Fifty thousand phone calls later, Pleasant Day Medical Adult Day Care is ready to re-open.
That was the good news delivered to Dorchester County Commission on Aging members by Pleasant Day Executive Director Jackie Vickers. The commission, which oversees the program, met July 30 for the first time since February 2020. Mrs. Vickers announced Pleasant Day – located at 2474 Cambridge Beltway – would officially open for participants August 16.
Mrs. Vickers and the Pleasant Day staff met with the commission to discuss what the staff had done during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep in touch with its participants. All staff who remained on board continued to receive salary and health insurance. They kept in touch with participants through daily phone calls – seven days a week through October 2020, then five days a week until today. The calls added up to 50,000 made to inquire how the person was feeling, if they needed prescriptions refilled, if there were household needs, and just for a daily chat.
In addition to phone calls, friendship cards were mailed weekly to each Participant. The hand- signed cards had a brief message and some included puzzles and games. The cards totaled 3,500 in all. Also, lunches were delivered to Pleasant Day veterans two days per week, 900 in all.
Mrs. Vickers explained all medical adult day care facilities in Maryland were closed March 17, 2020 by Executive Order of the Governor due to the pandemic. The Executive Order and State of Emergency were lifted as of August 16, 2021.
“We’ve been hearing from our clients that they are anxious to return,” Mrs. Vickers said, and each person has been assessed by the R.N. Director, vaccinated, and has new physician’s orders to return.” All staff, newly hired staff and the caterers have been vaccinated as well.
Pleasant Day was on the verge of reopening this May when vandals stole the catalytic converters from the blue buses used to transport participants, a familiar sight in the area. After the bus equipment was replaced, more security cameras were added at the facility inside and out. Mrs. Vickers said all doors remain locked and doorbells with cameras are in use. Considering the new COVID variant, no visitors will be admitted, especially the first month open.
Not only have its participants been cared for in a touchless way during the pandemic, but the facility itself has morphed into an ultra-sanitary facility. The entire interior has been painted: “Not that you’d know, because it’s the same color,” said Mrs. Vickers. There are also touchless hand sanitizers everywhere, plus new hands-free flush toilets and faucets. There are now five disinfecting foggers available to use for the interior as scheduled and to clean the buses after each run.
Ultraviolet germ-killing lights have been installed in all five air handlers. The UV lights kill 99 percent of all germs including the COVID virus. To confirm the UV lights are working, cameras were installed that are monitored on a computer screen daily by staff.
Touchless has even entered the entertainment at Pleasant Day, Mrs. Vickers said. “We have a new way of playing Bingo now. The numbers will show on our big screen TV and cards will be printed on computer paper, then disposed of after use.”
Mrs. Vickers added, “I’m really proud of the staff. Everything that was asked of them (during the pandemic), they have done. They have gotten much closer to our clients as well. After all, you can’t talk to someone every day without getting closer to them.
“We are so happy to be ready to welcome our participants once more. I think Pleasant Day Medical Adult Day Care fills a real need in this community. We are doing and will continue to do our utmost to make sure we follow all that is necessary to keep everyone safe during this time.”
Mrs. Vickers then smiled at the large yellow cat sprawled in her office. “And Miss Myrtle is excited to see people again too.”
For information about Pleasant Day, go to www.pleasantday.com, follow them on Facebook or call 410-228-0190.
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