When the Ontario government announced most areas of the province would be moving into Stage 3 of reopening, families with loved ones in long-term care or retirement residences were thrilled.
After months of separation, communicating through window glass or on Zoom, rules were being relaxed to permit up to two family visitors to come inside for face-to-face interaction.
Unfortunately, that’s just not possible at Innisfil’s Lakeside Retirement Residence.
The building, constructed more than two decades ago, just doesn’t offer the kind of space and separation needed to ensure safety if visitors were permitted to come indoors.
“Because of the design of Lakeside, we’re not allowing them inside,” said Toni Imtiaz, director of community relations.
Instead, “we actually made a little meeting area… outside.”
The response to COVID-19 continues to be a shifting landscape, with new directives coming from the province and from public health nearly every day.
Responding to the latest changes, as of Friday family members will be able to contact Lakeside Retirement to set up a pre-arranged visiting time with their loved ones outdoors.
COVID tests will no longer be mandatory for visitors, but face masks, hand sanitizing and physical distancing continue to be required, as per the order from the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.
The hardest thing to remember?
“No hugs! You still have to keep your social distancing," said Imtiaz.
Other changes that have taken effect this week include a requirement for residents to wear face masks for all indoor social activities, something Imtiaz acknowledged has been a challenge.
“It’s kind of tricky,” she admitted, especially when it comes to explaining the need for face masks to residents with dementia. “It’s a learning piece. Today, 99 per cent of them are wearing masks.”
Other restrictions have been in place all along. New residents at Lakeside are required to have a COVID test that comes back negative before they move into the Innisfil Beach Road residence, followed by 14 days in self-isolation.
The residence has also gone from two sittings for meals to three in order to maintain physical distancing in the dining room. There is also hand sanitizer on every table.
Things are getting brighter in other ways. Lakeside recently received permission to hold its bingo sessions again, with the necessary COVID precautions in place, and has been receiving assistance from the Innisfil ideaLAB & Library, which is providing craft sessions.
“That’s a wonderful thing for the residents,” Imtiaz said. “The community has been great.”
Community members have expressed their support and appreciation by sending in cards and letters, as well as donations for both staff and residents.
And most families have been supportive of the restrictions, understanding that “it’s not only your family, it’s the staff and their families. We want everyone to be safe.”
Everyone’s job has changed, as a result of the changing provincial orders. Staff spend more time cleaning and sanitizing, and Imtiaz’s role now includes a daily check on the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE).
“It’s hard,” she admitted, especially enforcing all of the regulations, like physical distancing, but Lakeside will continue to “err on the side of caution.
"Nobody wants to be the one that lets COVID into the building.”
Starting Friday, July 24, family members are asked to call Lakeside at 705-431-8105 to pre-arrange a visit with their loved ones. They should also be prepared to wear masks, use sanitizer, and practise physical distancing.
“How long is this going to go on? The residents keep asking that,” said Imtiaz.
The probability is that precautions will continue until there is a vaccine readily available.
“We’re going to get through this,” she said.
