Screengrab from facebook.com/WellingtonMedicineHat

By Chris Brown

The extra mile to brighten the mood

Medicine Hat care homes making the best of the holidays this year

Dec 23, 2020 | 3:01 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Since the start of the pandemic, the health and safety of our most vulnerable citizens has been a major concern for everyone, from family members to health and government officials.

And protecting them has meant they’ve spent prolonged periods away from their family.

Even with the relaxing of restrictions by the province on Tuesday, seniors in supportive living and long-term care homes aren’t able to spend the holidays with their families as they normally would.

And so care homes are going above and beyond to find creative and fun ways to keep residents connected with family.

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“They’re doing as much as they can with the restrictions that are in place,” says Carol-Ann Schlaht, a resident a The Wellington Retirement Residence.

Private meeting rooms decorated for the season are available for visits with their two designated support people and virtual meetings are being arranged for other friends and family.

To keep those in the home connected to each other, general manager Allyson MacArthur says they’re holding more frequent gatherings.

Schlaht says the care partners at The Wellington are going the extra mile to brighten the mood.

“They do an excellent job with limited activities or socialization right now. Reindeer hunts with Nerf guns and Wheel of Fortune Christmas carols, they do an amazing job. Little bits and pieces but at least it’s something to gather the people and give them something different to focus on,” she says.

Schlaht adds everyone at The Wellington does an “amazing job every day and they’ve even stepped that up through this crazy season and made everybody I think feel as comfortable as the can and as safe as they can.”

Schlaht wishes everyone a Merry Christmas to everybody and hopefully a really happy, healthy and safe new year coming.

At the Meadowlands facility, staff has been increased over the past few weeks to accommodate residents’ requests for virtual visits.

“We recognize that everyone wants to see and support their loved ones over the holidays. We are doing our very best to meet those important requests while keeping the safety and health of our residents, visitors and staff as a top priority to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at our long-term care homes and retirement residences,” says a spokesperson in an email.