Like most households, Shauna Parks spent the Easter vacation other than her mom, Brenda.
Parks wished nothing greater than to place her arms round her mother, however a window go to from her 78-year-old mom’s second-floor suite at McKenzie Towne Persevering with Care Centre needed to be sufficient.
“I’m grateful she seemingly acquired by means of the worst of it, however my guard has not been let down in any respect and I nonetheless really feel a way of actual worry for her,” Parks mentioned.
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After testing constructive for COVID-19 simply over two weeks in the past, Parks mentioned her mother’s care suppliers instructed her she was now thought of recovered, regardless of being on oxygen to deal with her signs.
Easter indicators outdoors care residence in McKenzie Towne.
Jill Croteau/International Information
“She’s deemed COVID-free and we don’t have a check to show that,” Parks mentioned.
“Testing must occur to find out this. Let’s not give these residents a false sense of hope, particularly once they’re nonetheless having signs and being instructed they’re COVID-free. I believe that appears actually ridiculous.”
Parks needs Alberta Well being officers to re-test the residents.
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“As a society, we’re all on the lookout for aid. With this perceived notion that residents who’ve examined constructive have been by means of their 14 days and are actually deemed recovered, I ponder if that’s going to create a way of extra flexibility with the principles,” Parks mentioned.
Revera spokesperson, Larry Roberts, mentioned 25 residents have recovered.
“When it comes to re-testing residents who’ve recovered, any choices in that regard would lie with AHS,” Roberts mentioned.
“We had yet one more resident check constructive for COVID-19 at this time (Monday), for a complete of 60 instances for the reason that outbreak started,” Roberts mentioned. “Twenty residents stay symptomatic for the virus.
“Relating to employees members, we’ve one extra constructive swab, so the entire is now 41 employees who’ve examined constructive, all of whom are remoted at residence. In complete, 11 employees members have recovered.”
Advocates with Canada’s Nationwide Seniors Advocacy Group (CanAge) mentioned whereas Alberta appears to be main the best way, extra must be completed.
CEO of CanAge, Laura Tamblyn Watts, mentioned its staff is asking on widespread reforms of the long-term care system.
“What we all know is these folks can nonetheless be spreaders. The place doable, we want to ensure older individuals are getting precedence testing in addition to these offering look after them,” Tamblyn Watts mentioned.
“This is only the start. Until we take exact and cautious motion now, that is going to get a lot worse.”
She hopes this outbreak triggers change.
“Lengthy-term care was under-funded and understaffed and held along with a number of hope and good-hearted folks, so what I’m hoping occurs is we begin a nationwide dialog re-thinking long-term care,” Tamblyn Watts mentioned.
In response to Alberta Well being spokesperson Tom McMillan, if the case didn’t require a hospitalization, or the individual was wholesome after 14 days, that individual is taken into account recovered.
“Any re-testing would rely totally a case-by-case foundation,” McMillan mentioned.
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