The final Safety Meeting of 2020 was held on December 8, 2020. We have met every Tuesday since March 10, 2020 at the start of the pandemic in small, socially distanced groups. We gathered with masks and learned how to have our voices heard in a new way.
The Safety Meetings proved to be an important platform for disseminating information, reviewing safety practices/protocols, and learning how to care for our physical health. We quickly learned the meetings would become so much more. Residents learned how to care for their emotional health, how to stay connected and the continued importance of community. Self-care was explored and each resident developed important ways to cope with the changes and unknowns.
Attendance remained strong for 9 months and participation never wavered. Napa community updates were discussed weekly, and residents continued to see the importance of staying safe.
Everything discussed translated directly to the daily lives of MF residents. One observation important to note exemplifies how Moving Forward residents have applied safety practices into their daily lives:
A staff person had the opportunity to observe a resident’s routine after their workday. As the staff sat with a resident in their home, the resident’s housemate returned from work. The housemate first washed their hands, then took off their shoes and sanitized the bottom of their shoes before putting them away. The resident then gathered clean clothes and headed to the shower. After showering the resident then placed their dirty clothes in the laundry hamper and placed on a clean mask.
Moving Forward residents have been resilient and supportive. They have made changes and adapted. They have followed safety guidelines and developed new routines. The residents of Moving Forward have taken care of themselves and others and as we enter the New Year, we will continue to meet weekly with the hope 2021 brings back some of the things the residents missed most; visiting family, gathering in group to celebrate special occasions, and accessing their community.
