COVID -19 in 2021

Looking back, with the onset of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) cases here in Canada in January 2020, I had no idea at the time how it would affect the day-to-day operations of the home and become such a strain on the staff, residents and families.  COVID -19 cast a shadow on the entire year.

We closed to visitors on March 14th,  2020.  With colleges and Universities closed in early spring last year, we were able to have our students in full-time during the height of the first wave of the Pandemic.  They did an amazing job connecting residents with their loved ones using zoom and FaceTime.  Residents did not see their loved ones in person for about 3 months.  Once the nice weather arrived in late April/early May, we were able to do social distance outdoor visits for our residents and their families.

We limited our staff to one-workplace weeks before the government mandated it.  COVID directives from the government changed frequently.  We have managed thus far to keep it from the residents.  In April, we built an infirmary in the chapel that can house seven sick residents.  Taking my learnings from SARS, isolation of the sick is key to stop the spread.

We are currently in the midst of the third wave.  Vaccines are rolling out in the Province.  98% of our residents are vaccinated and 68% of staff are done.  I am hopeful that once the majority of the population is vaccinated, we will be able to get back to some sort of normalcy! I am sure that we all look forward to the day when we can remove our masks and socialize again