Communities of Care

Fall in Minnesota

As we are still navigating remote learning, work from home orders, and day 201,598 of Executive Orders, we have one fantastic opportunity: the magic of fall in Minnesota. Let's face it, we are all tired of the news, each other, and restrictions, but we can still get outside and enjoy beautiful days. This week should...

Next Steps in Opening Minnesota

Many Minnesotans are excited to hear that our state leaders are starting to open up more businesses and elective surgeries in Minnesota. As you know, we at Communities of Care have been studying Gov Walz press conferences, CDC documentation, and MN Department of Health recommendations; we study them so we can provide our clients, nurses,...

Settle in with these great online resources

04/16/2020 As I’m sure you have heard, Governor Walz has extended our Stay at Home order until May 4. Well, at least that’s the plan for most Minnesotans. Those of us who have a family member who is medically complex or care for a medically complex person know that we are not suddenly going to integrate...

Carry On

In his press conference Governor Walz congratulated Minnesotan’s on doing a great job keeping social distance, complying with the Stay at Home order, and flattening the curve. Our actions are certainly saving lives. Without these interventions, the statistical projections were that over 70,000 lives could have been lost in Minnesota – that’s your family, friends and neighbors. But now that will not happen, because we have all joined together to prevent it.

I have an additional message for our home care families, nurses, friends, and advocates: Carry on. More specifically keep social distance and complying with the Stay at Home order. When you are out, take precautions as if everyone else has the Covid-19 virus. That does not mean to wear your snowmobile helmet to the grocery store. It does mean to keep 6 feet from others and to wash your hands thoroughly when you return home. Keep hugging members of your household, but stop sending your kids to play ball with the neighborhood kids. For home care families, it means that we will probably continue this for many more weeks, and maybe even a few more months.

We have seen so many Minnesotans helping each other with grocery shopping, neighborhood signs of encouragement, teacher parades, stocking food shelves, and generally supporting each other. Kudos to everyone who is part of the solution. I want to give a big shout out to our Director of Nursing, Janelle, who made fabric masks for our nurses and families. She even took it as an opportunity to teach her daughter how to sew and give them a project to do together. Now, that’s a Leader in action! Be sure to thank a leader or someone helping in this time of uncertainty. We say a big thank you to Janelle!