When asked to describe what the Waveny LifeCare Network is, we like to say that Waveny is simply about People Helping People.
For over 45 years, the Waveny LifeCare Network has been singularly focused on one mission—to provide the highest quality of compassionate, person-centered, and comprehensive healthcare services to meet the needs of older adults in our community.
Whether it is providing physical rehabilitation to recover from a surgery or accident, full-skilled nursing care, therapeutic recreation, adult-day programs, memory care, retirement and supportive living or home health care services—our calling has been and always will be all about service to others in need.
Message of Thanks
On behalf of the Waveny board of directors, we are grateful for our nearly 500 professional healthcare workers, employees and leadership team who serve over 350 residents, patients, and their families who have entrusted their loved ones to Waveny’s healthcare providers.
We are awed by the commitment of our staff who, as expressed by one of our employees, “day after day, I see our front-line clinical team, therapeutic recreation, culinary, maintenance, housekeeping and administrative professionals performing extraordinary feats of class, patience, professionalism and kindness.”
Our caregivers, in the face of this pandemic, place themselves on the frontlines and we honor them for their heroic acts of compassion and commitment to our residents and patients, while managing their own personal health and families during these unprecedented times.
We are also grateful for our community for their volunteer, financial and spiritual support and for those who have responded in truly extraordinary ways—such as making surgical masks, donating bottled water and flowering plants, sending messages of love and support through email, social media and video conferencing.
We are sincerely thankful for all of the gifts received by the Coronavirus Appeal at www.waveny.org/donations which will go to personal protective equipment—including N95 masks, gowns, face shields, gloves—testing kits, meals for all employees, and all expenses related to the coronavirus.
Conceived and planned out of concern for the quality of life for our neighbors, Waveny was built entirely on the contributions from our community and was incorporated as a nonprofit charitable organization, governed by a volunteer board of directors. That commitment continues to help sustain our mission now and into the future.
Message of Hope
Waveny’s residents and patients are members of our family. We comfort them when they hurt; we grieve when they lose a friend, neighbor, or family member. We share laughter, joy, and show love and compassion. In normal times, we express ourselves in typical ways with a hug, a pat on the back, or holding their hand.
But these are not normal times and our inability to express ourselves in these ways makes this time even more difficult for all of us. Yet through it all, our staff, caregivers, and providers have shown resiliency in placing our residents’ needs above their own. It truly is remarkable to witness.
Our deepest sympathy, thoughts and prayers remain with the families of those who have passed from the COVID-19 virus. The virus has disproportionately and virulently affected those in our community of advanced age and frailty.
Within Waveny LifeCare’s network, at this time, we have sadly lost six residents/patients from our memory care, skilled nursing care center and those on hospice or palliative care. Each of these beautiful individuals is like a family member to us and we are deeply saddened by our collective loss.
Looking forward, we are heartened by early signs of hope. Two of our nurses who were exposed and tested positive to the virus earlier, remained home in self-isolation. Thankfully, both have recuperated and are eager to return to work this week after medical clearance. We appreciatively welcome them back to the Waveny family.
In addition, recognizing the impact and psychological toll these difficult times have on our staff, Waveny has recently introduced a non-denominational prayer circle for our staff and all of those who wish to have a quiet time of reflection and prayer once per shift, three times per day. We collectively welcome community prayers as well.
From the early days of signs of the Coronavirus in our neighboring communities, Waveny has been vigilant in employing best practices in diagnosing, testing, isolation and treatment. Regrettably, restricting visitation and outside entertainment, suspension of our volunteer program and outpatient programs, and restricting meals from outside of the facility were all protocols necessarily employed.
We have also maintained each of our residents in our memory care facility in isolation in private rooms with private baths. Should any of our full-skilled or rehabilitation nursing patients show any viral related symptoms, they will also be isolated and cared for appropriately. Our employees are equipped with PPE during their shift and are health screened before starting work each day.
We have observed that these efforts have helped to stem the potential contagion of this virus and we continue to remain hopeful and committed to the highest levels of stringent practices in order to combat this virus.
Looking Forward
Our CEO, Russ Barksdale, and the leadership team remain in daily contact with local leaders, local hospitals, and other key stakeholders working to stay abreast of the latest information. There is tremendous cooperation being displayed by all parties to keep the health and safety of our residents, patients and caregivers, as well as the general public, our collective top priority.
As a board, our responsibilities are clear: Do what is right for our residents and patients; do what is right for our employees; and do what is right for our community. Yes, doing what is right—for people.
Every day, we are reminded that the strength of the human spirit is beyond measure. It is through that strength and spirit that we have confidence—with the support of our healthcare workers, management team, volunteers, donors and our New Canaan community—that we will endure through this pandemic crisis and continue our mission for another 45 years and beyond. We remain #WavenyStrong.
With heartfelt thanks,
Waveny LifeCare Network
Kathleen A. Corbet, Chair
Leo Karl III, Vice Chair