In the article, Mayor London Breed shared her personal connection to LHH and the decisive early measures taken to respond to COVID-19:
“My grandmother was a resident at Laguna Honda for years before she passed away, so I know how important a place it is for our residents and families.”
“We had to act swiftly to control the spread of the virus and ensure the health of residents and staff — especially as we saw what was happening at similar facilities across the country. While we’re still in the midst of this pandemic and must remain vigilant, we can recognize that the outbreak at Laguna Honda could have been tragic for residents, staff, and their families.”
LHH resident Michael generously gave the Chronicle permission to share his experience as one of our residents who tested positive for COVID-19. Thankfully, Michael has since recovered and is in his home neighborhood:
“In the beginning, there was some fear and just some anxiety, but I had a very good support system. I am a spiritual person as well. When I made a mental resolve to turn isolation into solitude, and start focusing on the inner me, that’s what actually helped me to cope through that time of being isolated much better.”
San Francisco Health Director, Grant Colfax showed the example LHH is setting for skilled nursing facilities across the country:
“I’m hopeful that what we learned as a community at Laguna Honda can be applied elsewhere to protect some of the most vulnerable to COVID-19."
We know there is much more to LHH’s story than can be captured in a single article, but I hope this week we can pause and acknowledge that our work and sacrifices have had an impact.