52: Diane Miller

Housekeeping, Highlands Retirement Community

Diane Miller works the first shift in housekeeping at a retirement community. There are different levels of care at her facility, and she worked through the whole pandemic in the COVID wing. She worked every day of the week with no days off. The COVID wing was a single hallway of the facility, reappropriated for the purpose and blocked off with plastic sheeting. Her team had to stay on the unit for their entire shift for fear of spreading infection if they left to clean any other parts of the building. 

There were twelve deaths at Diane’s facility, and each one affected her deeply. It was very difficult to see, especially when a few of the longtime residents who had been living in the more independent level of care got COVID. They were such strong people, and yet their conditions deteriorated so quickly to their ultimate passing. It was devastating. But Diane is proud, at least, that her facility was able to keep the number of deaths and infections relatively low. She believes that her management handled the situation very well and did everything that they possibly could to kept residents and staff as safe as they possibly could. 

Diane lives with her husband, who is retired and works part time, though he did not work through the shutdown. She is so thankful that, somehow, neither of them were ever infected. The whole situation has made Diane a lot more thankful for good health, not just hers but of those around her. She hopes that people better understand now that you should wish others good health as well, and that it is not something to take for granted.