The Lott family are relieved to be able to spend more time with mom and grandma Alice at The Hamlet at Westsyde (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

LONG-TERM CARE

Kamloops long-term care residents, families thrilled to see restrictions lifting

Jul 9, 2021 | 5:06 PM

KAMLOOPS — Lloyd Lott has been able to see his mom Alice with more frequency this spring and summer, albeit with strict protocols still in place. Masks have still been required during visits indoors — a challenge for Alice, who has Alzheimer’s.

However, starting July 19, most of the restrictions in long-term care in B.C. are going away.

“When we have to go in with masks on, she doesn’t really notice, know who we are,” said Lott. “So when we come outside, because you can take your masks off, she realizes who we are. It’s much nicer.”

As part of the loosened restrictions, visitors who have been double-vaccinated can unmask once they’re with their loved one inside.

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Since visitation restrictions loosened April 1 to allow more than one designated visitor, Alice has thrived and her son feels she’s only get better with more access to families.

“I’ve noticed since the absence of me and other family members, she’s really gotten worse,” he said. “There’s no family familiarity, so now with us coming back — we’ve been here three weeks now, always coming up on Saturday — we found that her awareness has picked up, her spirits have picked up.”

Jenn Shelstad has been mostly isolated at The Hamlets for the last 16 months during the pandemic. She is looking forward to seeing more family and friends.

“It’ll be nice for us to be able to get out with our family because it’s been a long year and a half,” said Shelstad. “I’m so lucky that we finally have freedom.”

Long-term care facilities like The Hamlets at Westsyde are thrilled for their residents and families.

“Being able to see their loved ones, they’ll be more comfortable,” said GM at The Hamlets Bob Attfield. “You can see it in their eyes when they have visitors now. It brightens them up. They’re feeling as though they are important. Many of our residents don’t understand what was going on. They don’t understand why their loved one couldn’t visit them, but when we see them visiting now, you can see them brighten up and you can see it in their eyes.”

For Lott, he is going to take advantage of every minute he can visiting mom Alice because he fears, with a variety of COVID-19 variants, restrictions could tighten right back up.