Residents at Dufferin Oaks are now one step closer to family

Written By MARNI WALSH

After spending months in isolation due to COVID-19, residents at Dufferin Oaks long term care facility in Shelburne, are one step closer to being reunited, in person, with those they love. 

Fencing has been installed to create a space for visitors to see and speak with the residents at a safe distance.

Brenda Wagner, Administrator of Dufferin Oaks says the new social distancing visiting area at Dufferin Oaks was initiated by Cathy Roberston, a personal support worker at the residence. She says, Ms. Robertson brought forward the idea to the management team “after she and her husband realized that his company may be able to help support distanced visits for residents and families.”

Mr. Robertson, a director with Modu Loc Fence Rentals, and his crew, worked with Dufferin Oaks maintenance department to set up the area says Benda Wagner. Construction started the week of May 18th and scheduled visits started the following week. 

“We have been able to host over 50 visits so far,” says the Administrator. “Currently, we are able to have one resident visit at a time, but based on need, we are looking at expanding the area to enable more visits.” She says that although the area is covered, the visits are weather dependent.

We've set the visits up to be 20-30 minutes, however, residents can access the outdoor area of the home at any time. People need to distance themselves a minimum of 6 feet from each other. Currently, due to the overall demand we are trying to limit one visit per week to give all residents a chance to visit.

Brenda Wagner says, “All visits must be scheduled in advance with our Program and Support Services Manager, Angie Matthews. Guidelines include not visiting if you are unwell, respecting social distancing guidelines, staying in the designated area, and being mindful of poor weather which may impact the ability to visit.”

“We've had many positive comments from both families and residents,” says Brenda Wagner. “While the implementation of virtual face time visits have been very beneficial, seeing your loved one in person is much better. It gives our residents something very positive to look forward to and it gives our families peace of mind to see their loved one in person.”

She says the staff and residents at Dufferin Oaks “continue to be so grateful to our families and the community for their ongoing support during this very difficult time. We look forward to the time when we can open the home up to visitors once again.”