Longtime Nursing Assistant At Woodland Senior Living Facility Dies From Coronavirus Complications
WOODLAND (CBS13) — A nursing assistant who worked for decades at a nursing facility in Woodland has died from the novel coronavirus.
Stollwood Convalescent Hospital at St. John's Retirement Village saw one of our area's largest coronavirus outbreaks.
Antonia "Tony" Sisemore died from coronavirus complications at the age of 72. Family members say she was a beloved certified nurse assistant at St. John and very dedicated.
"She really really just loved her job, and everybody loved her. She brought so much joy to all the people," her daughter Ruth Edwards said.
Family members say they were concerned about Sisemore even before they knew there would be a coronavirus outbreak.
"Because she worked with a lot of patients. But at the same time we thought they were going to be really careful and cautious because she worked at a professional place," said her daughter.
Stollwood has seen 32 residents and 34 staff members test positive for the virus. Eleven residents and now one staff member have died.
"We were telling her, you know, 'Tony, it would probably be better to just stop working for a while,' because we didn't want her there. We were concerned and low and behold it's the largest concentrated outbreak in the area," said her son-in-law Jason Edwards.
"Even though we told her not to, she's really stubborn. She's going to do what shes going to do," said her daughter.
On Facebook, the facility posted about the great loss of one of their most talented and dedicated CNA's.
Her daughters tell us she made the ultimate sacrifice, showing up for the patients who needed her every day.
"Tony was always known to be a fighter, as healthy as a 72-year-old she was, it was it was just too strong for her," her son-in-law said.
Though they had to be dressed in full protective gear, her family says they are now just grateful they got to see their mom one last time.
"Thank God we got to see her in her last moments. She was a great everything. A great mother. She was just so loveable, she wanted to be around people and family and friends all the time," said Edwards.
More than 20,000 people who live or work in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities have died from the coronavirus.
