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A Letter from Michael M. McGarry, President and CEO:
Dear Friends,
When I became the President and CEO of Montgomery Place in December 2021, after serving on the Board of Directors for almost 20 years, I knew I had hills ahead of me to climb, however I barely began to ascend when the Omnicron surge descended upon us in late December.
My immediate thought was protecting the health and welfare of the Residents and Staff at Montgomery Place. The fact that all Residents and Staff are 100% fully-vaccinated provided me with peace of mind. I’ll share with you that the decision to institute a vaccine-mandate at Montgomery Place was a tough decision, as we assumed that we would lose dedicated staff, who made the personal decision to remain unvaccinated. However, we believed that following the scientific guidance and recommendations would help Montgomery Place weather the pandemic storm. The fact remains that those decisions helped us find great success in mitigating the virus and managing its effects.
My secondary thoughts were guided towards maintaining everyday life and services at Montgomery Place. How were we going to address meals and events, visiting guests and cleaning residences? The truth is…we didn’t need to reinvent the wheel, so to speak. Our Teams sought guidance and reflection from their history of serving our Residents in 2020, and they activated those plans seamlessly. While the Omnicron Surge presented new and different obstacles, the servant leadership of our Team soared and I couldn’t be more proud to lead this Team. The sheer gratitude I have for their commitment to our Residents and Montgomery Place is boundless. I take comfort knowing that our Residents are in good hands each and every day, and you should also.
What’s next? We remain vigilant in enforcing proper mask wearing and vaccinations for all who enter or live at Montgomery Place, we enforce mandatory twice weekly testing for all Staff, and we recommend and encourage frequent hand-washing. I often tell our Team that we are unaware of what tomorrow will bring, however tomorrow is not promised. So, know that we are making the very best decisions, with the most current data, for our Residents, Families and Staff for today. Yes, changes may be needed, but we are prepared to pivot in our vigilance.
Finally, I want to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for our Residents, Families and Friends. Your words of encouragement, whether through phone calls or e-mails, to myself and other Team members, have provided us with so much strength and inspiration.
Change is inevitable and Montgomery Place, our greater community, and even the world have seen their share of change since 2020. Fact is, Montgomery Place has seen plenty of change in the last 30 years. Yet, we remain Chicago’s most inclusive and diverse Senior Living community, nestled within one the city’s cultural and social enclaves, along the shore of Lake Michigan. That fact is unmatched. However, equally unmatched is the fact that at Montgomery Place, we are a forever family of Residents, Families, Staff and Volunteers. Let’s continue to enjoy life together at Montgomery Place!