A Letter Written to Greenbrier Staff by Lori Long:

Congratulations personally to each and every one of you. Serving others, caring for our elderly with respect and kindness, is a calling.

Every day you recognize every resident has purpose and you give them the ability to live life to the fullest in their home. By being a valuable member of each individual home in Greenbrier, which pairs up the same residents with household staff, you built deep relationships. These relationships add to the greatest meaning of all: sharing life together, the good and the bad, with love and support. I want your family to know of your magnificent by bringing The Welcome Home Project to your home in an effort to reach the nation.

Let me share what was written about the most incredible and dedicated team:

The Homes of Greenbrier staff, the bridge between residents, families. 

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to show signs of slowing and as restrictions of the past year continue to be lifted, stories of heroes who served the most vulnerable, our seniors, are being shared. 

From day one, as restrictions continued to be added, on what seemed a daily basis, the staff at The Homes of Greenbrier and Greenbrier Skilled Nursing began the process of adapting and coming up with innovative ways for their residents and patients to stay in contact with their families. 

From day one, the staff rose to the occasion and went above and beyond. Watching them do their regular jobs and then throwing in a pandemic altered the course of every new day and they did not let it shake them from their commitment to serve. 

They stepped up to the plate and did things that were kind and compassionate. They facilitated virtual visits through smartphones and devices and even windows. They made phone calls to family members to help keep them in the loop as to how their loved one was doing. The staff went room by room and read to residents, did puzzles with them, and painted their nails with them. They laughed and cried with them as well.

Window visits became celebrations. Residents and their families participated in themed visits which became the norm. If it could be celebrated, they celebrated it. Special decorations were created with fun foods, activities and even costume pieces. Of course, normal holidays were celebrated; St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, 4th of July and the like. The Life Enrichment Guides, who were not able to guide regular activities, were not content to just celebrate the typical holidays of the year. They came up with a host of additional window party themes, Baseball, the Circus, Watermelon Days, Luaus, and the like for residents and their families to enjoy. They invited musical groups to come and sing in their courtyards and they even invited families to bring their favorite pets for window visits.  

The entire team at The Homes of Greenbrier and Skilled Nursing bridged the divide and did all they could to fill the void that COVID-19 created. If you don’t believe me, check out their website postings from the last year. The website became the window into the world that their precious seniors lived.

Now that restrictions are being lifted, they are celebrating. Their prayers have been answered and they are so thankful to watch the daily reunions. 

People need people. Families need families.