Eric Frustaci has an infectious smile and laugh with a great sense of humor. He also has a never-ending list of work ideas. These ideas stem from a curiosity in the search for meaningful work. Eric never brings negativity or obstacles he may face into the discussion when sharing his work ideas. He pictures himself working at the job because he either likes something about it or it is achieving his goal. His can-do attitude is refreshing. As an around-the-clock advocate for people with disabilities, Eric’s work ideas often include spreading awareness of the capabilities of people with disabilities in the workplace.

“I like to encourage people to do the right thing by doing things for themselves to be more positive”.

Born in Naples, Italy, Eric arrived in America in 1990 and could only speak a few words of English. After arriving, he finished high school and became fluent in English. That’s right, Eric is bilingual! Learning English has served him well during speaking engagements. Eric has facilitated presentations to Wakefield Day Services on topics of human rights and to increase understanding and respect for people with disabilities. He has also participated as a facilitator for New Hire Orientation in the past.

Eric has a long list of occupations and volunteer activities on his resume. He has been a painter, activities assistant, assembler, and a stock / sales associate. He’s also worked as a file clerk, bell ringer, library assistant, clerical assistant, and patient visitor. One of his favorite jobs was working as a sales clerk at the Snack Shack at the Hall Memorial Pool in Stoneham. Among his latest work ideas, Eric would like to become involved in Veteran services. When asked about his reasons for working with Vets, Eric replied that he likes to work with people in general.

“Working with Vets is a way to show gratitude for what they did for their country; for serving their country”.

Since March of 2020, Communitas has worked hard to mitigate risk to our staff and families, while still providing the supports and services that our families need, deserve, and expect. During the initial shut-down, our Day Services Division provided remote services to all their participants. Our Family Support Division transitioned to telehealth, providing support via telephone calls and home visits on Zoom, Facetime or Teams. Our Residential Services Division, like the rest of the country, stayed home. This meant being inventive in keeping people engaged in learning, growing, and staying connected to their friends and families.

While none of these measures were perfect, they were necessary to slow the spread of the pandemic and to keep people safe.

And, for the most part, these measures were successful. Many people were able to return to in-person Day Services. Family Support home visits were once again being done in person. Folks supported by our Residential Division were able to enjoy getting out and doing the normal activities of daily living.

During this time, new variants have arisen and updated information has been released on the most effective ways to stay safe.

In response, Communitas developed a team of agency staff who were consistently reviewing our safety protocols and revising them as needed. This group is known as our Continuity of Operations Planning Team, or COOP, and consists of Division Heads, front-line supervisors and other key employees. The COOP team meets three times a week via conference call. This allows us to stay current with ongoing health status, to react to trends, and to plan ahead. Suggestions from the programs are reviewed, with input from our nursing staff, maintenance crew and Safety Committee.

As we move forward, we will continue to strive for balance between providing critical services while mitigating risk from this pandemic.

Trusted Sources

On December 27, 2021, the CDC updated guidance for isolation and quarantine periods for the general population, saying, “Given what we currently know about COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, CDC is shortening the recommended time for isolation for the public. People with COVID-19 should isolate for 5 days and if they are asymptomatic or their symptoms are resolving (without fever for 24 hours), follow that by 5 days of wearing a mask when around others to minimize the risk of infecting people they encounter. The change is motivated by science demonstrating that the majority of SARS-CoV-2 transmission occurs early in the course of illness, generally in the 1-2 days prior to onset of symptoms and the 2-3 days after.”

Click here for a flowchart that can be an easy reference to follow if symptomatic, diagnosed, or in close contact with with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

The following is attributable to CDC Director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky: “The Omicron variant is spreading quickly and has the potential to impact all facets of our society. CDC’s updated recommendations for isolation and quarantine balance what we know about the spread of the virus and the protection provided by vaccination and booster doses. These updates ensure people can safely continue their daily lives. Prevention is our best option: get vaccinated, get boosted, wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial and high community transmission, and take a test before you gather.”

As always, please stay safe, and let your program’s Director know if you have symptoms, if you’ve tested positive for COVID-19, or if you’ve been in close contact with someone who has tested positive.

TRUSTED SOURCES: