ER doctor, senior caregiver share important messages before the holiday season

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    Portland, OR (KPTV) — As we head into Thanksgiving, frontline workers are sharing important messages with the community.

For Bonnie Schulson, a caregiver for dozens of residents at Summerfield Estates Retirement community, she’s relied on heavily by her clients.

“Many of them don’t have anybody, so I’m their contact. Everything that they need to have done, I do,” Schulson said. “I’m their hands. I’m their feet, their mouth, their ears. I make doctor’s appointments all kinds of things and try to bring some humor to em’ every day.”

During the pandemic, she knows how crucial her job is for the people she takes care of regularly.

“I take all the measures that I can do and still stay safe and not bring things in here,” Schulson said.

But it’s hard on her too.

“Can’t see my sisters and can’t see my cousins and my nieces and nephews,” Schulson said. “And even my daughter, I don’t see very often.”

Her message to other caregivers is don’t give in to the fatigue and do things that could be risky to your health and the health of the ones you’re caring for regularly.

“You can’t do that. You just can’t, you can’t afford it for your clients, you can’t afford it for yourself,” Schulson said.

For hospital staff, they’re worn out too.

“What now has happened is that it is overrunning our emergency departments and our hospitals because a COVID patient often has a longer length of stay than regular medical patients,” Providence Emergency Department Doctor Vicki Sands said.

Sands has this message to the community.

“The public can take care of us by protecting themselves and protecting their loved ones,” Sands said.

She shared how tough it is with COVID-19 regulations right now.

“It’s so heartbreaking because we’re having to separate people from their families. If you come in and you are a COVID patient, you can’t have visitors. It’s just not allowed,” Sands said. “We’re having to have conversations with families telling them what’s happening. They’re not allowed to say goodbye. It’s very, very difficult for the family, for patients, and for the staff.”

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