Garden Terrace is a Place of Love and Healing

Expert Contribution by Peter Flemming, RN, DON, LNHA of Garden Terrace Nursing Home

How could you ever consider a nursing home since the advent of COVID-19? Have you read the horrible news reports about what’s happening in nursing homes?

In some ways nursing homes have been portrayed as institutions of horror. While MANY things have gone monumentally wrong during this unprecedented pandemic, many things have gone right—very right. We applaud the people who have embraced long-term care facilities and have viewed them as “Homes of Heroes.” Let’s look at it from another perspective--residents of many long-term care facilities live in a place where they are cared for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by a team of caring professionals.

Many older adults have spent these last months at home, alone, with little to no consistent home health care, having no contact with friends and family, relying on friends and neighbors for groceries and prescriptions, feeling fearful and isolated.

Let me proudly share with you what’s been going on at Garden Terrace: Residents have felt a sense of comfort. Their days have been filled with activity and companionship. They are enjoying gourmet meals and stimulating conversation. They have been receiving round the clock person and medical care. Has it been different? Yes, of course. All of our lives have changed. Staff are designated to coordinate phone, FaceTime, window and outdoor visits.

We thank our entire community for the daily support--from the phone calls and emails, the food, the flowers, the abundance of cards from children cheering us on—we have all felt your love and this love has poured over into the quality of care we are dedicated to continue to provide.

While some could claim that long-term care facilities did a terrible job responding to this crisis, I would argue that many homes, including Garden Terrace have provided residents and families with daily reassurance, comfort and outstanding care during the most challenging time. We have families supporting us and thanking us for our heroic efforts and consistently provide the positive feedback that having their parent live in a place of love, laughter and family during this pandemic has been the biggest relief.

We have been ‘Garden Terrace Strong’ for 56 years and we are committed to not only remaining a strength in our community, but hope to bring change in people’s perspective of a very negative misconception of places of love and healing. GT STRONG!!

Peter Flemming, Jr. graduated with a BSN from Hartwick College School of Nursing in 1997. He is a Registered Nurse with extensive experience in acute care hospital and emergency room medicine. Peter works full time as the Director of Nursing and Licensed Nursing Home Administrator in Chatham, and lives in Madison with his wife, Gina, two sons, Hudson (12), Tristian (8), daughter Sienna (11) and dog, Luna.