By Mont St. Joseph Care Home

Staying Strong Along With Our Community

Adaptability and Resilience in the face of COVID-19

Nov 24, 2020 | 8:58 AM

November 20, 2020 put us at month eight in the COVID fight and highlighted again the emergence of our new reality in Health Care in Saskatchewan.

There is an old saying that “necessity is the mother of invention”; the staff at Mont St Joseph Home have become quite inventive at working our main problem(s):

• Keeping our facility infection free;

• Maintaining staff morale and attendance;

• Maintaining a family connection and presence in our building;

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• Fighting loneliness, boredom and isolation, especially with the Christmas season upon us.

If you are paying attention to the scientists, without a Province wide change in attitudes and activity, the current COVID19 numbers will continue to escalate.

The extreme numbers announced this past weekend: 439 Saturday and 236 Sunday signal our new reality on the size of this COVID storm. We will have to remain diligent in our overall approach and model our response appropriately.

Throughout the last eight months, Ministry imposed guidelines through the Medical Health Officer meant that our residents were discouraged from leaving, family visits were estranged and a heightened state of security meant that even a visit for end of life care became difficult. In addition to this external presence being strained, our internal group activities of any size were problematic and the official restrictions by the MHO continue to tighten. All of this being done to protect our most vulnerable population, the residents, elders, here at Mont St Joseph Home.

To make the daily life more livable again, staff became creative and adaptive recognizing that daily activities that had been offered by families and external service providers was diminished. Window and patio visits, Facebook, Skype and other social media platforms started to emerge as the “Safe Method” to care for the spirit of our elders.

Internal activities with an “All Hands On Deck” approach to “replace” the void of visitors to the Home. Physical activities, drumming programs and spiritual programs caring for the soul have re-emerged; all meant to increased social interaction and spiritual care. Its good but it’s not yet great. These internal interactions are still limited due to distance-keeping measures, staff in facemasks, and contact limits within the home.

The creativity of the staff at MSJ is continues to be amazing! We are always striving to develop better plans to connect with family, friends and loved ones. Providing a sense of purpose and improved health, taking care of body, spirit and soul and engaging in physical activity; eat healthy and getting adequate sleep. Listening to music and participating as possible, to keep your mind active. Completing puzzles, reading, and engaging in art projects, deep breathing, stretching, meditation and prayer.

Most of all, we find ways to laugh!

Mont St Joseph Home is a Special Care Home Affiliate to the Saskatchewan Health Care System; our Mission is To give and receive care and compassion for mind body and spirit based on Catholic ethics and Christian Values.