THUNDER BAY - After four long months having to politely decline invitations from her mother, Tina Savioli can finally accept and come inside for a visit.
“Her biggest question was why aren’t you coming in? Why don’t you come in?” Savioli said. “So today I am very grateful it has finally come.”
Savioli’s mother has been a resident at Pioneer Ridge for more than three years and when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, visitations inside the facility were halted.
But on Wednesday, Pioneer Ridge reintroduced indoor visits, which is a welcome change for both residents and families.
“I’m really excited,” Savioli said. “It’s been a long three, four months. My mother is confused as to why we haven’t been in visiting and doesn’t understand. This is really a wonderful time for us to meet face to face again.”
Lee Mesic, administrator at Pioneer Ridge, said it is a step everyone has been looking forward to for a really long time.
“It is so important,” she said. “The effects of social isolation and not being able to see their loved ones is apparent in many of our residents. We’ve tried our best to maintain the relationships, but just being in that room.”
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pioneer Ridge began virtual visits between families and residents and last month it began outdoor visits.
With the Ministry of Long-term Care now permitting indoor visits to resume, Pioneer Ridge opened its doors on Wednesday.
But not everyone is rushing to come inside just yet.
“It does not come without a little bit of apprehension, as things are still continuing to escalate in different areas of our country,” Mesic said. “But we do so with hopeful optimism that this is going to be a first step and we will move weekly on graduated steps to increase visitations.”
Mesic added that some family members are still worried about the risk, with long-term care homes in other parts of the province early in the pandemic experiencing numerous outbreaks.
“We will continue to maintain our outside visits, our window visits, and our virtual visits,” Mesic said. “Not everyone in our community is comfortable yet coming into the long-term care home and that is understandable so we want to make sure we offer every opportunity for family to visit with residents.”
There are still strict regulations in place to protect both the residents and staff. Anyone coming for a visit must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test within the last two weeks and all visitors are screened before entering the building and a mask must be worn at all times.
People are also encouraged to continue to practice physical distancing, but Mesic understands that there is a desire to hug and be near a loved one.
“We are strongly encouraging we refrain from that for now, so that will probably be our toughest part of reopening,” she said.
Savioli has been visiting with her mother through the window and during outdoor visits, and with so many precautions in place, she said she was not apprehensive about returning inside.
“I’ve watched the precautions they’ve taken and what we’ve done out here with our family,” she said. “We’ve been tested a couple of times to make sure everyone in my little circle is okay. I’m not nervous or apprehensive of anything.”
“The staff here have been absolutely wonderful. I have to say they have been amazing, kind, and understanding and very accommodating to all of our needs and our anxieties of what’s going on inside.”
Greyson Evans, a redeployed staff with city of Thunder Bay working as therapeutic recreational assistant at Pioneer Ridge for the past four months, said staff are making sure all public health guidelines are being followed.
“People need to keep in mind that they are getting COVID tested,” he said. “Everyone coming into the building is COVID tested, just like the staff. They are wearing masks, just like the staff.”
And as visitations slowly increase, residents can finally welcome family back into their homes, something that so many have wanted for so long.
“They are over the moon,” Evans said. “They really miss them and I think it will be really good for everyone to be able to see their families in person. Getting a window visit or coming outside is just not the same.”
Indoor visitations are taking place for 30 minutes between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Each resident can have two visitors and only five visits can take place every hour.
Visitations must be arranged ahead of time by calling 684-3956.
