Volunteers return to Gracedale nursing home, bringing happiness to residents and staff

Rosemary Schaffer has known since the 1960s she wanted to dedicate her time to the elderly. As a 16-year-old, she got a part-time job at Cedarbrook nursing home and would carry food to residents. She remembers one woman in a wheelchair who was confined to her room and how the presence of a visitor would brighten her day.

“She couldn’t move, but she could laugh. I could get her to laugh,” Schaffer said. “I told myself, ‘This is what I want to do. I can help.’ ”

For the first time in over a year, Schaffer and dozens of others have been able offer that help in person to the residents of Gracedale, the Northampton County-owned nursing home. After closing its doors in the early days of the pandemic, the Upper Nazareth Township facility reopened to volunteers April 5. Barring any setbacks, family visits will resume May 3.

With the coronavirus still raging through Pennsylvania, things have not returned to business as usual at Gracedale. The popular themed dinners that would attract hundreds of residents have not resumed, and games that involve items exchanging hands, such as cards or puzzles, are prohibited. But staff and residents say they’ve noticed a much needed jolt of energy now that new faces are appearing in the halls.

“You can feel a different atmosphere. It was a step toward normalcy,” said Jennie Repsher, Gracedale’s volunteer coordinator.

Enduring the hard times

With 512 residents, Gracedale is Pennsylvania’s most populated nursing home facility. Highly contagious diseases present challenges at every nursing home, but the stakes are larger at Gracedale, where an outbreak has the potential to hit more residents. The county took immediate measures to limit risks, becoming one of the first nursing homes in the state to close to visitors and constructing negative pressure rooms to minimize the spread of the virus, Administrator Jennifer Stewart-King said. Gracedale was still hit hard.

As of April 7, COVID-19 had killed 102 Gracedale residents, according to the Pennsylvania Health Department. While smaller facilities have seen a larger proportion of their residents die to the virus, Gracedale has the stigma of being the Pennsylvania nursing home with the most residents killed by COVID-19.

The stress of the situation and the loss of support from volunteers and family visits weighed heavily on those who remained in the building. Frightened staff called out in droves last spring, forcing the county to bring in the National Guard to assist with medical care. While some family members accepted the restrictions and appreciated the effort to minimize the spread, others were outraged to be denied the right to visit their loved ones.

“It was hard. We were called a lot of names,” Stewart-King said.

Some seniors failed to grasp the enormity of the situation while others misread the situation due to dementia. Tanya Alexander, who doubles as a beautician at the nursing home’s popular beauty shop and a part-time nurse, said some residents feared their families had abandoned them, not realizing their loved ones couldn’t visit them due to safety restrictions.

“We depend on these families,” she said. “There was a real decline in happiness.”

Repsher recounted the strangeness of donning N-95 masks, face shields, gloves and a medical gown to do basic things like feeding someone and how it drove anxiety through the roof. Staff tried to cope with the risks of potentially exposing their wards to the virus and bringing something home to their families. Through it all, she said, employees did their best to shield residents from the stress without candy-coating the truth.

“When you come in here, you put a smile on your face no matter how miserable you are,” Repsher said. “It doesn’t matter what’s happening out there. This is where they are. This is what they have.”

Welcome relief

The return of volunteers is bringing some much needed relief. Before the pandemic, they would escort residents to weekly concerts and organize sessions of dominos, but those are off the table for the time being. Instead, they’re helping feed residents and walking them to appointments around the building, freeing staff to focus on matters that need skilled attention.

It’s a welcome return for Linda Hutnik, a Palmer Township woman who has been volunteering at Gracedale since the mid-1980s. She relished the simple joy of reading the dining room menu to two women with limited vision and seeing one’s eyes light up over her mask when she got to the fruit section. She laughed remembering how she selected every item on the menu for her.

“I get as much out of this as the residents do,” Hutnik said. “It’s the little things like that that just make you feel good.”

After being in and out of other facilities, Alfie Kimpel has lived at Gracedale for six years. The 84-year-old is quick to praise his home and the efforts staff take to brighten the lives of the residents. The gift shop sells cards for a quarter and his favorite candies — Milky Way Midnight bars. Before the pandemic, he would wheel himself into the all-purpose room for concerts, sometimes hitting the dance floor when an Elvis tribute act was on stage. He’ll happily strike up a conversation with anyone.

But the last 13 months have been rough even for the cheerful Kimpel. The large dinners and concerts were replaced with smaller groups and entertainment on closed-circuit TV. It was a good effort, he said, but it lacked the same energy. The loss of volunteers meant less opportunities to socialize.

“It’s been quiet. It’s been difficult,” Kimpel said. “It was — how do you say it in German? — nicht so gut; not so good.”

When Repsher mentioned that one of his favorite volunteers would return in the next few days, his whole body perked up in excitement. With a new bounce in his step, he headed to his wheelchair and pushed himself to the elevators. On the way, Kimpel spotted a new banner with painted flowers greeting guests and family in the foyer, and he turned to Stewart-King.

“Congratulations on a wonderful sign. What a wonderful welcome!” he said.

Volunteers sought

Gracedale is seeking volunteers who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus. Anyone who is interested may contact Volunteer Coordinator Jennie Repsher at jrepsher@northamptoncounty.org or by calling 610-829-3823.

Morning Call reporter Tom Shortell can be reached at 610-820-6168 or tshortell@mcall.com.

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