ST. ALBERT – With 129 senior residents and no visitors permitted at the Citadel Care Centre, director of care and site manager Dana Schnepf has become creative in trying to keep some level of interactions with the public. Her idea gets a solid stamp of approval: it’s a letter writing campaign.
“We would love for people to write letters and for kids to make pictures for our residents. Small gestures like this bring smiles to their faces because it gives them connection to people outside of our facility and is a nice distraction from what is happening in our world right now,” she explained via email on Friday from the continuing care facility.
The residents are still doing relatively okay despite news of the pandemic and the resulting isolations. Staff members at the Citadel continue to have fun recreation activities for the seniors and companionship efforts are still strong, she averred.
“Many staff members are like second family with our residents. They are pouring their hearts into trying to give the residents reassurance and personal connection. The staff is being as diligent as they can be with infection prevention and control measures in efforts to keep everyone safe.”
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Right now, only health care professionals, including foot care nurses, x-ray technicians and medical lab services team members are allowed in and out under strict health protocol.
In addition, the Citadel team has been organizing to start providing phone and video call access for residents and family members.
This is another great idea to keep people in self-isolation in their own homes connected with the community and to keep occupied with productive, healthy activities as well.
People can write their letters at home and then scan and email them to [email protected] or drop them off on a table just inside the front door. The facility is located at 25 Erin Ridge Rd. Please note that Erin Ridge Road runs perpendicular to Erin Ridge Drive, connecting directly with St. Albert Trail.
Otherwise, she asked that people stay home if they are not essential workers in the province.
“Our staff needs to be going between work and home and second jobs. The fewer people they interact with in public the safer we will all be.”
