Nursing Homes Near Me
By Samuel Murphy
When Kristyn Van Allen worked her first day at her job three years ago, little did she know she’d clock in around 700 hours during a global pandemic.
“I was so lost!” Kristyn remembers, “What the hell am I doing?!” Only 19 years-old, Kristyn started her new job at Mansfield Place, an Assisted Living and Memory Care facility in her hometown of Essex, Vermont. Her new duties included Hoyer lifting (patient lifting mobility tool), showering, pushing wheelchairs, and many other tasks completely absent in her own everydaylife.
Everyday life for Kristyn was much quieter. She lived like most of the teenagers in Northern Vermont — an area known for ridiculously cold temperatures, maple syrup, and Ben & Jerry’s. Being from Vermont, Kristyn is extremely passionate about the environment, and she walked or biked to school every day (depending on snow conditions) and ran cross country.
Now, as a current senior at Marist, Kristyn reflects on the last three years and says she’s not only matured, but also gained more confidence in herself. That extends to academics. “I’m not afraid to ask questions to the professors. And I go out of my way to reach for my opportunities instead of having them handed to me.”
Kristyn’s different experiences at Marist led her to pursue a career as a physician assistant. To attend PA school, she is required to earn ‘Patient Contact Hours.’
“Being in Vermont, there are not many opportunities to get those hours,” Kristyn explains. “But I wanted to get patient contact hours as soon as I could. So I literally Googled ‘nursing homes near me.’” The search was successful, and Kristyn found a facility ten minutes from her home and was able to get a job as a resident assistant the summer after her freshman year at Marist.
After an overwhelming start, Kristyn got her feet on the ground. “I remember after I got the hang of working there, I was like ‘Okay; I definitely want to do this.’” Kristyn continued to work at the facility when she returned home from school and has since been certified as a medical technician, allowing her to give medicines to patients.
Illustration by Andrew Mark
“Working with Kristyn has been a breath of fresh air,” Danielle Barnes, Head Evening Nurse at Mansfield Place, says. “She took on her responsibilities and always went above and beyond.”
When COVID-19 began devastating the United States in late February, nursing homes were some of the first and hardest hit places. “I remember thinking, ‘Oh my god! I hope Mansfield Place doesn’t get hit.’” Kristyn says. And fortunately, they didn’t.
According to the New York Times, by late March 2021, Vermont recorded 438 cases at five different nursing homes in the state. Mansfield Place is not one of the five. Also, 19% of Vermont’s COVID-19 deaths have been linked to nursing homes, the fourth-lowest in the country and a sharp contrast from neighboring New Hampshire’s 71%.
It was never a question to Kristyn if she would return to work at Mansfield Place. Once she got back to work, she entered the post-COVID world. “Now, when you walk in, you have to sign a sheet that says you washed your hands, you’re wearing a mask, and you’re wearing eye protection. And then you have to take your temperature,” Kristyn explains.
While her routine at the facility included new protocols for Kristyn, it changed drastically for the residents. Now, they were confined to their rooms most of the day, communal dining was a memory of the past, and social events like Bingo were no longer allowed.
“The people are in complete isolation,” Kristyn says. “I had people cry to me about how miserable they were, and they just wanted to be able to see their family.”
Kristyn said this January, the facility saw four deaths. For two of those deaths, Kristyn was the one to find the deceased. “It’s not ever easy, but it’s something you get used to.”
Despite new challenges at her job, Kristyn worked tirelessly for her residents. “I’ve tried to make my connection with the residents stronger,” Kristyn says. “All they want is just some sort of connection right now, and if I have that extra time, I always give it to them.”
Meaningful relationships are created between Kristyn and her residents. “There’s one resident I have at the facility who is my person. I love her with my whole heart. Every time I do her care, we end up talking about our lives. Before I left for school, I gave her a big hug and said, ‘I hope to see you in June! I love you so much; please take care of yourself and your husband.’ And it was such a sweet moment — we grew a bond through this pandemic because people always need someone to talk to.”
Even under the most tragic circumstances on the job, Kristyn never stopped trying to make a difference. She was responsible for caring for a man in hospice, who has sadly passed away. But during a visit with the man’s family, they thanked Kristyn and the other workers, telling them they were grateful that their loved one received such a high quality of care. “It was a really sweet moment between all of us in his final days,” Kristyn shares.
Even after logging over 700 hours in less than a year, Kristyn still feels like it’s the residents that inspire her. “They deserve the world. They can’t take care of themselves, and that’s my job to give them good care when they also treat me with that same kindness.”
Reflecting on the impact Kristyn had, Barnes said, “Kristyn offered herself in a scary pandemic to be on the frontlines and care for the most vulnerable population. She has made quite an impact here at Mansfield.
Kristyn has also learned something significant about herself through her hard work. “I now know healthcare is what I want to go into. I’m strong enough to do it, and I’m willing to be that person for someone.”
FOR THE RECORD UNCUT
OBJECT PHOTOGRAPHY
Photography by Bobby Oliver
For this year’s project, we asked our Changemakers to bring items that had meaning to them to the shoot.
“For my three items, I included Vermont maple syrup, a Marist pennant, and a stethoscope. The maple syrup represents my home. I was born and raised in Vermont, and it has really shaped my personality and interests. The specific bottle was from the sugar maple in our backyard and was made by my dad this Spring. The pennant was included as I am a senior this year and have spent the past four years growing and learning at Marist College so I felt it was important to include it. Finally, the stethoscope was included as is represents what I was nominated for. I work at an assisted living and memory care facility where I am a caregiver, but also a med passer. This is my personal stethoscope which I do use during work, but my job goes far beyond that.”