by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

After a career as a home builder, Gina Wallen-Conatser was happily retired.
But it seemed she kept hearing about a problem she just couldn’t shake.
Friends in the medical industry kept remarking how often seniors couldn’t make their scheduled appointments due to a lack of transportation.
Her parents in San Antonio would tell her stories about how unsafe it was to get around.
So with time on her hands, a problem to be solved and a family ready to help out she started Go Go Geezers, a ride service dedicated to helping people get around.
“We take seniors and people with disabilities to medical appointments, like dialysis and chemotherapy,” Wallen-Conatser said. “It helps keep people healthy and with early detection some illnesses may be prevented.”
“When people can get out and go on appointments, shopping and church, it helps with feelings of isolation. There is a sense of independence.”
Based in Yukon, Go Go Geezers traverses not only the metro but the state with enough notice.
“Covid has made transport a little more complicated,” she said. “We clean after every ride. We have plastic up that separates the driver from the rider. Drivers wear masks and gloves and we ask that riders wear masks.”
Drivers go through extensive training – CPR, defensive driver, passenger assistance, wheelchair ADA just to name a few.
“They treat the riders like family members,” Wallen-Conatser said. “They’re very careful. When the same drivers take the rider a couple times a week they build a friendship.”
Wallen-Conatser’s son, Blake, is a driver and partner. A customer remarked to her the other day they see him more than they see their own family
Wallen-Conatser loves the stories her drivers tell her. One of her driver’s told her a recent passenger noted her husband passed. She mentioned that a coffee would be nice but wouldn’t dream about drinking it in the new Go Go Geezer van. After the driver dropped her off to her appointment he returned at the appointed time with coffee and flowers.
Operations Manager Morgan called one night to tell her she had a rider who was going to the emergency room. Insurance normally covered their ride, but this time it wouldn’t.
Wallen-Conatser dispatched the Go Go Geezer van anyway to get her at 11:30 p.m. in a different town than normal.
“Everyday riders call and say wonderful things about all our drivers and dispatch,” she said. “When you book a ride with us, Morgan will call you the night before and verify reservation. Morgan gets to know the riders and she visits with them.”
“I tease her that she’s everyone’s granddaughter and best friend.”
Go Go Geezers took their first ride at the end of April. The service has grown to nine vehicles with three wheelchair vans.
“I want to keep growing and helping our community get to their appointments safely,” she said. “My family is in Texas and I would love to expand there. My goal is to keep hiring the best drivers who really care about the riders.”
“We can take anyone. You don’t have to be a senior or a person with disabilities,” she said. “We take riders all week long to work, or out to eat, church, shopping. We are children and pet-friendly. We have wheelchairs, walkers or car seats to use if needed. Our vehicles are new and clean.” For more information call 405-924-4248.

When Covid-19 hit James Richardson, it hit him hard. Now, the 45-year-old physical therapist is using his experience with the virus to help others.
A distance runner who also regularly lifts weights, the Oklahoma City resident didn’t fit any of the traditional risk factors associated with Covid-19. But shortly after a work exposure at his clinic in March, the virus had him fighting for his life.
Following his recovery, he’s now participating in antibody research at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation.
“It was such a miserable experience. If there’s anything I can do to help others avoid that or experience it less severely, that’s what I’m going to do,” he said.
Infected by a patient in his physical therapy clinic, Richardson soon developed a fever of almost 103 degrees and blacked out repeatedly. He was admitted to the emergency room at Integris Baptist Medical Center and moved to isolation in the hospital’s Covid unit.
“It felt like my chest was tightening more with every breath, like I had a constrictor snake wrapped around me,” he remembered. For a week in the hospital, he cycled in and out of consciousness.
The low point came when his oxygen levels crashed, and the ventilator team was called. “I was able to muster the word ‘no’ when they asked to vent me,” he said. “I was afraid of the long-term consequences.”
Fortunately, Richardson pulled through without the ventilator. But nine months later, he continues to feel the lingering effects of the virus.
I’m still dealing with things that don’t feel right. I can’t breathe well, and some of the cognitive effects are scary,” said Richardson. “I find myself trying to explain something to a patient or a colleague and can’t find the words; I just want to slap myself on the back of the head and yell, ‘Spit it out already!’”
Once he’d cleared the virus from his body for a sufficient period, Richardson began donating plasma to the Oklahoma Blood Institute for use in treating other Covid-19 patients. He also volunteered for research at OMRF, where scientists are studying his antibodies as part of a two-year federal grant.
“Our goal is to understand people’s differing immune responses to the virus,” said Linda Thompson, Ph.D., one of the leaders of the project at OMRF. Using blood donated by volunteers, the scientists are looking for biological clues that might identify those individuals most likely to experience a severe response to the virus.
This information can be used to develop potential treatments and to inform vaccine design and improvement over the coming years.
“Someone like James volunteering isn’t just valuable,” said Thompson. “It’s crucial in helping us understand the effects of antibodies in fighting this virus.” When Richardson learned what taking part in the OMRF research entailed, he says the decision to participate was easy.
“All I need to do is show up to help and give a little blood?” he said. “Count me in!”
If you’ve recently recovered from Covid-19 and are interested in volunteering for OMRF’s antibody research study, please call 405-271-7221.

