Image Credit: Gordon Warner

By Jill Sperling

VISTOR RESTRICTIONS EASED

After a year of window visits, relaxed restrictions will allow Kamloops man to hug his mother again

Mar 26, 2021 | 4:07 PM

KAMLOOPS — For residents of long term care assisted living facilities, the past year has been extremely isolating.

Visitors have been largely restricted from these facilities and COVID-19 outbreaks have kept residents in lockdown. But, with 90 per cent of care facility residents now vaccinated in B.C., these outbreaks have become less common, allowing the province to ease restrictions on April 1.

This comes as a relief to Gordon Warner, who has been visiting his 95-year-old mother, Margaret, through a window at Overlander Long Term Care Home.

“You just dress for the weather,” he said. “I bring a blanket and my ski pants and my ski jacket and my toque. If I can go skiing up at Sun Peaks, I can certainly come sit with my mom for an hour and talk to her.”

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Margaret, who has been at Overlander since 2018, has dementia. Gordon says it’s been important to keep a routine.

“When COVID hit, it was like everything just stopped. I wasn’t allowed in, nobody was allowed in, all of her activities stopped and it was very confusing for her.”

Eventually, Margaret’s care aides set up an opportunity for Gordon to speak with his mother over the phone from outside a window.

“Being able to talk to me, it helps,” Gordon said. “It makes a difference to her. It keeps her connected. I think if she didn’t have that, I don’t know where she’d be right now if I hadn’t been able to go to the window every night.”

The pandemic and resulting isolation has affected the mental well-being of many seniors in care.

B.C. Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie says the use of antipsychotic drugs in long-term care has increased by 10 per cent over the past year.

“That is very dramatic and I think is reflective of how the people living in long-term care have been impacted by this pandemic, the visit restriction part of it, but also all of the other issues impacting long term care because of this pandemic,” Mackenzie said.

On April 1, visitor restrictions will be eased. Instead of one designated visitor, up to two visitors and a child will be allowed to see the resident at one time.

These visits can take place within residents’ rooms and physical touch will be allowed, so long as masks are worn and proper hand hygiene is maintained.

“I think we’ve had enough time now that the vaccine has been effective, it has reduced the risk of outbreaks,” said B.C. Care Providers Association CEO Terry Lake. “I think the timing is right. We’ve been advocating for this for the last couple of weeks, so we’re really glad to see it happen now.”

On April 2, Gordon will finally visit his mother in person and for the first time in more than a year, he will give her a hug.

“We’re still going to have to wear a mask and that, but apparently we’ll be able to at least hug them and sit with them and I’ll be able to be with my mom when she goes to bed, we can do our prayers together again,” Gordon said. “Just those things are so settling to me, but mostly to her.”