Despite a rise in recent long-term care home deaths, the Ministry of Long-Term Care announced a gradual lifting of restrictions at facilities, starting Monday.
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In Brantford and Brant County, five of the area’s seven long-term care homes had outbreaks as of Monday and there have been nine deaths in them over the past month.
“I’m torn on it,” said one woman, whose mother is in a facility. She asked that her name not be used.
“Yes, the isolation is awful for them, but seeing a loved one looking like death is terrifying. Allowing more visitors in just increases the transmission risks.”
On Monday, the number of caregivers permitted per resident rose to four from two and residents with at least three doses of vaccine can resume social day trips.
As of Feb. 21, visitors five and older with at least two doses of vaccine can resume visits to home residents and all residents can resume social day trips.
It will also mean that many adult day programs that have been suspended can resume, including entertainers, small group activities and those coming in to provide personal care services.
Another easing of restrictions for those under five years of age is set for March 14.
“The experience of the last two years has shown lock-downs and visiting restrictions are harmful to residents,” said another woman with a brother in long-term care.
“It’s clear that restrictions on residents have not stopped COVID from coming into the homes.”
According to data posted by the Brant County Health Unit, during this most recent wave of the virus, 167 nursing home residents have COVID or have recovered from the illness while 200 staff members have tested positive.
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“The restrictions on residents seem to be misplaced,” the woman continued. “It’s been difficult to deal with isolation, confinement and separation from family and friends.”
Outbreaks have meant residents confined to their small rooms with no group activities or socializing with other residents, lukewarm meals served on paper plates, no baths or showers and no fresh air, even when weather allows.
“That should be changed as soon as possible. The fact that residents have not been allowed out in the world and yet COVID happens shows they are not contributing to the problem. Relaxing restrictions on visitors is essential.”
What helps, those interviewed said, is rapid tests at the entrance to long-term care homes. One home halts visitors until there’s evidence of a negative rapid test, but allows staffers to go to work until a test indicates they need to leave.
“By then (the worker) has been in the halls and residents’ rooms,”
Requiring visitors to be vaccinated is also important, she said.
Essential visitors have seen the hard work and exhaustion of nurses, PSWs and many other staff members in long-term care homes, said family members.
The key, said one, is rapid testing and vaccinations with a secondary emphasis on cleaning, proper staffing levels and outdoor and off-site visits as soon as weather allows.
Jennifer Miller, the administrator of the municipally run John Noble Home, said she hopes the outbreak at that facility will be resolved within the week.
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“The home worked very hard to ensure all infection, prevention and control measures were exercised diligently to prevent spread,” Miller said.
“We will continue to have strong infection control protocols in place as restriction lift to keep residents, visitors and staff safe.”
The ministry has said testing requirements for all staff, caregivers and visitors will remain in place and measures will be adjusted as necessary in order to keep homes safe.
Almost half of all of Ontario’s long-term care homes currently have outbreaks.
Since the pandemic began, 23,400 residents and 10,000 staff members at the homes have had COVID-19. Thirteen staffers and 4,157 residents have died.
Provincial data also shows that, as of Feb. 3. 84 per cent of eligible long-term care staff and 91 per cent of eligible residents have received their third dose of the vaccine, which is said to offer the single best protection against COVID and its variants.
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