Story and photos by Darl DeVault

In 2020 Basketball was cancelled and Pickleball moved outdoors In Norman to accommodate COVID-19 while the full slate of Oklahoma Senior Games was staged.
Regina Stewart, the Games’ volunteer coordinator, a senior athlete herself, was direct in explaining how it would work. “With our two-week preregistration window, it gave us time to contact everyone if we had to cancel one of the events,” Stewart said.
The Games grew to more than 1,000 50+ athletes in 2019 and added two Native American nations as sponsors to help to conduct the many activities needed to allow the Games to run smoothly September through October 2020. The Chickasaw and Cherokee Nations are underwrote the Games for the first time in 2020.
Stewart said she counts on the community to continue embracing what has come to be known as the “Oklahoma Standard” even in the time of COVID-19.
The Games promote healthy lifestyles for seniors through education, fitness with the spirited competition of sports and recreational games. This goes along with inspiring everyone to embrace health while enjoying the value of sports related exercise.
Volunteering opportunities abound as the Games grow. Oklahomans who have a flair for community service can help stage the Oklahoma Senior Games. Volunteers can help promote healthy lifestyles by encouraging active seniors 50 and over to enhance the quality of their lives through statewide athletic and recreational competition.
Also as the Track and Field coordinator in years past, Stewart said that more than 100 volunteers helped last year. She estimates double that number are needed to help this coming year to handle the social distance requirements and growth in the many sports offered. The sports offered and sign up for volunteering is found on the okseniorgames.org Web site under the Volunteer tab.
“The organizers are counting on the warm hospitality and strong sense of community spirt Oklahomans have shown as volunteers that allow the state to thrive. “Our volunteers are a major part of how and why Oklahoma has proven itself as a great place to compete in Senior Games each year,” Stewart said. “We have grown each of the last five years because of the time and energy Oklahomans who do not compete have invested in offering the Games to those who do compete.”
Volunteers make up the largest resource for the sanctioned state organization to produce state games each year. This help allows the Games to be the qualifying site in Oklahoma for the National Senior Games Association’s National competitions.
The Games provide up to 27 sports venues, some with variations, which offer athletic training opportunities and social interaction. Along with the competitions, the Games supply healthy lifestyle educational information for seniors. For general questions call (405) 821-1500 or email info@okseniorgames.org.

