Residents at St. Joseph’s treated to parade of loved ones

After six weeks of isolation residents at St. Joseph’s seniors’ residence and Carmel Hospice were able to see their loved ones at a distance, thanks to a staff initiative.

Thursday afternoon a stream of vehicles, some with balloons and messages for loved ones, drove past the home where a number of residents and patients were sitting in wheelchairs.

Vehicles stopped briefly and from the car called out greetings to their loved ones.

Marie Bergen, who is staying in the Covenant Health Carmel hospice, says her husband, daughter, son and some friends who’d travelled from Lethbridge came to see her.

“It feels really good. It was really nice of the caregivers to organize this,” said Bergen with a big smile.

She said the whole experience had lifted her spirit and she called the hospice a “great place to be.”

The organizer of the event was Patricia Rolls, a nursing aide who had observed how isolation due to COVID-19 was affecting seniors living at St. Joseph’s and those in palliative care.

Rolls had noticed that increasingly residents and patients were asking when they would be able to see their loved ones again. She also realized that wearing face masks meant the residents and patients do not even see the smiles on the faces of the frontline workers.

An event like this would give everyone something to look forward to, a chance to see their friends and families from a safe distance.

“Anything is better than the four walls we’re staring at,” said Rolls.

Two weeks ago they all got busy making posters with words such as “we miss you, we’re safe and well, and we love you.”

Rolls says the atmosphere changed immediately as they looked forward to the event with much anticipation.

There were helium-filled balloons and music was playing as vehicles honked their horns on Thursday afternoon.

Elfie Schau had a big smile as she talked about seeing her husband for the first time in six weeks and he’d even brought her little dog, Camilla, to see her.

“Beautiful to see. We miss each other terribly,” said Schau.

Rolls estimated about 20 staff and volunteers were involved and 15 residents and patients participated.

All social distancing guidelines were strictly observed.

NEWS PHOTO GILLIAN SLADE Residents and patients smile after a moment to see their loved ones face to face for the first time in about six weeks. Marie Bergen, far right, says it lifted her spirit.

NEWS PHOTO GILLIAN SLADE Seniors from St. Joseph’s home and Carmel Hospice sit in wheelchairs on the sidewalk as cars drive by and stop briefly to see their loved ones on Wednesday afternoon.