COVID mortality being highest among individuals aged 80+ has forced care home staff and residents to adapt and overcome.
In June 2020, The B.C. Catholic reported zero COVID cases within the care and seniors’ homes run in the Lower Mainland by Columbus Homes since the beginning of the pandemic. Now approaching the end of 2021, we checked in with president Mike Garisto to see how the homes have fared through the last few months of the pandemic.
Garisto said Columbus Homes is proud to say that of its 365 residents in nine locations, including a retirement residence for priests in Vancouver, there have been only three cases of COVID-19 to date.
The defining factor has been credited to the extra protocols in place to prevent the virus, said Garisto. News of the pandemic was met by staff with thorough sanitization and reduced trips to the outside world. Residents were still permitted some safe outings.
While the difficulties of lockdown were met bravely, there was no escaping the frustration and loneliness that comes with isolation. “We’ve seen a bit of agitation,” said Garisto. “A few moments of people snapping, but for the most part they’ve been pretty good.”
The hardest blow to the social lives of the residents was the loss of their weekly bus trips. Every week they looked forward to “a tour and a treat,” which may have included a trip to Walmart and then to a coffee shop for a doughnut, or a scenic drive, or an excursion to the airport to watch airplanes take off and land. During the lockdown, these adventures were cancelled to help residents avoid contact with the outer world as much as possible.
For a few residents, especially those who require added assistance and stay indoors most of the time, it wasn’t much of a change. For the rest, there was a struggle to adjust. With outdoor trips shut down and little knowledge of technology it became a lonely few months for the residents and a time of difficult navigation for the staff.
But despite a few understandable moments of tension, there was an overall belief that the hardships they were suffering were for the common good, said Garisto.
Robert Breen, executive director of the Catholic Health Association of British Columbia, can attest to the effects of isolation on seniors.
“The biggest impact on the elderly, besides the physical illness itself, is living alone. Eighty per cent of seniors have dementia and after 18 months of being isolated, many no longer recognize their family and friends,” said Breen.
“Many of the homes brought in tablets, but it isn’t really the same. It is a fundamental need for us to be around our family and friends.”
Throughout months of loneliness and strain, the staff at all Columbus Homes locations kept everything running as smoothly as they could, said Garisto, who called their efforts heroic.
“All that stuff you see about them being heroes, it’s all true, really. It didn’t matter how they felt, they still showed up to work every day.”
Now in the last few months of 2021, it is difficult to tell what the future will bring for care homes. With the arrival of COVID-19 vaccines, the elderly were welcomed as first in line. While the majority of Columbus Home residents have received shots, the organization still focuses on aligning with all public health recommendations.
The recent loosening of restrictions means residents have been able to see more of their friends and family. A few weeks ago, they were even able to restart the weekly bus outings, a move that delighted residents and staff alike.
As they head into National Catholic Health Care Week, many care homes, assisted living, and independent living facilities are expressing their grateful hearts to the staff that kept them going throughout the past almost two years.
Editor’s Note: The B.C. Catholic is publishing stories about local health care providers, organizations, and emerging issues in anticipation of National Catholic Health Care Week Oct. 3-9. In Archbishop J. Michael Miller’s words, many medical professionals are at a crossroads. Join us in appreciating the complex world they navigate today.
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