Life in lockdown: Meals in a box, no outside visitors for many in seniors' home

AresidentinaVictoria assisted living facility says the return to stringentCOVID-19 prevention measures is leading to increased anxiety and isolation for the seniors who live there.

Judith Hodgsonliveswith her husband, Camil Dufort, at Ross Place Retirement Residence, where she sayseveryone has been asked to stay in their suites.

"Our meals come to the door in boxes, not always warm," she said. "Many of us have no'essential visitor,' and many of us will not see family or a friend at Christmas. But we all hope this will help COVID numbers to go down."

Hodgson'sconcerns echo those raised in two separate reports released this month by the B.C. Care Providers Association andbyBritish Columbia's Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie.

Terry Lake, CEO of the B.C. Care Providers Association, saysthere have been no cases to date ofvisitors bringing COVID-19 into long-term care.

Mackenzie urged easing visitor restrictions after a survey by her office found the restrictionswere harming the health oflong-term care home residents.

In an interview with CBC On the Island host Gregor Craigie, Hodgson said that over the summer months, when COVID-19 cases declined and restrictions eased, residents enjoyedincreasedfreedom and renewed social connections.

"We went back to the dining rooms. There were only two at a table," Hodgson said. "We resumed some exercises in hallways and some people went out to visit with families and friends."

Those days of relative freedomendedwith the arrival of B.C.'s second wave of COVID-19.

Meanwhile,Hodgsonworries about the loneliness of her fellow residents.Many arein their 90s or older and are missingthe ability to visit with family members.Othersare heartbreakingly alone.

Hodgson said neighbours in the building try to supporteach other through phone calls,elbow bumps when they meet in the hallway,andsmall, distanced happy-hour dates.

But she said it's hard to summon the energy and optimism that helped get her through the first wave of the pandemic.

The couple isalso coping with a non-COVID-related health setback, afterDufort,88, suffered a small stroke.

"For three days I haven't been out except to pick up my mail and I'm kind of a social person. And so I'm finding it really difficult," she said.

"All I want for Christmas is ahug."

She would also like to talk to ananti-mask protester.

"We just want to meet one of these people who refuses to wear a mask and talks about their personal freedom, and bring them in to live in a facility for a week and seewhat they would think," Hodgson said.

"They are thinking about their freedom,"she said. "Well,I thinkmy rights endwhere yours begin, I'll put it that way."

To listen to the full interview with Judith Hodgson, tap the link below:

With files from CBC Radio On The Island