A Message From our Administrator!

As an administrator at Medilodge of Capital Area, my first priority is keeping your loved ones that are here with us safe. My staff are truly ESSENTIAL to a strong, effective response to the COVID-19 outbreak. We are doing everything possible to serve our residents safely in this time of crisis. But we need help from our elected officials and state and federal employees to win this battle.

That help comes in many forms, but primarily we need additional Medicaid dollars and supplies to keep our staff safe.

Nursing facilities like mine are ground zero for this Pandemic Emergency.  COVID-19 appears to most significantly impact older adults and those with chronic conditions.  All of the patients and long-stay residents that we serve are older adults and/or people with chronic conditions.

We need basic resources to continue operations during this crisis. Personal Protective Equipment, including normal surgical masks, N-95 masks, gowns, gloves, face shields, thermometer covers and alcohol hand gels, are greatly needed. 

We appreciate everyone in the community helping our staff and residents in this time of need. Community members have stepped up to donate homemade masks, coloring pictures and Words of kindness.

Staffing is all hands-on deck, but we can’t continue without relief. Staff normally responsible for billing are working with residents to deliver food to rooms, keep residents busy with activities, and help residents stay connected to their families with video calls and social media.

For clinical and professional staff, we are paying for overtime and payment when quarantined while simultaneously paying for backfill staff.

All of this is taking a toll on my wonderful team. We’ve already hired 8 additional staff and we are assisting staff financially with child care, food, and transportation. We are currently looking to hire people who are interested in temporary employment to help our team.

The financial burden on my health care workers who become ill or have children and do not have access to childcare and may have to stay home in order to care for them cannot be overstated.  Spouses have lost their jobs and we are helping them every way we can.

We are in desperate times and WE need your help NOW to access as much funding as possible with little to no administrative burden. My team should not be worried about how they will find supplies and staff.  Providers must focus all of their time and effort into caring for those we serve. 

Thank You,

Tunya Washington