Examples of ways to volunteer:

Archery: Check-in, refreshments
Badminton: Check-in, refreshments
3 on 3 Basketball Free Throw/Around-the-world: Scorekeepers, rebounders
Bowling: Check-in, refreshments
Cornhole: Check-in, Scorekeepers
Cycling: Check-in, course monitors, bike holders, refreshments, medals
Golf and Golf Croquet: Check-in, refreshments
Horseshoes: Check-in, refreshments
Pickleball: Check-in, refreshments, scorekeepers
Race Walking: Check-in, water stops, course monitors, refreshments, medals
Racquetball: Check-in, refreshments
Road Races: Check-in, water stops, course monitors, refreshments, medals
Registration: Check-in athletes, t-shirt distribution,
Shuffleboard: Scorekeepers,
Swimming: Timers, Refreshments, Medals
Table Tennis: Check-in, refreshments,
Tennis: Check-in, refreshments, water coolers, t-shirt sales, ball retrieving/distribution
Triathlon: Course monitors, swim lap counters, water stops, check-in, refreshments
Track and Field: Check-in, field event helpers, timers, refreshments, runners, medals
Washer Pitch: Check-in, scorekeepers, refreshments

By Nick Thomas

Now in her seventh decade as a film actress, British beauty Jacqueline Bisset first hit the big screen in the mid-1960s and was soon on her way to becoming a household name after dramatic roles later in the decade in films such as “Bullitt” with Steve McQueen.
Although her role was small as McQueen’s sizzling love interest and she didn’t appear in the film’s action sequences, Bisset was on set to witness some of the legendary driving scenes often performed by McQueen, a keen race car enthusiast.
“Watching those cars jumping in the air on the streets of San Francisco was amazing,” Bisset recalled from Los Angeles. “There were also some scenes where I had to drive Steve around in a yellow convertible and remember thinking God Almighty, I don’t want to mess this up with a race car driver next to me!”
She says McQueen, a major star at the time, was “very patient with me and we would go out for meals with the director and producer when we’d break for lunch. He didn’t like getting caught in crowds and would often just jump on his bike and get the hell out of there.”
Also memorable for Bissett – and audiences for her wet T-shirt scenes – was “The Deep” a decade later. Noted for its stunning underwater sequences, the actress still has mixed feelings more than 40 years later when she speaks of the aquatic adventure.
“As a child, some stupid kids tried to dunk me and ever since I’ve been fearful of the water and swimming around others,” she explained. “But the diving crew on ‘The Deep’ were amazing and I found it a beautiful experience even though the thought of drowning was still a daily worry. I had a stunt double for some underwater shots, but she looked nothing like me so it meant I attempted more stunts that I would have liked. When you’re 90 feet underwater you have to solve any problem right there – you can’t just shoot to the surface.”
In one scene, her character attempts precisely that after encountering a moray eel (her stunt double did the eel sequence).
“It was complicated to film and very frightening – I actually thought I was going to drown. The others didn’t know if I was acting or in real trouble, which I was. I got through it, but even as I speak of it now, my throat tightens!”
With several films in post-production for 2021, Bissett has remained a busy actress throughout her career and in recent years has tackled personal roles such as 2018’s “Head Full of Honey” with its Alzheimer’s theme.
“My mother got dementia in her early 50s and lived with it for 35 years, so it’s something I knew a lot about,” she says. “The film approaches the subject with a little humor because that can sometimes help families dealing with it. It’s painful humor but can make it more bearable.”
Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery, Ala., and has written features, columns, and interviews for over 850 newspapers and magazines.

