Skepticism as B.C. families promised more access to loved ones in long-term care
After 56 years of marriage, her husband still gave her a kiss at every meal.
The couple lived in the same Kamloops care home until 91-year-old Ron Osborne died a few weeks ago.
And now Coleen Osborne, 89, needs her family more than ever.
But they can’t see her because of spiking COVID-19 numbers and provincial health orders that have shut out all but essential visitors from long-term care facilities.
“My worry is that she is in severe depression and this will kill her, not seeing her family,” said her daughter-in-law Cathy Nelson.
She says the isolation is taking a huge emotional toll.
“I think they (health officials) are making a huge mistake. I really feel if you talk to the majority of seniors, they’d rather risk COVID and see their mother,” Nelson said.
Of the 33,000 long-term care residents in B.C., just 26 per cent had a designated essential visitor prior to the current lockdown, leaving many seniors entirely separated from their loved ones.
“Those visitors are critical for helping with feeding, dressing. And when our staff is in such short supply, these are some things that are extremely important in order to provide the very best care,” said Terry Lake, CEO of the B.C. Care Providers Association.
He says B.C.’s medical health officer should be changing the order.
“What she should say is every resident of long-term care deserves at least one visitor. Period,” said Lake.
But Dr. Bonnie Henry is instead promising to open up care homes to social visitors very soon.
“We’re committed to making sure we can get back to having your one designated social visitor as well as essential visitors as the rapid antigen testing is being rolled out across long-term care homes and as staffing allows in this coming week,” Henry said in a COVID-19 briefing Tuesday.
“This will be in place this week as this is being distributed to long-term care homes and every home develops their plan to support this.”
Despite the promise, one care home operator who did not want to be identified, told CTV News that even if rapid tests were made available to all sites this week, they don’t have the staff to administer them.
Meanwhile, Lake, who told CTV News that B.C. care providers were not consulted about the lockdown order, says some care homes are at the breaking point when it comes to staffing levels.
“The biggest risk to residents in care at the moment is the shortage of staff, not the virus actually because of the booster residents received. So let’s make sure staff stay healthy, that they’re able to work and that family members who help the staff are able to help as well,” Lake said.
Meanwhile, Osborne’s daughter-in-law says despite Dr. Henry’s promise, she holds out little hope that the doors of long-term care facilities will open anytime soon for visitors.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spectacular aurora light show to be seen across Canada Friday night
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Town of Fort Nelson, B.C., ordered to evacuate due to wildfire
The entire town of Fort Nelson, B.C., as well as the nearby Fort Nelson First Nation, has been ordered to evacuate due to an out-of-control wildfire.
Bouchard lifts Edmonton Oilers to 4-3 overtime win over Canucks in Game 2
Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
McGill University seeks emergency injunction to dismantle pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University has filed a request for an injunction to have the pro-Palestinian encampment removed from its campus.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Video shows naked raccoon catching B.C. family by surprise
When Marvin Henschel spotted a strange and hairless creature wandering through a front lawn in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, he could barely believe his eyes.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.
Out-of-control wildfire prompts evacuation alert for Fort McMurray, Saprae Creek Estates Friday night
An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.