Officials and residents at the Brooklyn Living Center are dealing with an outbreak of COVID-19. The facility is located at 151 Constitution Ave. in the village, and has 68 residents and 21 staff members.
Brooklyn Living Center Manager Amy Manville said that four residents and three employees have tested positive for the virus.
The residents have been hospitalized and “are doing fairly well,” said Manville. “At this point, none have had breathing issues,” she said.
When it was discovered Monday, April 20 that one resident had been infected, Manville had some of the employees tested as well.
“We are going through this, but it is being handled very well,” said Manville. The residents there have been confined to the facility since March, she noted.
“I really don’t know how it [COVID-19] got in here. We have been so careful, so clean,” said Manville, who teared up several times when talking about it. “This has been very emotional. I am not worried about myself, but, you just wouldn’t believe how great the community has been,” she said, pointing out Dr. Brian Adamczyk and Health department officials in particular.
“They have been so helpful and so kind,” said Manville.
She also said that the employees have been particularly brave, and that around 17 of the staff of 21 continues to come to work. The residents still have to eat, need laundry done and depend on staff for other important tasks.
The Brooklyn Living Center features private apartments, but offer assistance to residents. “The staff just keeps coming to work,” said Manville. “They are so giving. Everyone just has been stepping up.”
Manville said that the residents are constantly being monitored and checked. She said that everyone in the facility will be tested either today (Thursday) or Friday for COVID-19, as soon as the tests are available.
“This has been moving very fast,” she said.
One resident had high praise for the staff. In a letter to the editor published in The Brooklyn Exponent this week, Sally Pletzer said everyone there is anxious to go back to normal, but the staff has been amazing.
“The staff here is so good to us. We’ve had excellent meals and special treats. Because no one can come in, we have lost many of our great volunteers, and we do miss them,” she said.
Pletzer noted that staff has filled in to wash and set many of the ladies’ hair. “It’s amazing that these ladies have so much energy.”
When asked what people can do to help those in the facility, Manville simply said “prayer.”
“We will get through this,” said Manville. “We will stand tall and get through it.”
“I just really can’t stress how proud I am of this staff.”
The Brooklyn Living center is a Lloyd Ganton Retirement Center. Manville said she did not know if any of the other facilities have had problems.
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The joy of the Lord is your strength. Neh. 8:10
