID-19 case since they reopened to visitors.
"We celebrate cautiously, you know, every day we go by without another positive case," Smith said. "Sometimes we think it's God's grace."
In March, Resthave began allowing guests to schedule hour-long social distanced visits, and now they're back to operating at their normal visiting hours. Everyone is required to complete a health screening when they enter and wear masks.
"The first day the residents were able to come out and eat in the dining rooms again, like that was the biggest celebration, like staff just stood at the edge of the dining rooms and clapped and cheered and some cried because they'd been in their rooms for months," Smith said. "You almost forgot what it felt like just to have people in the building."
The last year and a half hasn't been easy for staff and residents. Resthave did have several outbreaks and 19 residents passed away from COVID-19.
"You lose a lot of sleep, I think, when you're going through something like this, and you know, all we want to do is take care of these people and keep them safe," Troutman said. "You just put your faith in God and hope that, you know, people don't get sick. It's, it's scary."
Smith and Troutman said things can change really fast, but for now the residents have been enjoying spending time together, and are glad to be able to get their hair cut again.
"We've got bingo going again. ... There is a stampede down the hallway on bingo day," Troutman said. "It doesn't seem to matter what they're doing as long as they're doing it together."
Smith said all but one of the residents are fully vaccinated and currently 71% of the staff are. Vaccines are strongly encouraged, and she said they could soon be mandated now that President Joe Biden is requiring all nursing home employees to get vaccinated.