As the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic set in, colleagues at Brookfield-based Community Care Inc. – particularly those assigned to the Milwaukee-area convents that Community Care serves — met the challenge of caring for members under incredibly stressful and challenging circumstances.
Some Community Care employees care for retired Catholic nuns from the Schools Sisters of Notre Dame, the School Sisters of St. Francis and the Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi.
When COVID-19 first entered the convents in February, little was known about coronavirus. The sisters, most of whom are in their 90s, Live, eat and worship together. While fundamental to their way of life, communal living also created risk for the sisters.
Staff had to find new and creative ways to engage the sisters —physically, mentally and spiritually. With each new development, the Community Care staff became stronger and more confident. They have always been extremely protective of the sisters, but never more so than during this crisis.
The pandemic brought the staff and sisters closer together. It also strengthened the bonds between the caregivers. Despite long hours, challenging conditions and the fear this pandemic caused, the sisters’ care remained the priority.
