The COVID-19 pandemic has been stressful for those who have family members in long-term care homes, including the Thompson family.
Diana Thompson, 86, is one of 160 people who live at Spencer House in Orillia, where a worker tested positive for the virus last week.
“Right off the bat, my anxiety level went up because now it was real,” said Brent Thompson, Diana’s son.
It was a similar experience for Heather Thompson, Diana’s daughter, when she learned about the positive test result.
“I just thought, ‘Oh, no,’ because Bobcaygeon was on my mind,” she said, referring to Pinecrest Nursing Home, where 27 people have died from the virus. “We were thinking, ‘Please don’t let that happen to Spencer House.’”
Ten staff members at Spencer House have been tested for the virus. All of the tests administered so far have come back negative, and the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is awaiting the results of two more.
There were two sudden deaths at the facility late last week, but the health unit said COVID-19 was not the cause. Dr. Charles Gardner, the health unit’s medical officer of health, noted the two had “underlying medical conditions that explain why they passed away.”
“There was a sigh of relief,” Heather said, when she learned the deaths were not COVID-19-related and that tests had been coming back negative.
Not being able to visit their mother has been difficult for Brent and Heather. It’s been an especially long time for Heather. She returned in March from a trip to Florida and immediately went into self-isolation at her home near Pembroke.
“You feel like you’re out of the loop just because of the distance,” she said, but added she regularly sends her mom letters and cards.
Heather knows this experience is not her family’s alone. Since the outbreak was declared at Spencer House, “people have reached out to me who also have relatives there,” she said.
“We’re messaging each other and it’s a real comfort for all of us. It’s very heartwarming.”
Both Brent and Heather praised the staff at Spencer House for their work during the pandemic and both expressed concern about the workers’ health and the effect the outbreak might have on care for the residents. Eighteen staff members are in isolation for at least 14 days, so Spencer House is short-staffed, Gardner previously said.
"The home is in a difficult situation for staffing," he said. "They are bringing in some nursing students to help alleviate that."
How that is going, however, is unknown. For the second time, OrilliaMatters sent a list of questions to Sienna Senior Living, which operates Spencer House, and the company again responded with a statement that did not directly answer the questions.
Sienna Senior Living was asked what the response has been like from nursing students, how many staff work at Spencer House, and what the varying levels of care were for residents.
The statement also didn’t acknowledge an accusation of “misleading” reports from media issued by Spencer House executive director Traci Van Grinsven in an automated voice message to residents’ family members.
In that message, Van Grinsven told families that all team members were wearing masks, staff and residents were having their temperatures taken twice a day, only essential visitors were allowed — and they were being screened first — and that residents could not leave other than for essential medical treatments.
— With files from Erika Engel
