Feel Good Friday
Staying current with news on the coronavirus (COVID-19) is an important part of thoughtful citizenship, but it’s also a little draining. So here are a few positive news snippets for your weekend…
Baltimore Ravens Help Salvation Army Feed the Elderly
The Salvation Army of Central Maryland food bank usually has enough on hand to feed the needy for a month or two, but during COVID-19, their warehouse was wiped out in just two days. With the help of community organizations, local churches, ROUGE catering, the City of Baltimore, and the Baltimore Ravens, the Salvation Army is embarking on an ambitious plan to serve daily cold lunches and microwavable dinners to vulnerable seniors, including those living independently or in long-term care facilities. The Ravens are pitching in by donating $100,000 as well as the use of the M&T Bank Stadium parking lot. “In a crisis like this where everybody is affected, it can be tough to find people to help,” said Lt. Antonio Willis of the Salvation Army. “To have the Ravens just say, ‘This is totally on us. Just do it,’ that was blessing No. 1. Then to not only give us the parking lot, but to be part of the hope with the financial contribution, it put the icing on the cake.” If you would like to help the Salvation Army, they are looking for volunteers to assist with delivery, and you can sign up here.
Marilee Shapiro Asher is a Washington, D.C. artist who had her first art show in 1938, and her work is in the permanent collection at the Smithsonian. This 107-year-old has led a long and extraordinary life, a life that refused to be extinguished by two of the world’s most deadly pandemics. In 1918, she survived a bout with Spanish Flu at the age of 6, and she is now recovering from COVID-19. At one point, her battle with the coronavirus was so severe, that her doctors put her life expectancy in hours. However, when you read the Washington Post profile of this amazing woman, it will come as no surprise that she endured.
When their 101-year-old mother contracted COVID-19, seven siblings traveled from all over the country to visit her at her nursing home in Westland Michigan. The children of Jean O’Brien, who all tested negative for COVID-19, are keeping their mother company from outside the window of her nursing home from dusk to dawn. “We find ourselves doing the silliest things in front of that window,” said Megan O’Brien. “Anything to make her smile.” The siblings, who rented a smallish home near the nursing home in a pinch, are sharing the same roof for the first time in decades. There were nine siblings in total: one passed away with cancer, and one other was recently diagnosed with cancer himself, but despite his health setbacks is planning to join his seven siblings in Michigan.
Rabbi Mendel Fogelman helped make Passover a little more special for the residents of Eisenberg Assisted Living in Worcester, Massachusetts. The rabbi delivered 80 boxes of Shmurah Matzah, a matzah from Israel, and Montreal that is prepared as it was in biblical times, in time for Seder Dinner. Rabbi Fogelman, of the Central Mass Chabad, also provided Seder plates, for anyone who needed.
Our attorneys at Brown & Barron, LLC focus on representing nursing home residents who have been neglected or abused. We know first-hand how these facilities function, and just how vulnerable residents are to injuries. If you believe you or a family member has suffered as a result of nursing home negligence, we invite you to contact our team as soon as possible to learn more about your rights and options.
To learn more about how the coronavirus is affecting nursing homes and their residents, visit our coronavirus update blog. To contact our team, call (410) 698-1717 today for a consultation.