With the world in such uncertainty and fear-based information feeding our minds on a daily basis it seem difficult to believe there is any hope for a future. Our homes and lives have been turned upside down, changing everything as we once knew it. I believe that there is hope! As difficult as it is we must remain positive, trust God to be our protector and be grateful for the blessings we do have instead of dwelling on the influx of negativity on every side.
This has been a time of change here at Hill View. We have had to divide our home into sides and areas, staff face a daily regime of taking temperatures, changing clothes, washing their hands raw and covering their beautiful faces with masks to protect our residents.
Our residents have been amazing. I have never been so proud of them as these last months. They have been so patient and understanding with all the mandates from the Saskatchewan Health Authority and personal care home legislation. They know it is to keep them safe and thank God we have no one ill. I know that all my residents are missing their families very much.
Staff as well are isolating at home when not working to be sure they don't bring anything into our resident family, yet they come in smiling and positive every day. I appreciate and respect my staff very much. They have caring, kind hearts and sincerely love our residents. One of my staff Trudy McKewen has had two new grandbabies born to her sons who live in town and she has yet to hold and bond with them in order to keep social distancing. I drive by my grandsons’ house and they stand at the door and wave. It is hard for everyone.
We have allowed a few window visits and have set up two computers that were graciously donated by DMS Services here in Estevan. We are setting them up so that our residents can Facetime with family. What a thoughtful and generous gift to help our elderly.
Louise Seipp says she is happy for the phone calls she gets everyday from her children. Henry Fornwald says that they are getting very good care but the days are long. Elaine Murray, who by the way just celebrated her 60th anniversary with her husband Barrie, stated that we feed them very well and she appreciates all the cooks and staff. That is nice to hear. Congratulations to Barrie and Elaine.
It is times like these that one really learns how supportive families can be. Some have sent fruit trays and cakes for the staff and residents and call with words of encouragement to all of us who care for their parents. You do not know how much that means to us and makes our sacrifice so worthwhile. Chris Sali is one of our activity workers and her grandson Carter Beatty and his mom Reni made many hearts out of construction paper, wrote uplifting sayings on them and then put them on the outside of the windows.
This brought a lot of smiles from our residents and lifted their spirits. We have received a lot of beautiful handmade cards from the United Way Estevan’s Days of Caring as well and we have them taped up on all of our walls for everyone to enjoy. Gwen Haaland's daughters Kathy Blackstock and Tami Scott brought a beautiful treat from Creative Cookies in Saskatoon. It was an absolutely delicious cookie in the shape of a bunny rabbit and as part of the decoration there were edible paint drops with a brush that you could decorate the rest of the cookie with.
A few weeks ago we had Susan Shepherd and her keyboard set up in the backyard gazebo and played for house 3 and 4 residents as they sat inside and had the doors and windows open. At the same time we had Susan Moser set up in house 1 and 2 gazebo playing her accordion for those residents as they listened while social distancing. A while before that, Dave Kjersem brought his guitar and played and sang for us.
We were unable to purchase Isagel hand sanitizer anywhere and a family member in Calgary shipped us two 22 kilogram pails of it. We funnel it into all the bottles and it is great. Who would have thought of that?
Evelyne Svorkdahl, who lives here is an avid quilt maker, seamstress, paper machete artist and painter. She came to my office the other day with some face masks the she had sewed for the staff. That blessed my heart! The Faith Lutheran Church Cut N Sew group sewed dozens of cotton reusable face masks as well to help us through this crisis. We don't have words to appropriately thank everyone that has contributed time and effort to support us.
We try to have enough activities to keep everyone' mind stimulated but it is a challenge. Our residents love Bingo and I think they have it most every day. The winners should have lots of coffee money by the time we are allowed to go for coffee. We are being as diligent as we can to keep our resident's safe yet active because they are our family as well.
Thoughts of gardens and flower beds are pressing in and Gordon Loustel tells me he like to plant beef-stake tomatoes so I best find a way to get some of them for him. We are hoping that soon we can lift some of the restrictions and help life to be a little better for everyone.
