Residents Keep Spirits High During Covid Restrictions
With movements restricted during the latest increase in Covid-19 cases in the province, residents at United’s two communities are keeping their spirits up thanks to the efforts of families and employees.
“Nobody expected this thing to last this long,” said Garrison Green resident Jim Dolph. When we spoke with Jim last spring about staying connected with his family, Jim talked about the phone conversations and the special gifts that his family brings him. Almost a year later, Jim says the special treats are more welcome than ever.
“They really outdid themselves at Christmas,” said Jim. “Christmas was quiet, but they brought me some of my favourite cheeses, breads, wine and scotch whiskey. We’re fed well here, but these are some of the fussy things that I like. And my grandchildren send me photos of our times together, which really sparks our conversations on the phone.” A special treat for Jim, who is an avid painter, was a painting done for him by his 31-year-old granddaughter, of one of her daughters walking in the snow.
“I really admire the employees. They are at risk as much as we are, but they are going the extra mile to help protect our health. They deliver our meals. It’s phenomenal service. It’s heroic what they are doing,” said Jim.
Jim’s daughter Laurie says the way the family connects hasn’t changed much. In person visits have changed, but the phone calls are regular. She applauds United for daily emails giving residents and families the latest news, and the creative facilitators provide regular Good News Bulletins with links to online events, and an email called Online Inspirations.
Jim continues to play his guitar and has even started writing music. “You have to find your style and experiment with it. I’ve been attracted lately to East Coast music, so I’m working on playing reels. And I’m still painting. You have to find your passion, and these restrictions have given people a chance to develop their interests.”
Sharyn and Landis Krause at Fish Creek are using technology to stay connected with family and friends. “Landis found a crib game online and plays several times a week with friends from Winnipeg, and we found a Bridge game as well. Our son and daughter found other games, and at one time over Christmas we were playing with 11 people on Zoom,” said Sharyn. “Even when Covid is over, this is a great way to stay connected with our friends and family all over the country.”
Jim is looking forward to receiving the vaccine and like others, is hoping it will lead to less restrictions. “People are tired of waiting for Covid to go away, so we’re hoping the vaccine will finally allow us to open things up again, to go out with our families, especially with spring not too far off we want our lives to get back to normal.”
Sharyn agrees, and is optimistic about the vaccine, but she says that even with the vaccine, it’s best to stay cautious. “Until most people are vaccinated, Covid is still a risk, so we’re still going to be careful.”
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Talk with one of our active living advisors about life in a United community. They can arrange in-person or virtual tours of our Garrison Green and Fish Creek communities. If you know a friend or family member who could benefit from living in a United community, send them a link to our website or blog, or arrange a future visit. We are happy to help!
To learn more about life at United’s Fish Creek community, watch this short video.
Or, to find out more about life at United’s Garrison Green, watch this short video.
