Year-End Show - CNA Heroes - December 25, 2020
Channel: CNA TV - NAHCA Broadcasting Network
Date: 26/12/2020

Year-End Show - CNA Heroes - December 25, 2020

I recall filming CNA Heroes segments this past spring, how I struggled getting through the videos without breaking down, as I recognized CNAs who were battling COVID to save their residents, and in turn to save themselves.  At that time, the number of dead was less than 5,000 and I was horrified.  I knew it would get worse; I just could not imagine how much worse it would get.

The death toll is over 300,000 in the United States, reliable sources indicate that nearly half of those deaths have occurred in nursing homes—residents and staff.  I do not doubt the enormity of those numbers, they are probably actually even higher than that.  Our country was unprepared for a pandemic and it took months before nursing homes were required to report resident covid deaths, the process was inconsistent from state to state.

CNAs are still clocking in for their shifts, working long hours without days off trying to save their residents.  For decades CNAs have toiled in the shadows in nursing homes taking care of America’s most vulnerable and elderly with little to no recognition from society.  It makes me sad and angry that it has taken over 100,000nursing home lives to get this country’s attention.

CNAs have sent their children to stay with relatives so they weren’t bringing home this incredibly infectious virus.  Some CNAs have actually lived in the nursing homesfor weeks at a time to reduce the risk of bringing the virus in to the nursing homes.  Other CNAs have lost family and coworkers to COVID.  CNAs have been blamed and shamed in the media for bringing COVID into the nursing homes.

For the past 10 months, family visits have been prohibited at nursing homes.  CNAs have tried to fill that gap and emotionally support the residents—facilitating phone and video visits with family.  Earlier I stated that over 100,000 nursing home residents have died from COVID.  Consequently, when I see that number I also see over 100,000 caring compassionate CNAs holding the hands of dying residents, holding the phone to the residents’ ear for a last goodbye from family members and over 100,000 CNAs providing post-mortem care to a resident they had physically nurtured and cared for, sometimes for many years.  To provide care for a resident fighting for their life is a responsibility CNAs take seriously—despite feeling very helpless.  I know from experience that these unending resident deaths and feelings of helplessness can easily lead to post traumatic stress symptoms.  The mental and emotional toll COVID has taken on our nation’s CNAs working in nursing homes is enormous.