When I walked through the Mansion the other day, I couldn’t quite imagine how all of the work would be done in time for Monday’s scheduled return of the displaced and evacuated residents.
When I walked through the Mansion today after our emergency Bingo game, I am certain all of the Mansion refugees will be coming home. Their ordeal is in its last day, the Mansion staff has been scrambling day and night to get all of the rooms clean and ready.
A team of construction workers laid down the carpet, put up all of the ceiling tiles, touched up the rebuilt walls and wallboard. The Mansion smells like a new building and in many ways, looks like one. I’m not a state health department regulator, but I think this miracle has taken hold.
Pending state approval, the Mansion staff expects the residents return tomorrow. The displaced residents were scattered – some went to their families, some went to the Danforth Adult Care Center, I’m sure a few will not be returning, that’ s just how things happen when there are disruptions like this.
I saw the residents at the Danforth almost every single day, and it is a very different facility than the Mansion, I know how hard a time it was for many of them. The staff helped, and so did the Army Of Good. We got them just about everything we could think of – hats, flowers, puzzles, books, DVD players, movies, paper crafts, readings.
We tended to the residents left behind at the Mansion and the ones evacuated. They will need some tending this week. We are planning a Chinese Takeout Homecoming Celebration on Tuesday or Wednesday. I imagine they will need some help settling in and calming down, and slipping back into the routines that are so important to them.
The staff is worn out, excited and stressed. It was an ordeal for everyone. I hope it’s over, I’ll be at the Mansion in the morning to check on things, and to offer some reading stories to the residents as they re-adjust.
This hard work has taken a month, but it seems to have really come together, thanks to too many people to mention.