Whether you are a resident, a family member or an associate we have been at this a long time.  Uncertainty about the disease, how to battle it and when it will end is enervating and most of us are just plain tired.  Our reserves are drying up and at times we are short—even with those we love and respect.

For most of us, this is our reality.  I want to give voice to it; I want to acknowledge the difficult feelings.  But I don’t want to give in to it for there is real reason to applaud all of our efforts in the midst of this chaos and insecurity. 

Let’s take a moment to rejoice in the amazing level of resilience older adults have shown throughout the last eight months.  When they couldn’t do something in person, they did it virtually, often learning how to use the technology as they went forward.  They found ways to exercise and stay amused. They remained calm and collected—even sharing praise and words of comfort to others.

Let’s cheer the creativity our teams have demonstrated whether learning new jobs to fill in for a sick team mate or finding new and safe ways to connect with residents and help them connect with their families.

Let’s thank the families who have  touched us by their words of encouragement and gratitude for the  hard work to keep folks safe, well fed and entertained.

Let’s get our rally monkeys on one more time.  With a vaccine likely to be approved within days, there is real reason for hope.