GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND
Harbour Landing Village creates a safe, welcoming environment for seniors during pandemic
What does it take to help seniors feel safe and protected during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Regina senior Helen Friesen and her daughter Linda Halverson say it takes a village. Harbour Landing Village to be specific.
Friesen is one of 70 seniors in residence at Harbour Landing Village, an intergenerational senior care and living community located in south Regina. Designed as a complete and connected community, The Village offers independent, assisted and supportive senior living, with a diverse range of amenities including gourmet dining options and fun activities.
When COVID-19 began to spread, Linda Halverson became very concerned about her elderly mother. “I was really worried about it, but it didn’t take very long before I realized that if mom does get sick she’s much better off there than being in an apartment by herself. I knew that the staff at Harbour Landing Village was right on top of it and taking care of everyone,” says Halverson.
COVID-19 created fear and uncertainty for Friesen, who says, “At first I was very anxious with so many unknowns. But everything the Village staff could do, they did for us.”
The extraordinary steps taken by Harbour Landing Village included having six senior staff members move into the seniors’ home and shelter in place with residents for the better part of two months.
Friesen says, “Having the staff be here 24/7 was very comforting. The Village staff was here when we couldn’t be with our friends and family. I am so thankful to be living at The Village.”
Janson Anderson, President and CEO of Harbour Landing Village, was one of the senior staff members who resided on site the past two months. “We wanted to make sure that the frontline caregivers in all areas felt fully supported by our senior leadership team. We wanted to let them know, right from the get-go, that we’re all in this together,” says Anderson.
Having staff on site 24/7 helped reassure Village residents. “We wanted to make sure they knew we were taking this very seriously and there would always be representation from our senior leadership team to deal with anything that could happen.”
Sequestering also provided extra protection to residents, employees and their families. “In some cases, spouses were working in health care or other areas where they could potentially be exposed. It was a safety consideration,” says Anderson.
This is why Kristy Duperreault, LPN, chose to separate from her family and reside at the Village. Duperreault is Director of Community Living at Harbour Landing Village.
“It was a hardship being away from my family, yes, but it was ultimately the right thing to do,” says Duperreault.
Lauren Benesh, General Manager of Harbour Landing Village, also moved into the residence. “It was primarily to provide support to our staff and to our care team. Part of that was making sure they felt safe and secure, and to ensure we had enough personal protective equipment (PPE) and supplies on hand. That was a big undertaking,” says Benesh.
“Every single staff member in the building received extra training. We wanted to make sure we were prepared, and staff knew that safety was the priority.”
Staff are also going above and beyond to ensure residents are enjoying the best possible life under quarantine.
“We recognized immediately that the residents’ mental and physical wellbeing were our top priority. We have been organizing every kind of activity you can think of to keep peoples’ spirits up. We incorporated positive news daily instead of dwelling on what was happening around the world. We started a prayer circle every evening and have regular exercise classes, bingo, karaoke, impromptu dance parties and online art classes,” says Tracy Thompson, Director of Leasing and Client Relations. Thompson also resided at The Village for 55 days straight, to help keep residents safe.
The Village staff also worked hard to keep residents connected to family and friends. “It’s been a combination of creative thinking, technology and being open to trying new things. For example, we set up weekly schedules for Facetime, Skype and Zoom conversations between residents and their family members,” says Anderson.
Anderson says COVID-19 has really shone a light on the dedication and commitment of The Village staff. “We have rock stars showing up for every shift. I’m so proud that everyone, across every department, really lives our culture and our values.”
Linda Halverson says, “Harbour Landing Village deserves a really big bravo and a big bouquet. The team is outstanding. When you have an elderly parent, you want this kind of care.” BECOME PART OF THE VILLAGE
There are three different stages of senior living at
Harbour Landing Village, says Tracy Thompson. “We have rental suites for independent living. It’s like living in an apartment but with the added benefits of on-site meals, transportation, activities and housekeeping. If they need some extra help, we have our Village home care that allows them to stay where they are but provides assistance with things like medication administration or other aspects of daily living. Then we have our licensed personal care home with 24/7 care.”
Seniors interested in becoming part of the Harbour Landing Village are invited to visit the website at www.harbourlandingvillage.ca
or call Tracy at 306-550-4159 to arrange a virtual tour.