HomeMy WebLinkAboutOIH December 2020 Newsletter December 2020
Volume 3, Issue 12
OUR ISLAND HOME
Monthly Newsletter
Inside This Issue:
• Ways to Keep in Touch with Residents During COVID-19; Changes to Visitation at OIH
• November Donations
• “Zoom-s-Giving” Event
• The Holiday Season at OIH
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!
NOVEMBER DONATIONS
A major ‘Thank You’ to Mary Ryer for your donation to the Friends of Our Island Home
this past month. Your generosity contributes directly to our resident’s daily life,
activities, and well-being. Thank you!!!
“ZOOM-S-GIVING”: A VIRTUAL THANKSGIVING EVENT
We had such an amazing time at our Zoom-s-Giving virtual event last week – thank you
to all who attended! We will be planning something similar for the month of December…
Stay tuned!
THE HOLIDAY SEASON AT OIH
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 Claudia
Cousely-McFarlane as our employee
of the month, because of her
thoroughness, hard-working and
polite attitude, her friendliness, and
her attention to detail. Thank you,
Claudia, 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 holiday crafting
and decorating, writing to their 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 and bingo
to be enjoyed at a distance!
FAMILY COUNCIL:
The next Family Council Meeting is scheduled
for Wednesday, December 9th at 10 AM,
via Zoom.