Guylene (Gilly) Muzac is one of the 45,000 dedicated caregivers working on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic to protect and care for the Commonwealth’s nursing home residents. Gilly is a nurse and Resident Care Manager at Sherrill House in Boston and has been working in the Alzheimer’s/Dementia Care Unit for 14 years.
Gilly loves being a nurse, and her smile lights up every room she walks into. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Gilly admits she was scared of getting sick herself but she remained at her residents’ bedside and the thought of leaving them or her job never crossed her mind. Gilly and her team of Certified Nursing Assistants and nurses eased the worry of every resident in their dementia special care unit, making sure each person never felt alone, holding their hands while comforting their fears with great compassion. “We are their families. We might not have their last name or share the same blood, but our bond was stronger than ever.”
When one of her residents, “Ms. Marvelous”, fell ill, she confided in Gilly that she felt scared and knew she was dying. Gilly and her team made sure Ms. Marvelous had someone with her 24 hours a day to ensure she would not be alone. Days later Ms. Marvelous passed in the comfort and company of her caregivers. The memories of Ms. Marvelous still invokes emotions for Gilly today, but she knows she did her absolute best to provide the most compassionate and loving care to Ms. Marvelous and all her residents that needed her during these challenging times. Currently, Gilly is pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing at Curry College and is a recipient of the 2020/2021 Mass Senior Care Foundation scholarship. Gilly’s courage and dedication to her residents are just a few reasons why she is a frontline hero.