The community has done an incredible job reaching out to hospitals workers as they do lifesaving work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Western Reserve Hospital in Cuyahoga Falls has reached back to them, especially older adults.
“Seniors are one of our most vulnerable and isolated groups in the community,” says Kathy Romito, the community outreach manager at Western Reserve Hospital, which had become a University Hospitals minority partner. “We continue to look for ways to make sure that they’re not left out.”
Romito has been busy adapting programming, including creating a distanced take on the hospital’s Veterans Day luncheon that is typically the largest around. In November, there was a small outdoor ceremony, and over 500 yard signs recognizing veterans’ service were distributed.
“I still see those out,” says Romito. “It was a small gesture that went really far.”
We speak with Romito about how else the hospital has been connecting with the community from afar.
What have you been doing for seniors?
KR: One of the first [events] in 2020 was a drive-thru farmers market. … People were feeling very alone. That was refreshing for people.
We do a lot of contactless delivery. At Christmastime, we delivered 250 bags to seniors across the county. … The positive feedback was that they felt like they were kids opening presents again.
How have you been supporting hospital workers?
KR: We’ve done things inside the hospital. We just had a coffee truck there as a special little extra for them. … They’ve had great morale because [of] the leadership team constantly telling them, This is what we were made to do.
We really saw the community come out as well, from sidewalk chalk and encouraging messages to donations from businesses. The hospital really tried to support those businesses back. So sometimes they would order, for example, pizza from HiHo Brewing [Co.], who was very generous during COVID.
How have the Facebook Live events helped the public?
KR: We did a breakdown of all of the new information about COVID and also about the vaccines.
We want to be that source to make sure … people are not unclear about what’s going on.
How do all these outreach programs benefit people?
KR: People feel very isolated with COVID. … A lot of those seniors in particular would go to senior centers or the library to engage. So we believe that what we offer, at least monthly, gives them something to look forward to.
