Senior Jo Bennett had a visit with her daughter Deborah this week.
However, physical distancing rules in light of the COVID-19 pandemic did not apply.
IOOF Seniors Homes in Barrie has expanded its virtual visit program at the long-term care home since the home has closed its doors to visitors, and the wildly successful program is now looking to expand even further.
“It’s wonderful. It makes me feel alive,” Bennett, a resident of IOOF, said in an interview with BarrieToday. “I can see them and they can see me. We should all have (a tablet).”
Prior to the pandemic, Deborah would make an effort to visit her mother daily at the long-term care home, but would at least connect by phone if she couldn’t make the trip. When Deborah would visit, she’d bring her mother snacks and food she had made as a treat.
Therefore, Bennett says that the home being shut down to visitors has been a big adjustment for her.
“I miss my home-cooked meals,” Bennett said with a laugh.
While Bennett owns a tablet, she said that prior to the pandemic, she had never used it as she didn’t know how.
“I’m old school,” she said. “The girls help me. I don’t know how to do anything except turn it on.”
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, IOOF had three tablets, but they were primarily used for residents to play games. The long-term care facility also has two computers that residents could use for Skype or Facetime.
When the long-term care home shut down to visitors, the staff started using the tablets in other ways.
“For the residents, when they see their families, it brings tears to their eyes,” said Nicole Bahlke, recreation facilitator at IOOF. “It’s so wonderful to see them have that interaction.”
The new virtual visits are immensely popular. On Monday, Bahlke said she had eight residents scheduled to conduct virtual visits with family members that day.
“We’re now setting up a schedule for each unit,” she said.
The home currently uses three tablets for virtual visits, but as the program has become so popular, the home has ordered six more for each area of the home, which is paid for by emergency funding.
“I think it normalizes a situation that’s very difficult on everybody,” said Gaja Damas, director of program support and volunteer services.
Damas says she sees the home continuing with the program after the pandemic is under control and things go back to normal.
“There are many family members that live so far away and they can’t come to visit,” she said. “They could send us an email and we can set up a time. This is a great way to connect.”
