Third Place, Feature Picture Story - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Nurses Go On Lockdown With Residents”At noon on March 12, two Licking County assisted living facilities closed their doors to the outside world for the sake of the 225 vulnerable residents within.They had been preparing for this day for three weeks, enlisting staff who would be willing to commit to 24-7 service for as long as the COVID-19 period of isolation would last; no one knew how long.The staff moved into any spare room, slept on air mattresses in offices, and only saw loved ones through a phone screen for 65 days. The staff was committed and did not leave the assisted living facility for those long months. No one entered the buildings, no one left. And it worked. The staff kept the coronavirus from infecting patients while they were locked inside. Every photo was taken from outside the facilities, looking through the glass into the safe haven the nurses and aids created for the residents.Alisha Disbennett carries her luggage out to her car with help from her son Timmothy on July 31, 2020. Disbennett will be leaving her family for the next 30 days to be in 24 hour lockdown with the residents of the Inn at Chapel Grove where she works. The staff at the assisted living facility, along with its sister home, SharonBrooke spent 65 days in lockdown this spring to protect residents from contracting the coronavirus. As cases began to rise in Ohio the decision was made to again go into lockdown. So far no one has tested positive for the virus in either facility.
Third Place, Feature Picture Story - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Nurses Go On Lockdown With Residents”Alisha Disbennett gives Linda Bramlish her medicine before dinner at The Inn at Chapel Grove in Heath in March, 2020. The senior living residence and its sister property, SharonBrooke in Newark have both gone on total lockdown. The nurses, aids and kitchen staff have all voluntarily locked themselves in with the residents to help protect them from COVID-19. This means none of them leave to go home to their families. The are essentially living in the assisted living facility with the residents.
Third Place, Feature Picture Story - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Nurses Go On Lockdown With Residents”Elizabeth Johnson disinfects every package that is left outside SharonBrooke in March, 2020 before bringing it inside. This is to kill any possible virus that is left on the items. Johnson has been working at SharonBrooke for 5 years. She with other staff members of the senior living residence voluntarily put herself on lockdown, deciding not to leave the building for weeks as a measure to help keep the residents safe. "This is my family too," she said. "It's these people' lives and I'm here to keep them healthy and safe."
Third Place, Feature Picture Story - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Nurses Go On Lockdown With Residents”Dena Weigand, an aide at the Inn at Chapel Grove, an assisted senior living facility in Heath, sits with a resident at night watching TV March 22, 2020. Weigand and fellow staff members have all voluntarily gone on lockdown with residents essentially moving into the assisted senior living facility for at least three weeks to reduce the risk of the coronavirus entering the facility. Many of the nurses, aides and kitchen staff who have chosen to remain in lockdown with residents also have small children at home and have had to make arrangements to make sure they are cared for in their absence.
Third Place, Feature Picture Story - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Nurses Go On Lockdown With Residents”SharonBrooke went under complete lockdown in March, 2020. The staff moved in to the facility and are sleeping in empty rooms and on air mattresses in offices, all in an effort to keep the coronavirus from infecting. The staff spent 65 straight days in the facility without leaving to go see their families.
Third Place, Feature Picture Story - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Nurses Go On Lockdown With Residents”JoAnn Poulton presses her hand up to glass door to say goodbye to her mom, Kathy Poulton who leans in to kiss her hand on March 17, 2020. Kathy is a resident at the Inn at Chapel Grove, a senior living facility in Heath and is living with dementia. In some ways, JoAnn thinks her mom having dementia is easier for her in this time, so she doesn't get scared, but also knows her mom doesn't understand why she can't enter the building and give a hug. "Its hard," she said. "Every week we lose a little more of her."
Third Place, Feature Picture Story - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Nurses Go On Lockdown With Residents”A nurse's dinner sits uneaten while she gets up to attend to other things on March 22, 2020. Staff members at the assisted senior living residence, The Inn at Chapel Grove and their sister facility, SharonBrooke have all voluntarily gone on lockdown with residents essentially moving into the assisted senior living facility for at least three weeks to reduce the risk of the coronavirus entering the facility.
Third Place, Feature Picture Story - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Nurses Go On Lockdown With Residents”Marissa Taggart , Keyerra Cochran and Sarah Stephens all nurses and aides at The Inn at Chapel Grove lay on their beds in the assisted senior living residence after finishing their shift March 22, 2020. They and their colleagues have all decided to voluntarily lock themselves in with the residents to further protect them from the coronavirus. No one is currently entering or leaving Heath's Chapel Grove or its sister facility in Newark, SharonBrooke where staff have voluntarily shut themselves in for the well being of the residents.
Third Place, Feature Picture Story - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Nurses Go On Lockdown With Residents”Tatum McPheaters walks her rounds at night at SharonBrooke assisted living facility on March 31, 2020. SharonBrooke and its sister home, The Inn at Chapel Grove went under complete lockdown twice during 2020. No one entered the buildings and no one left, including staff who voluntarily moved in to keep residents safe.
Third Place, Feature Picture Story - Jessica Phelps / Newark Advocate, “Nurses Go On Lockdown With Residents”Staff from SharonBrooke hug each other and family members before heading home May 15, after 65 days of living in the assisted living facility. The staffs of SharonBrooke and Chapel Grove banded together and decided to make the sacrifice of staying away from their families and living with residents to protect them from the coronavirus. As staff left they were greeted by loud cheers from supporters as well as firetrucks and police cars.
