ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Nearly two years after a significant outbreak in the early days of COVID, life has mostly returned to normal at Father Baker Manor nursing home in Orchard Park, but a COVID-related issue prompted some help from our men and women in uniform.
National Guard troops have been stationed at Father Baker Manor and three other Catholic Health nursing homes for more than a month to fill gaps caused by staffing shortages.
"It's not so much that they're replacing our staff," said Mark Wheeler, Father Baker Manor's administrator. "They're allowing our staff a little bit of relief, in the sense that now they can take a day off and realize that someone is there to make sure that their residents room got cleaned."
2 On Your Side got an exclusive look inside Father Baker Manor to see the assistance being provided by these members of the military.
They aren't performing health care duties like we've seen at other facilities and in some hospitals across the state; instead, they're helping out with housekeeping, food services and other service areas, as the entire nursing home industry deals with difficulties recruiting new workers to replace those who retired or sought other work during the pandemic.
"So a lot of the work is in housekeeping, making sure that rooms are clean," said Spc. Daniel Weimer of Eden. "There is a lot of food delivery, making sure everybody gets that and helping out in the kitchen to get the food delivered. Because everywhere it's understaffed, and so they can focus on their job, and we just fill the gaps."
In all, nearly 500 National Guard troops are deployed to almost 90 different nursing homes across the state. They're providing critical services while also creating relationships with the residents.
Pauline Foeller, 89, said she's enjoyed her time with the troops.
"Oh, we get along fine," she said. "We play cards sometimes. I show him a trick with cards."
Spc. Weimer, who even plays guitar for the residents from time to time, said that while the National Guard is known to respond to natural disasters or even wars overseas, this deployment fits right in with the mission.
"We wear a uniform, but we're still humans," he said. "And we need to be there for our people."
Wheeler said the experience has boosted spirits of residents, and it will also have a long-term impact, since this additional help has enabled his team to shift resources and focus on hiring new workers to hopefully soon get to full staff.
"So this can have a long-term benefit," 2 On Your Side's Michael Wooten asked Wheeler.
"Absolutely," he responded.
That's important, because if nursing homes don't have the staff to accept patients from the hospital, that can cause a backlog that impacts the entire health care system, all the way down to wait times in the emergency room.
This deployment was scheduled to soon end, but it's been extended, so the National Guard troops will be at Father Baker Manor and the three other Catholic Health nursing homes until the end of May.
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