OHCA Oregon Caregiver Spring Summer 2020

www.ohca.com SPRING/SUMMER 2020 The Oregon Caregiver 7 FEATURE “It’s psychological, physical, and uncomfortable. A majority of my staff are long-term. They’ve been with me anywhere from five to 15 years, so we truly are like a family. Even through the stress, we’re able to pull together and do this as a team, and we do this for the residents.” – Dorie Reid, Oak Lane Retirement & Assisted Living CONTINUES » Thanks to these quick actions, as well as continuous, heroic efforts from Oregon’s long term care providers, at the time this magazine went to print, over 98 percent of long term care communities in the state currently have no COVID-19 positive resident cases. In this article, representatives from three communities share their unique experi- ences in dealing with COVID-19. Fight or flight—that’s how Dorie Reid describes the model she and her staff at Oak Lane Retirement & Assisted Living have been pushing since day one. The Damascus facility currently houses 81 memory care, assisted living, and inde- pendent living residents and employs 54 caregivers and staff. At publication date, Oak Lane has remained COVID-free, and Reid says maintaining that status has only made her team stronger. “It’s psychological, physical and uncom- fortable,” said Reid. “A majority of my staff are long-term. They’ve been with me anywhere from five to 15 years, so we truly are like a family. Even through the stress, we’re able to pull together and do this as a team, and we do this for the residents.” Reid says her staff acted immediately as soon as the threat of COVID-19 was known. They went to work implementing Oak Lane’s infection control protocols, which consist of cleaning every inch of the building—from desks and handrails, to doorknobs and light fixtures—every four hours. Each morning, Reid says she checks the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Oregon Health Authority (OHA) and Oregon Health Care Association (OHCA) websites for guidance. Oak Lane Retirement created a beach room for residents to relax. Caregivers and staff at Oak Lane Retirement clean the facility every four hours to prevent spread of the virus.