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn t4z@aol.com

In the Oklahoma region many of us over the years have visited Wichita, Kansas, for a theatrical event at Century Two or to see the Chisholm Trail, or to just get a bit of Western atmosphere. I too have, over the years, visited Wichita and on a recent visit was surprised at the additions to this vibrant city. And as last month I suggested you visit Dodge City, you might as well take about a two hour drive on over to Wichita, before or after your Dodge City visit. Not recommending travel at the moment, but it’s fun to explore and plan for the new year. And remember to check current times and conditions on venues you plan to visit.
My home base was the Ambassador Hotel, an Autograph Collection Hotel, (https://ambassadorwichitaks.com) where the modern black and gray and chrome atmosphere welcomes the well-worn traveler seeking a step up from the ordinary. Located downtown with convenient self-parking and an expansive room with courteous attendants and city views, the Ambassador promises a surprise upscale experience. While I requested long in advance for one of their ADA rooms, there was no bench or chair in the walk-in shower. I re-requested such from the front desk, and by the next day, with some bumps in the road, was happily accommodated.
The hotel staff was very good in following through with requests. I only wish the food and beverage side of the hotel had not disappointed. The steak and unique charred Caesar salad were exceptional at the Siena Tuscan Steakhouse, however they did not honor a coupon., They gave me a drink coupon for the downstairs pseudo speak easy. Even after talking to the Food and Beverage manager and crew it was not accepted, even though my server agreed the coupon was misleading – almost a bait and switch situation. I did not mind paying for my drink, but the experience left a bad farewell feeling for the hotel, as I was leaving the next day. Just a heads up, as I tell it like I experience in all my travel articles. So when I say “I’m impressed,” you know it.
About a block from the hotel is the Roxy Theater, (www.roxysdowntown.com) with a disguised rear entrance for the uninitiated, to a funky building housing a dinner theater. The food was acceptable for Dinner Theater fare and their production of Avenue Q, was one of the best I have seen. The wait staff had more tables than they could easily accommodate. I’d recommend the Roxy, now you know what to expect.
A pleasant unexpected surprise is the Tanganyika Wildlife Park (www.twpark.com) where wild animals including a plethora of giraffes, a Rhino, a variety of primates are among the surprises. Roaming the expansive grounds, even during a rain shower is a recommended experience where you can slow down and enjoy nature and its creations.
Who’d think that there was a goat farm in Kansas that also served adult beverages and farm to table gourmet lunches which is Elderslie Farm. (https://eldersliefarm.com) Being a family owned operation from chef to owner tour guide, the home-grown sincerity rang throughout the farm, from goat milking and cheese making to the wood working of heritage wood into tables, shelves and doors. Admiration goes out to Elderslie Farm for their preservation of tender loving care and investment in preservation. They even have a large blackberry patch that is a community pick and share in June. The season for blackberries is brief – influenced heavily by the unpredictable spring weather. Reserve a tour and luncheon here – you will be surprised.
Talk about surprises, two dining establishments blew my critical socks off. Georges, a true French bistro, (http://georgesfrenchbistro.com/) located in an unprepossessing strip mall, will delight your taste buds. My luncheon Martini and Prosciutto Eggs Benedict with truffle frites, was accented by the continental waiter and the chatter of the accompanying “ladies who lunch,” who find this their congenial gathering place.
6Steakhouse, (www.6ssteakhouse.com) located out near the Zoo and offering lake front views, is an upscale dining experience not to be passed by. An aged steak prepared to my specification, even with a second “more heat” request, was memorable. What they call creamed corn is a unique roasted corn medley, from which you could make an entire meal. A relatively new establishment promises many years of good times with their sleek upscale interior dining and even an added education into the ageing of fine beef, I found enlightening. (if you say “6S” fast enough it can sound like, success.)
Of course, Wichita is known for its Keeper or the Plains symbolic statue with its reflections in the river, is still an attraction to be viewed anytime.
The veteran The Museum of World Treasures, warehouse style building https://worldtreasures.org is a long-time Wichita resident. It offers mainly replicas of world history documents and artifacts, (including Custer’s button up fly underwear). Seeing many letters of world figures and artifacts can be quite educational for the youth, along with the ever-popular T-Rex skeleton. Also you can enjoy the gardens of Botanica (https://botanica.org) and the restored WWII B29 bomber at B-29 Doc Hangar and Educational Center (www.b29doc.com) .
The best surprise of all was the Wichita Art Museum’s (www.wichitaartmuseum.org) limited showing of what could be called the most comprehensive overview of the Works and Life of Georgia O’Keeffe. Having seen many exhibitions of her work, I was delighted to see her paintings and timeline juxtaposed with her actual artifacts and many of her dresses. While this exhibit is over another intriguing exhibit is “Foot In the Door” photographs from local Wichita residents through April 18, 2021. Staged in conjunction with the Wichita Art Museum’s 85th Anniversary, “the exhibition is an opportunity to recognize Wichita artists and make them feel welcomed and loved at their art museum. They are critical to the lifeblood at WAM,” says director Dr. Patricia McDonnell.
To help with your Wichita surprises contact them at: www.visitwichita.com

