OHCA The Oregon Caregiver Fall Winter 2020

The Oregon Caregiver FALL/WINTER 2020 www.ohca.com 6 FEATURE At the Jennings McCall Center in Forest Grove, making deep personal connections with each resident is essential. Rebekah Cormier, the center’s life enrichment director says many families have had to adjust their plans to keep their loved ones safe, but some are having a difficult time adjusting to the new regulations. “Families are very understanding, mostly,” said Cormier. “They need a lot of atten- tion and a lot of conversations to really work through that process.” Known for their large events, the Jennings McCall Center had to make drastic changes this year, including cancelling their 21st Annual Christmas Bizarre and called off their holiday lights caravan tours through 2020 is the year of hallway bingo, plexiglass dividers, and never- ending Zoom calls for the long term care sector. The COVID-19 pandemic has put extreme strains on health care, especially on caregivers, medical staff, and seniors. While it has been a year of unprecedented changes, it is most importantly the year of adaptability and perseverance. With regular activities on hold, social gatherings—essentially obsolete, and in-person visitations becoming more challenging, care staff were forced to think outside the box to prepare for a By Catherine Van holiday season unlike any other. This year, they focused their efforts on making meaningful connections between resi- dents, their families, and their friends from afar. They have embraced virtual video chats, online exercises, and hallway activities. During the warm summer months, families were able to make social distance visits outside or behind plexi- glass. Some families got creative by organizing drive-by birthday and holiday parades outside the buildings. Spending quality time with family during the winter holidays was difficult this year due to health risks associated with COVID-19. As the months grew colder, care staff needed to work harder to provide safe and impactful activities. COPINGWITH COVID-19 DURING THE HOLIDAYS Dozens of bags of candy and cookies were delivered to residents at Jennings McCall Center for Halloween.