Dear Residents, Staff, Families and Community Supporters,

It feels like this year, our 70th year, has gone extremely fast! Heading into Fall and the Thanksgiving holiday, it is a good time to express what we are grateful for and what is coming!

We have had many celebrations for our 70th, such as the Chamber Happy Hour, Heritage Days parade, a concert on campus and our recent Halloween carnival. These events bring us a great amount of joy, allow for fun interactions and remind us why we do what we do.

We are extremely grateful for all of our staff in the various areas on campus. They are engaged and show commitment to meet the residents’ needs. They enjoy engaging with the residents, getting to know specific needs for each and are heartbroken when we lose someone they are close to. It is critical we continue to stay competitive with their wages and recruit and retain our own in order to meet the staffing requirements and discontinue the use of agency staff.

Covid has now become just another page in our infection control manual. Although things have completely changed out in the community and everywhere else, there are still some requirements that remain enforced for the nursing center. This is confusing and frustrating for all of us. We still have a requirement to quarantine until negative test or 10 days.

The Flu and Covid vaccines have been administered this fall. Even with 75 percent of our residents receiving the Covid vaccine, we have several residents on the first floor and a few on the second floor who have Covid at the present time. There is no Covid in Evergreen Arbor, Aspen Cottage, Linden Place or Eichhorn House. We are not holding cross-floor activities or worship in the Chapel this week. Worship will happen in other areas as usual. The symptoms are mild, similar to cold-like symptoms. Visitation is open and the requirement is to educate there is Covid in the building and individuals are to wear a mask if visiting with someone who is symptomatic. If you feel sick it would be a good idea not to visit until you feel well. Staff are required to wear a mask in affected areas.

For Thanksgiving Day and the Thanksgiving meal, family members may take their loved ones out for a family festivity. We just ask you let the staff know and sign them out. You may also sign up to eat with your loved ones here if you sign up by Monday, Nov. 25, at noon with a cost of $14.00.

  • For nursing areas (1st floor, 2nd floor and Evergreen Arbor) you will call Kathy at the main number 319-352-4540. You can also stop at the main desk to let her know and pay. There will be a limit of four guests per resident. There will be a variety of seating options.
  • For Eichhorn Haus, Linden Place and Aspen Cottage…these areas have a sign-up sheet to eat in the dining areas.
  • All staff working on Thanksgiving eat for free and will self-serve in the basement. Off-shifts, please go to the breakroom.

The menu is: turkey/ham, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy or sweet potatoes, green bean casserole or carrots and an assortment of pies. We will do our best to have enough to accommodate selections.

A huge shout out to our dining services team. They work hard to make this meal very special!

May you all have a very blessed Holiday. I will leave you with a couple of Thanksgiving thoughts.
“Thanksgiving Day is a good day to recommit our energies to giving thanks and just giving.” -Amy Grant
“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgiving, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” -William Arthur Ward

Peace be with you,
Paula Geise, CEO, MSN, LNHA

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