As the southeast Calgary community comes to terms with two more positive cases of COVID-19, neighbours living around the McKenzie Towne Continuing Care Centre are doing what they can to give support to those in isolation.
Danny Cooper came to the park near the middle of the seniors facility to play his trumpet for those stuck inside.
“With what’s been happening with the world, I try to bring some music to the lives of the people not able to get out and not visit them,” Cooper said.
“I’m hearing clapping, so I’m getting some acknowledgement.”
Jessica Raynor stopped by to visit with her dad, Desmond. He is showing some symptoms and was tested for COVID-19. Raynor is keeping her distance, stopping by to see him at his second floor window.
“I usually see him once a week. It’s hard. He’s OK. He’s got a cold. We will get results back and I hope they’re not positive, but the likelihood is they might be.
“He needs to relax and take it easy,” Raynor said.
Officials with the management company, Revera, said they have stepped up protocols and are considering putting quarantine measures in place for all four care units in the facility and may plan on testing all residents.
Dr. Rhonda Collins, the Chief Medical Health Officer for Revera, said it’s been challenging.
“The labs have become overwhelmed with the number of testing so we are looking at technologies to be able to test more people,” Dr. Collins said. “We are testing everyone with symptoms.”
No visitors are allowed but there’s a worry about their loneliness. The management in the continuing care home has closed the communal dining room, there’s no more recreational activities and residents are kept separated. They are upping communication to families on the outside.
“We’ve been working to increase staff and external help so we can communicate with family. I wouldn’t want to be sitting at home waiting for information on my mom or dad,” Dr. Collins said.
The care home staff are also doing their best to keep the seniors in place, isolating in their own suites.
“We are trying not to transfer to hospital unless there is a specific need,” Dr. Collins said. “We know with older people they don’t tend to do well in acute care. In long-term care they have staff who know them and they are in a comfortable environment.”
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