Ending 2020 and beginning a new year - 2021

 We are into a new year - 2021. 2020 - Year of Covid is now in our rear view mirror. But is it really? Sadly no, we are dealing with consequences of COVID-19 pandemic as it surges on into 2021. It probably won’t subsidize until late fall 2021 when the federal government of Canada predicts that any Canadian who wishes to be vaccinated, will be and can be. Though the virus has spread rapidly in a short period of time globally, the vaccination of 6-7 billion people will take time. To have multiple pharmaceutical companies developed and trialled to being accepted by US, UK, EU and Canada’s Health management agencies to approve the trial results and determining it safe to give to Canadians less than a year from it began here has been a huge accomplishment. That should be recognized, as a silver lining to awful pandemic of 2020 we have endured. 

This pandemic has opened the eyes to many people of all walks of life. There hasn’t been one sector of the human society that has not been impacted by this Covid virus. Some it could be a minor inconvenience has they received the virus, but it was mild and after the 14 days of quarantining was done, they pretty much could get back to living their life again within the public health restrictions. Others of course have not been that lucky, has they required hospitalizations due their symptoms, some required further respiratory support from the ICU and be put on mechanical ventilators or nasal prongs for supplementary oxygen to support oxygen saturations in the lungs. Of course, sadly, no matter how much the body fights it, it is a battle that can’t always be won. Since the pandemic began, we have lost over 1200 Albertans from the virus. Yes, many have been seniors who had lived in community care facilities, like mine AgeCare-Skypointe. They told us the truth this summer, when experts warned us that we need to prepare there will a second wave of Covid cases surging, and it was be worst then they first wave. In both waves, it spread like wildfire in our community care facilities in Alberta and across Canada too. Unfortunately it seems we did not listen to our own warnings and the Alberta provincial government left again, community care facilities and other communal facilities in Alberta ill-prepared for second wave and did not know how to handle properly the fast surge of cases this fall and winter already. There were no pre-planning living community care facilities vulnerable for surging cases due to out of control community spread of the virus.

I have been living in a LTC facility for 2.5 years now. It was a new building when I arrived and I was one of first residents that moved to Martindale 6W. So was a part of AgeCare-Skypointe commission year. We experienced the bumps along the road that you have with any new building. Through that experience and then first attending the Residents and Family Council meetings to where I became chair of the council in the fall. I come to appreciate seeing both sides of the coin, the challenges and limitations when changes are to implemented. As I am in minority age wise (50 years old), I found being on council is how I could be involved in the AgeCare-Skypointe family. Plus, it has allowed me to develop relationships with the management team here. A feeling of  comfort with communications of good things I have seen/observed/heard but also share the struggles I have faced my care or feeling to speak up for others. Such as this summer, my wing at first, later found out other parts of the facility were having ventilation issues and our rooms were becoming quite uncomfortable. I began a dialogue with general manager and our director of care in order to fix it. It will take time, but at least it is the radar to get repaired. 

When this pandemic began and restrictions implemented in mid-March all our lives were devastated. Never had we had to experience in our lifetime, a global shutdown with not going to work unless deemed essential (healthcare workers, grocery and pharmacy stores, public sector positions with the city or province). No visit or social interaction was allowed unless it as virtually. AgeCare-Skypointe was not left untouched in the first wave, but we were one of the lucky ones, as our first outbreak consisted of 4 staff members, no residents. But we were impacted by the isolation from seeing our loved ones in person. The feeling of being touched or receiving that hug or smile by your loved ones were so missed, still are. While life began to open up for majority of people in May, those who lived in community care facilities faced the isolation even longer. When eventually restrictions loosened to where we could have 1 outdoor visit with two people but this occurred only once a week because with 350 residents at AgeCare-Skypointe, everyone needs an opportunity to get their chance to see family and friends (over the age of 18). So for me May 28 until July 23, that is what I accepted and cherished. Only July 24, did the restrictions loosened where I was allowed 4 visitors at one time once a week. Plus allowed community walks, which for me was just going around to benches on the west side of the building or go down a block to a playground for my friends kids to play on while we visited. More cherished times for me. It nice to have two designated persons for indoor visiting which included my physiotherapy. It was so good to get back into the routine. 

All that got stopped in its track on Sunday October 11 (Thanksgiving Sunday) when our wing received their first Covid positive resident. AgeCare-Skypointe’s outbreak protocols went into place immediately by putting us all in quarantine for at least 14 days which is the incubation period for transmitting this virus to other. So aside from being stuck in our rooms, we were given Covid swabs to determine how far this virus had spread. Unfortunately it spread further to infect more residents and staff. By the time it seems to have stabilized on my wing, it surged elsewhere in our facility. In one day in December we had 20 new cases in a 24 hour period! From October 11 to December 29, I had been tested 12 times and they all came back negative. So thankful each time. But my streak came to and end on December 30 when I woke up with symptoms (chest congestion, dry cough and mild headache). They redid the Covid test as well as respiratory panel swab and the next morning my doctor called to confirm I tested positive for Covid. Ironically, I was to receive my Covid vaccine on December 31. Murphy’s Law, right?

It has been a scary time for myself as well as my family and friends worrying about me too. Despite the challenges we are facing in our facility with shortage of staff while dealing with critical residents fighting this virus, I can’t thank my staff and management doing all they can with the tools they have at their disposal. Around day 6-7, my breathing was struggling, my doctor had his colleague come to chest on me. My lungs still sounded clear but my oxygen saturations were struggling so instead of going to the hospital, AgeCare-Skypointe were able to support me by giving me some supplement oxygen alone with a steroid to help bring up my oxygen saturations. Today is Day 10 and I am off the oxygen and breathing normal air again. It was nice that I could continue to recover in my home instead of the hospital. 

What I am seeing is that Premier Jason Kenney and Minister of Health Tyler Shandro acted “after the fact”, made no proactive actions to bend our curve. When Premier Kenney finally acted it was too little, too late. Who waits for hospitalizations go up over 600% from Nov 1 to Dec 12; who sees we lost 500 Albertans in 34 days; who ignored multiple letters signed by hundreds of Alberta’s physicians of the strain on the health care system in November. Sadly, it wasn’t until Dec 12 did Premier Kenney implemented stricter restrictions until January 11, 2021. The situation really hasn’t changed where he just extended the restrictions until January 21, 2021. That just shows how irresponsible Premier Kenney has been during this second wave of Covid. From my opinion, Premier Kenney put his party, his supporters and donors over the public health crisis facing his citizens. 

My feeling, once one has public health, where we have Covid virus under control and not they other way around, we can start looking at our economy around. Alberta has been hit multiple times and haven’t really recovered. We currently have 11% unemployed rate, second only to Newfoundland who is at 12%. The other item I hope will come from surviving this pandemic a dialogue and discussion on how to improve the living conditions and protocols and creation of professional standards for providing care to residents living in this community care living facilities. Here is an opportunity to make things right as the Canadian population ages and where senior living will becoming more important. It is because where life has brought me to live in a LTC facility, I have been given a different perspective as it is now coming from first hand knowledge. This adds to the new passion, I guess you would call it, to use my voice to advocate for my benefit, but also for my staff and fellow residents. If it can actually help in small changes to make our lives better, than its all worth it, wouldn’t you agree?