HomeMy WebLinkAboutOIH November 2020 Newsletter November 2020
Volume 3, Issue 11
OUR ISLAND HOME
Monthly Newsletter
Inside This Issue:
• Ways to Keep in Touch with Residents During COVID-19; Changes to Visitation at OIH
• October Donations
• “Zoom-s-Giving” Event
• OIH’s Pumpkin Decorating Contest
Highlights:
1) Modified Calendar
of Events
2) Employee of the
Month
3) The Future of OIH
4) Resources and
Information
5) Christmas
Decorating
Committee
9 East Creek Rd.
Nantucket, MA 02554
1 (508) 228-0462
WAYS TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH RESIDENTS DURING COVID-19
We continue to receive letters, photos, and words of hope to our resident email
account: ourislandhome@yahoo.com. You can visit our Facebook page (Oih Nantucket
MA) for daily OIH COVID updates, and resident family members and loved ones receive a
comprehensive update weekly via email. * Our plans for visitation have changed! *
Please see the attached flyer and map that provides an update about our window visits,
which will be transitioning to in-person visits that will be conducted at a specific location
at our facility. These in-person visits, as well as virtual visits, should continue to be
scheduled in advance through the Activities Director, Ally Rowell, who can be reached
via email at arowell@nantucket-ma.gov or via phone at 1 (508) 228-0462 x 7406. We
can’t wait to see you soon!
OCTOBER DONATIONS
A HUGE ‘thank you’ to: Joe and Ann Schmidt and Family; Meredith Mangan and Jeff
Titley; Margaret Beaulac and Carl Little; Pete Leone and Denise D’Aunno; Shelley Reever
and Mark Hichar; Gale and Tom Beaton; Peter and Sara Tucker; Janet and Rodger
Marticke; Greg Nichols; Ed and Grace McKinlay; and the Massachusetts Medical Society.
Your generosity contributes directly to our resident’s daily life, activities, and well-being.
Thank you!!!
“ZOOM-S-GIVING”: A VIRTUAL THANKSGIVING EVENT
2020 has been a year of unexpected change, and the upcoming holiday season will be
no different. Our Island Home is happy to announce our first ever “Zoom-s-Giving”
event, scheduled for Monday, November 23rd at 3 PM – a giant Zoom party during which
all interested residents and family members will celebrate the holiday together virtually!
All you need to participate is a device to access Zoom, a good meal to enjoy at your
home, and your holiday cheer. A Zoom link will be distributed to family members closer
to the holiday. We are so excited to see you all! If you would like to schedule an
individual Zoom visit with your loved one on Thanksgiving Day, please contact Ally.
OIH’S PUMPKIN DECORATING CONTEST
THANK YOU to Nantucket community members who decorated pumpkins for us! These
are just a few of the many amazing submissions we received.
OUR ISLAND
HOME
9 East Creek Rd
Nantucket, MA 02554
PHONE:
1 (508) 228-0462
FAX:
1 (508) 228-6875
E-MAIL:
Bob Eisenstein
Interim Administrator
OIHAdministrator@
nantucket-ma.gov
We’re on the Web!
Visit us at:
www.nantucket-ma.gov
INSTAGRAM:
ourislandhomenantucket
FACEBOOK:
Oih Nantucket MA
RESOURCES & INFORMATION
If you have questions or concerns regarding
evolving COVID-19 regulations and
standards, please be aware of the Nursing
Home Family Resource Line established by
the Baker-Polito Administration. This is a
dedicated telephone line that will connect
family members of nursing home residents
with information and resources they need.
The line is staffed from 9am – 5pm,
Monday through Friday, and the number is:
1 (617) 660-5399.
THE FUTURE OF OUR ISLAND HOME
While OIH continues efforts to keep our
residents safe during the concerns of
COVID, discussions continue on the
status of the renovation or construction
of a potential new Our Island Home
facility. Through facilitated discussions,
several staff of the Town of Nantucket
have spent time over the last month
brainstorming what they think are the
Core Values of Nantucket leading this
project, some Facts and Assumptions of
OIH, COVID impacts and potential new
requirements on physical plant and
operations COVID will bring, as well as
what are the possible project options
along with their strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats of each. This
information was gathered and
presented as a framework for the
Nantucket Community to contribute to
and evaluate how we proceed with a
new OIH from here. Throughout
September, meetings were held with key
stakeholders and the general public to
determine the best direction that the
Town should proceed in for the future of
a nursing home facility on the island.
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
For October, our residents elected
Maintenance staff member Jenn Pask
as our employee of the month,
because of her willingness to help
residents with “anything and
everything” and her friendly attitude!
Thank you, Jenn, for all that you do!!!
MODIFIED CALENDAR OF EVENTS
We continue to make modifications to our
activities calendar in efforts to follow best-
care practices as recommended state and
federal agencies that reflect evolving
standards and regulations surrounding COVID-
19.
Daily, we continue to offer the following
activities options: Coloring pages; Puzzles;
Word search and trivia worksheets; Video
chatting and phone calls with family and other
loved ones; Window visits (scheduled in
advance) Exploring old Nantucket picture
books; Independent crafting such as knitting,
crocheting, and other art forms; Reading
letters sent to us from our Nantucket
community members; Independent or
distance bible study; Spending one-on-one
time with staff members for support and
comfort; and listening to music on
headphones.
In addition to the above activities, our
residents have been busy with pumpkin
decorating for the Halloween holiday,
admiring the pumpkins submitted to OIH by
community members, writing to 3rd Grade Pen
Pals at the Lighthouse School, and spending
abundant 1:1 time with staff. We have also re-
opened our living room for movies to be
enjoyed at a distance!
FAMILY COUNCIL:
The next Family Council Meeting is scheduled
for Wednesday, November 18th at 10 AM,
via Zoom.
HOLIDAY DECORATING
COMMITTEE
For any OIH staff interested in
helping with holiday decorating at
Our Island Home, please contact
OIH Nurse Donna King. Thank you!