Mr. Terry Zinn – Travel Editor
Past President: International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association
3110 N.W. 15 Street – Oklahoma City, OK 73107
https://realtraveladventures.com/?s=terry+zinn
https://realtraveladventures.com/?s=zinn
http://new.okveterannews.com/?s=TERRY+ZINN
www.martinitravels.com

Virtually connect with the Zoo’s endangered red pandas from home

Shake those winter blues as you enjoy live views of the Zoo’s red pandas! The Oklahoma City Zoo’s popular red panda cam returns giving animal lovers worldwide the opportunity to enjoy endless hours of watching the Zoo’s red pandas this winter. Experience a virtual visit to the OKC Zoo’s red panda habitat at Sanctuary Asia from your smartphone, computer or tablet to watch Thomas, 7, and his daughter, Khyana, 18-months, as they play, engage with their caretakers and enjoy their favorite weather season, winter!
Now through Sunday, February 28, 2021, get an exclusive real-time look at the Zoo’s red pandas with the Zoo’s red panda cam online at www.okczoo.org/redpandacam. The red panda cam will stream live daily with optimal viewing from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. of either Khyana or Thomas. Because red pandas are solitary by nature and Khyana has reached an age of maturity, she and Thomas do not share habitat space.
Khyana and her twin brother, Ravi, were born at the Zoo’s Sanctuary Asia habitat on June 2, 2019, to parents Thomas and Leela. Both Leela and Thomas arrived at the OKC Zoo in 2018 as part of the Red Panda Species Survival Plan™ (SSP). SSP programs were developed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to help oversee the husbandry and breeding management and, as a result, the sustainability of select animal species within AZA-member zoos and aquariums, including the OKC Zoo. Many of these programs help enhance conservation efforts of these species in the wild as well. This year, Leela and Ravi, relocated to other AZA-member zoos as part of the SSP program to help further contribute to the conservation of their species.
In October 2019, Khyana underwent an amputation of her hind, left leg, due to a congenital deformity. She continues to thrive and is extremely active, always exploring her surroundings. Khyana is also eager to engage with her caretakers through training sessions.
Known for being great climbers, red pandas spend most of their lives in trees, even sleeping in branches. Red pandas grow to be about the size of a typical house cat. Their bushy, ringed tails add about 18 inches to their length and serve as a type of blanket keeping them warm in cold mountain climates.
Though previously classified as a relative of the giant panda, and also of the raccoon, with which it shares a ringed tail, red pandas are currently considered members of their own unique taxonomic family—the Ailuridae. The red panda is listed as an endangered species. Only an estimated 10,000 remain in the wild, and their habitats in remote areas of the Himalayan Mountains, from Nepal to central China, are being threatened by deforestation, agriculture, cattle grazing and competition for resources.
Click on the Zoo’s red panda cam for all the cuteness you can stand! The Oklahoma City Zoo is open Thursday through Monday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with no public access on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Advance tickets are required for all guests and ZOOfriends members and can be purchased at www.okczoo.org/tickets. Zoo tickets are limited each day to maintain social distancing among guests.

