Some N.S. nursing homes end window visits amid COVID-19 concerns

Debby MacLeod used to drop by the window at husband Grant's nursing home nearly every day — bringing the family's chihuahua, Rocco Jon, and waving while they spoke by phone.

"We would joke, he could see the dog," MacLeod said. "When you see him smiling and enjoying that visit, that means a lot to me, I [could] drive away feeling good and comfortable and know that he's being cared for."

Images of family members connecting with loved ones through windows have become a poignant symbol of physical distancing since the COVID-19 outbreak but some nursing homes in Nova Scotia have put a stop to the practice in hopes of limiting infections and keeping the virus out.

After posting warnings repeatedly, Grant's home, Oakwood Terrace in Dartmouth, N.S., asked people to stay away from the property altogether after running into problems with visitors passing items through open windows and touching residents.

"To have that all cut off, it was a shock at first," said Debby MacLeod. "I was angry ... because I don't understand why people feel they're immune to all of this."

Visitors to the nursing home, which has 110 beds, haven't been allowed inside for more than a month. The vast majority of families have been understanding about the protocols put in place but the home ran into issues with a few groups, CEO Anthony Taylor said.

He said the precaution was unfortunate but necessary given community spread. Dartmouth has the highest number of cases of an area in Nova Scotia.

"Some family members were coming up and we noticed a few of the screens were being removed and there was contact between some families and residents," said Taylor.

Taylor said adding to the challenge is that planned upgrades to the home's ventilation system are on hold due to the outbreak and they want to ensure resident's windows can be opened when it gets warmer.

"We're trying to put as many isolation controls in place as possible, we just saw this as high-risk to potentially spread COVID-19," he said. "If we keep all families off the site, we greatly reduce the risk."

Across the province, increasing calls for people to stay home and stricter infection control protocols are changing how long-term care homes operate.

Glen Haven Manor in New Glasgow, N.S., which had also been hosting some visits at a window, has also stopped the practice temporarily.

The home has been reorganizing operations to ensure staff are assigned to specific wings. The window visits are no longer possible because they don't want staff and residents from separate areas crossing paths by an accessible window, said CEO Lisa Smith.

"We just weren't able to do it consistently for everybody," she said.

Families used to gather outside a large office window for appointments with their loved ones at Dykeland Lodge in Windsor, N.S.

Some days there would be nine sessions. Staff would space them out by an hour so they could disinfect the chairs and area outside.

The grounds are now off limits to the community.

It had become so busy, administrator Krista Beeler started worrying. Many of the visitors were in their 70s and checking in with their parents.

"If multiple people are trying to visit, then they are at risk of contracting COVID-19 and also spreading it. The other risk is that most buildings, the grounds, as you get close to the windows this time of year, they're soft, people can slip and fall and injure themselves," she said.

Unexpected knocks on windows could also startle people inside the home, Beeler said

"It can cause a resident who isn't quite mobile to try to get up from their wheelchair and potentially fall," she said. "So the biggest reason is to ensure we're keeping our residents safe and the second reason would be to keep the folks on the outside safe, too."

Beeler said residents have been understanding about the new measures and changes to their routines. Many have been talking to their families, saying things such as "I want to see my grandkids this summer, so please stay home so I can see my grandkids," she said.

"It lets them feel they have some control over a very unpredictable and uncontrollable situation."

For now, staff at all three homes are assisting residents with iPads to co-ordinate video visits for residents and their families.

"If they want us to colour a great big giant card and put it on the dad's door, then we're going to do that. If they want us to have a tea party for them, then we're going to do that. We'll get them on Skype or we'll get them on Zoom or FaceTime and we'll make sure that they have that opportunity to stay as close as possible and share and cherish that moment," said Beeler.

MacLeod misses having the reassurance of seeing her husband in person, but said she's grateful for the multiple video calls they share a day.

"I know that they're taking care of him. And that means a lot to me right now," she said. "I keep saying to myself, it won't be long before I'm back down there with him, so that's the main thing."

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