A salute to St. Albert hospice workers

The St. Albert and Sturgeon Hospice Association (SASHA) organized a salute to hospice workers in St. Albert on July 17 to recognize the sacrifices and difficult work staff are taking on in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Set up with a tent and decorations outside the Foyer Lacombe facility on St. Vital Avenue, members of the volunteer group said thank you to every staff member as they left or entered the building, handing over a card with a gift to recognize their efforts.

Caring for people who are approaching the end of their lives isn't an easy task, and doing so in a pandemic brought unprecedented challenges, said Johanna Buisman, president of SASHA's board.

"They've probably had trying times, I'm sure. Spreading joy, giving people a little piece of happiness to say we care about you, I think goes a long way," Buisman said.

For Arlene Beck, a hospice care partner at Foyer Lacombe, ensuring those who are approaching the end of their lives feel they are still living each day is important. 

"I wanted to be able to have people feel that they were a person, not a room number," Beck said.  "Everyone's going to die, but let's let them live until they die."

When COVID-19 hit, staff at the hospice centre had to figure out how to keep their residents safe while still making sure they could still enjoy the time they had left.

It wasn't an easy challenge – staff work tirelessly to make sure everything is done, working through their breaks and picking up extra shifts to fill in gaps, Beck said.

Amid the chaos and uncertainty, staff had to step up their efforts to brighten the lives of everyone around them, all while smiling behind a face mask.

When one resident became agitated, Beck said she took her out on the patio to smell the flowers. She then came back later in the day with ice cream for her, giving her small tasks to keep her mind busy.

"I had her fold mop heads for me," Beck said. "It made her feel important, it made her feel useful and needed." 

Beck's efforts to comfort those in pain have not gone unnoticed. In June, she received the 2020 Covenant Mission Award for Compassion, a recognition she said felt "exceptionally overwhelming." 

"To think that I have been nominated by my coworkers is one thing, because that made me a winner. But then to have it sent up to the top and to actually get that award blew my mind. I cried," she said. 

Korley Misanchuk has worked at Foyer Lacombe for three years. As a self-described hugger, she said the pandemic and new safety guidelines have been difficult for everyone to adjust to.

Families had to set up outdoor visits or phone calls to talk with loved ones, not knowing if they would ever get a chance to hold their hand again. Staff could only comfort and interact with residents from a distance, far from the daily hugs and personal care they were used to.

Staff also have to explain to the people they were caring for, and their anxious families, why the safety measures that kept them apart are so necessary. 

"It's heartbreaking, and it's not right. But there's nothing you can do, and that's the hardest part," she said.

Last week, Alberta's chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw announced changes to better support people in continuing care facilities as they battle with the mental health challenges caused by isolation and COVID-19 safety measures.

These changes, which take effect July 23, will allow more people to participate in outdoor visits, allow visitors to stay for longer amounts of time, and permit some physical contact, like hugging and hand-holding, for those believed to be at a lower risk. Guidelines are expected to come for facilities this week. 

Misanchuk said she almost feels guilty knowing families can't be close to their loved ones, but she can. She said she hopes the changes will offer residents a little more comfort as the pandemic stretches on.

"We're trying to come up with creative ways to get people to connect through glass and walls. And I don't know if it's working, to be honest, and everyone's trying their best," she said. "I want them to be able to (see their loved ones) more than anything."