by Greg Schwem

Please, Harrison Ford, don’t do this.
You’re already 78 years old. You’ve proven to be one of the most bankable movie stars in history. You’ve survived numerous plane mishaps, some due to your, um, confusion while piloting your own aircraft. You’re Jack Ryan, Dr. Richard Kimble and Han Solo, rolled up into one dude. Leave it at that.
But you’re also Indiana Jones, the guy who found the Ark of the Covenant, and apparently, you’re going to gulp down a whole lot of anti-inflammatories and reprise the character yet again. A fifth Indiana Jones movie, Disney confirmed earlier this month, will be released in July 2022. You will be 80 by then.
I know, 60 is the new 40 and 70 might be the new 50 but 80 is still 80. I can’t imagine a scenario where an 80-year-old man, even one who has faced off against Nazis, would be in need of anything other than a comfortable chair. My mom just celebrated her 85th birthday and we got her everything on her wish list, comprised of an outdoor planter and a fanny pack.
“I need something to hold my phone when I get the mail,” she said.
Also, Harrison, may I remind you that, in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” you found the Holy Grail, which gives eternal youth to anyone who drinks from it. You gave it to your dad, a noble gesture for sure, but you took nary a sip. Had you done so, you could have made many more adventures. But you didn’t and now I assume you’re like most octogenarians; trying to stay active but also bemoaning how much it costs every time you pick up a prescription at the local CVS. That problem will, hopefully, be rectified in the Summer 2022 blockbuster, “Indiana Jones and the Elusive, Affordable Meds.” How about this for a plot?
OPEN: While playing Pickleball at an undisclosed active retirement community, Indiana Jones is visited by his grandson, Michigan Jones (I’m thinking Chris Evans for this role). Michigan has grown weary of reading his grandfather’s Facebook rants about the OUTLANDISH cost of Lisinopril, which Indiana takes daily to control his high blood pressure. This condition first appeared more than 30 years ago when he fell into a vat of poisonous snakes.
Michigan shows his grandfather how to download the GoodRx app. Together, they see that Lisinopril is available for a third of the price at a Costco but it’s 60 miles away. Despite Indiana’s complaints about Costco — “Why do I need 30 pounds of cashews at my age?” — Michigan offers to drive him. Indiana infuriates his Pickleball partners by leaving the game early to get ready for his latest adventure.
CUT TO: Indiana stubbornly tells Michigan that he needs his whip and sable fedora before leaving. The whip is in his nightstand; unfortunately, he sold the fedora at a yard sale while downsizing. Michigan says he could order a new one on Amazon, with one-day shipping, but Indiana doesn’t want to wait. Whip at the ready, the two set out for Costco.
CUT TO: Indiana insists on stopping at Denny’s for the senior discount breakfast. Indiana says it’s his “God given right” to enter the establishment without a face covering but the Denny’s manager has other ideas. Warily eyeing Indiana’s whip, the manager also gestures to the “No Weapons Allowed” sign on the cash register. Furious, Indiana leaves, vowing never to spend another red cent at Denny’s. Michigan texts his wife, saying, “Grandpa’s being Grandpa again.”
CUT TO: They enter Costco, using Michigan’s membership card. Indiana reluctantly dons a mask. They approach the pharmacy, where Indiana does indeed get his Lisinopril. Upon leaving, a Costco attendant asks to see Indiana’s receipt.
“You think I stole this?” an enraged Indiana replies “The Temple of Doom has nothing on this place. Get the manager.”
Michigan produces the receipt and leads his grandfather to the parking lot. They arrive home at 4 p.m., just in time for dinner.
FADE OUT
(Greg Schwem is a corporate stand-up comedian and author of two books: “Text Me If You’re Breathing: Observations, Frustrations and Life Lessons From a Low-Tech Dad” and the recently released “The Road To Success Goes Through the Salad Bar: A Pile of BS From a Corporate Comedian,” available at Amazon.com. Visit Greg on the web at www.gregschwem.com.
You’ve enjoyed reading, and laughing at, Greg Schwem’s monthly humor columns in Senior Living News. But did you know Greg is also a nationally touring stand-up comedian? And he loves to make audiences laugh about the joys, and frustrations, of growing older. Watch the clip and, if you’d like Greg to perform at your senior center or senior event, contact him through his website at www.gregschwem.com)

* As of this advisory, there are 283,781 cases of COVID-19 in Oklahoma.
* 2,594 is today’s 7-day rolling average for the number of new cases reported.
* There are 22 additional deaths identified to report.
* Two in Cleveland County, one female in the 65 or older age group, one male in the 65 or older age group.
* One in Creek County, one male in the 65 or older age group.
* One in Garfield County, one male in the 65 or older age group.
* One in Grady County, one male in the 65 or older age group.
* One in Kay County, one female in the 65 or older age group.
* One in Love County, one female in the 50-64 age group.
* One in McClain County, one female in the 65 or older age group.
* One in McCurtain County, one male in the 65 or older age group.
* Eight in Oklahoma County, three females in the 65 or older age group, one male in the 18-35 age group, one male in the 50-64 age group, three males in the 65 or older age group.
* One in Pontotoc County, one male in the 65 or older age group.
* Three in Tulsa County, one female in the 65 or older age group, two males in the 65 or older age group.
* One in Woods County, one female in the 65 or older age group.
* There are 2,405 total deaths in the state.
* Additional hospitalization data can be found in the Hospital Tiers report, published evenings Monday through Friday.
* For more information, visit https://oklahoma.gov/covid19.html.

