Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System (CAVHCS)

Jessie Barnes Sr. accompanied by Ana Cintron, a CLC Clinical Social Worker and Dr. Audrey Hodge, Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) for Geriatrics and Extended Care during the viewing of his son’s going home service.

TUSKEGEE, AL – On a regular day, dealing with loss is hard. With COVID-19, dealing with loss has become even harder because of the separation social distancing has prompted.

Add in the mix living in a facility where, because of COVID-19, you are limited to interactions with the outside world overall, and things can become difficult.

Recently, one of Central Alabama Veteran Health Care System’s (CAVHCS) New Horizon Community Living Center (CLC) Veterans, Jessie Barnes Sr. experienced a personal loss. Barnes Sr., a Marine Veteran lost his son, Jessie Barnes Jr., an Army Veteran.

Because of COVID-19 and its subsequent precautions and restrictions, Barnes Sr. was not going to make it to his own son’s funeral; and that was unacceptable to the CLC staff.

“When the wife notified the staff of the passing of their son, the CLC felt the loss especially since he has been a long time Resident at the CLC”, said Dr. Audrey Hodge, Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) for Geriatrics and Extended Care. “We arranged a quiet and serene location for the resident with the staff surrounding him for comfort.”

Ana Cintron, a CLC Clinical Social Worker, receiving the notification and agreed to be there for the Veteran. Using cell phones and iPads, Cintron, Ms. Kim Echols, a CLC nurse and Dr. Hodge accessed the virtual viewing of Barnes Jr.’s funeral.

“Despite his loss, Mr. Barnes was thankful to be a part of his son’s going home service. He sang with the hymns and smiled when his son was honored with the playing of the Taps,” said Cintron.

During the mass, Dr. Hodge provided Barnes Sr. with ingredients to partake in communion.

Mrs. Shirley Barnes, Barnes Sr.’s wife was very appreciative of the assistance given to the Veteran. “I really appreciate everything they have done. Mr. Barnes and his son were very very close and he really really wanted to be a part of this”, said Barnes.

“I would like to express my gratitude to them for making his attendance possible”, said Barnes. “This was a very low point in our lives and they helped him to be able to be a part of something that he would have missed if he would not have been at that facility.”

“In the Community Living Center (CLC), we continue to strive to meet the challenges of COVID with family comfort. We remain dedicated to providing excellence in nursing home care as exemplified by our 5-Star rating”, said Dr. Hodge.

CAVHCS’ New Horizon CLC has maintained a five-star facility status, for consecutive quarters, since 2019. This rating places CAVHCS’ CLC among the top performers of the Veterans Health Administration when related to elderly care.

Getting that quality status is an achievement that many facilities struggle to obtain. Now, with COVID-19 lingering in our midst, getting and more so maintaining said status has become a feat few have been able to uphold.

For more information about VA Community Living Center visit https://www.va.gov/GERIATRICS/pages/VA_Community_Living_Centers.asp.