News

Chances are when you step through the front door at our Prim Road office these days, you’ll see a familiar, albeit stylishly obscured, face.

Daniele Roussel, who staffs the lobby’s reception desk, is currently serving in the unofficial but crucial role of chief mask collector, gathering hundreds of handmade face coverings generous members of our community deliver every day. The masks come in all shapes, patterns and sizes, and are distributed to our team members visiting patients wherever they call home.

“When people come in and bring masks, I thank them and ask if they can leave their name and address, and if I can take a picture,” Daniele explained. “Then I display the new masks on the table for employees to take if they would like. I then check their name off a master list. I communicate … to let everyone know we got more masks.”

In addition, Daniele serves as a member of our, also unofficial and equally crucial, personal protective equipment (PPE) police force.

“I also make sure people wear a mask when entering the building,” she explained.

One thing is for sure: she’s wearing several hats, and masks, lately.

Managing supply needs

In partnership with our Supply team, Daniele manages and organizes the flow of necessary medical equipment and PPE clinicians regularly collect from Prim Road. The growing array of masks and other supplies prompted a recent expansion.

“We have the supplies split up onto three tables,” Daniele told us. “Until yesterday we only had two, but (the table) had become too cluttered, so three it is, with different parts of the alphabet on each table.”

“I also try to stay organized with my workload since I am the only one here every day,” she continued. “I answer a few phone calls and fill many requests from the different departments, which is pretty much all of them.”

These teams include, but aren’t limited to, Human Resources, Intake and Referral, Telehealth, Maintenance, Supply, Accounting, Accounts Receivable, Adult Home Health, Family and Children’s Services, Long-Term Care, Hospice, Bereavement and Coding.

“I get the mail out that is needed, as well as receive the US Mail every day. Upon opening the mail (I wear gloves by the way), I then distribute/scan/put into action different things that are important for the different departments.”

Days aren’t without their bright spots.

“My most memorable/fun moment is when I see people come in to bring masks,” she says. “I am always excited to see the ‘collection’ of the day.”

Thanks to Daniele and the rest of the dedicated team keeping our community and our team well stocked and supported in these uncharted times. If you’d like to join effort to support workers on the front lines, please read more here.