*The total includes laboratory information provided to OSDH at the time of the report. As a result, counts are subject to change. Total counts may not reflect unique individuals.
***The purpose of publishing aggregated statistical COVID-19 data through the OSDH Dashboard, the Executive Order Report, and the Weekly Epidemiology and Surveillance Report is to support the needs of the general public in receiving important and necessary information regarding the state of the health and safety of the citizens of Oklahoma. These resources may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be used in any way that would determine the identity of any reported cases.
Data Source: Acute Disease Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health. *As of 2020-12-29 at 7:00 a.m.

by Vickie Jenkins, Staff Writer

There is no denying that the last nine months have been very difficult for our caregivers. COVID-19 is a devastating and relentless disease that knows no rules or boundaries. The medical community is working day and night to unlock its mysteries and we’re learning more each day on how to treat those infected – yet the death toll continues to rise. Our caregivers are exhausted from the rigorous donning and doffing of personal protective equipment while in the back of their minds is fear that they could be contracting and or bringing this virus home to their loved ones. They are witnessing significant mortalities and many say they have seen more death in the last month then they have in their entire careers. They are literally doing everything they can to try to save as many patients as possible. They pour their heart and soul into each patient but at the end of the day, they know some will not make it out of their unit.
With family members not being allowed inside the hospital for safety concerns, our caregivers are playing dual roles. They are not only caregivers to these patients, they are also their support system. They are comforting patients when they are scared, hugging them when they are lonely and unfortunately holding their hands as the pass away. Our caregivers serve as the liaison between our patients and their families worrying at home. They facilitate phone calls and video conferences when they can and become emotionally invested. It is physically, mentally and spiritually exhausting.
While the recent approval of the COVID-19 vaccine is rejuvenating and uplifting, it will still take quite some time and will require majority compliance to see the true impact. In the meantime, the models indicate that it will get worse before it gets better. Our caregivers are bracing for what is to come.
Support from the community is imperative to help get them through these dark days. Anything helps. Cards, notes, care packages, prayers. They are all meaningful and appreciated. These tokens are sometimes the catalysts that get them through their next shift. It’s amazing to watch their faces light up when they receive even the simplest gesture. Anyone interested in supporting our INTEGRIS Health caregivers can make a monetary gift to the Caregiver Relief Fund at integrisrelief.org or reach out to the INTEGRIS Health Foundation team at giving@integrisok.com to discuss other giving opportunities.

The following statement is attributable to Ernest J. Grant, PhD, RN, FAAN, President, American Nurses Association (ANA):
“To claim that health care professionals are inflating the number of COVID-19 cases or deaths to make more money is outrageous, baseless, and dangerous.
Nurses, physicians, and other frontline health care workers have endured brutally long shifts covered in stifling personal protective equipment (PPE). Others have faced long days and weeks caring for COVID-19 patients, working without sufficient PPE, or forced to reuse PPE multiple times, increasing their risk of infection, or bringing the virus home to those they love, illness and even death.
More than 350 nurses in the United States have died as a result of COVID-19, many others have been infected and hospitalized. All have faced extreme stress and mental anguish.
As cases and hospitalizations surge across this country, our nation’s leaders have a responsibility to call for and model public health measures to stem the spread of the disease. They should follow science and the guidance of health care professionals.
Nurses, physicians, and other frontline health care workers have demonstrated courage, commitment, and grit in responding to this pandemic, risking their own health and safety to care for others. To try to slander or place blame on these dedicated health care professionals is a shameless, blatant lie.”