Seasons greetings —

I can clearly recall spring of 2020, when the emergence of the novel coronavirus seemed to bring everyone together with a focus on protecting each other from the unknowns of this spreading menace. We prepared for the worst and hoped for the best. As the caregivers throughout Winona Health planned, prepared, cross-trained, and stood at the ready, businesses and citizens, too, stood at the ready with supplies and support. We all felt the connection of community intimately, and the safety this provided in the face of an unknown foe.

Nearly two years later, we are still in the midst of this pandemic, battling a shape-shifting foe that continues to wreak havoc on individuals, on families, on businesses, and throughout our community.

The pandemic has presented a host of challenges, and we have both prevailed and failed in our fight against this virus. The toll has been profound on many fronts. Lives have been saved and lost. Businesses have been saved and lost. Healthcare providers, nurses, clinicians and support staff have given, and continue to give, their all. But for some, the cost has been too high and they have left roles and professions they loved. This will be a consequence we will all face at some point in time.

We are all beneficiaries of caregiving throughout our lifetimes. People who choose healthcare as a profession answer a special calling. I wonder if there is a gene in their DNA that compels them to seek work in the caring professions. It is some of the most challenging, rewarding and fulfilling work there is, and it provides insights into humanity at its very core.

We are experiencing a time when a culmination of events will result in a new paradigm for healthcare. Our country is faced with a rapidly shrinking workforce while we’re also experiencing continued growth in the need for healthcare services given an aging population. This phenomenon is occurring at the same time we are adjusting to a pandemic that appears to have staying power. As a result, it’s likely that we will all experience what it means to be a caregiver in its narrowest or its broadest sense. Some of you may be facing that right now, and we welcome you to this noble work. Whether a profession or a labor of love, it can be challenging.

You may be providing care to family members — a spouse, partner, parents, children, siblings, etc. Or you may be the person someone considers their “4 a.m. friend,” that person they can always count on. Perhaps you provide a work environment that supports people’s needs when they find themselves at a loss. The list of ways to give care goes on. At Winona Health we are redefining caregiving and what it means to be a caregiver — to be clear, we are all caregivers.

As we near the end of a year full of ups, downs, and sideways twists, I find it most important to reflect on what brings us all together rather than what pushes us apart. We live in extraordinary times, where our known structures and systems are fraying and everything we are used to seems in flux. And yet, that is where great opportunities lie. Winona Health has experienced a lot over 127 years and is all the better for it. On behalf of our board, providers, nurses, clinicians, support staff and volunteers, I extend a heartfelt thank you to all the caregivers out there. We have never stopped being in this together!

Blessings,

Rachelle H. Schultz, Ed.D.
President/CEO

Rachelle Schultz, EdD
President/CEO

Through this digital column, I hope to shine a light on what we’re working on both internally and beyond our walls in collaboration with other community-focused organizations.