This June for Seniors’ Month in Ontario, Senior Persons Living Connected (SPLC) recognizes and honours SPLC’s vibrant and diverse community. Throughout the month, we will be sharing stories to show how seniors and caregivers supported by SPLC are handling the pandemic. Check back weekly for new stories.
Read more about Seniors’ Month in Ontario.
Meet Carol Waith
Just before the pandemic lock-downs in Canada started in March, Carol Waith, 75, and her husband Alex were on a cruise passing through the Panama Canal. When they arrived home, they went into self isolation (a short time later, the government mandated travellers to quarantine) – and they have been home ever since.
“We love to travel and earlier this year, we travelled to the Mayan Riviera in Mexico. Then we went on the cruise and had a really nice time. Alex’s brother and his wife came with us,” said Carol. “We had nice food, enjoyed the music shows, and the weather was good – it wasn’t too hot.”
No one expected to come home and be self isolating all these months later, she said. Not leaving home very much has Carol feeling cooped up and missing simple things like going to the corner store. Her husband has been doing the grocery shopping for their household because Carol has health conditions that put her at high-risk of COVID-19.
To stay busy, she is trying to get out for walks in the neighbourhood and she keeps in touch with her friends from church. She also enjoys cooking and has been doing lots of baking in recent days. “While we have been in the house, I learned how to make muffins from scratch, and I’ve been making banana bread. I’ve always liked to cook – my mom was a cook, too.”
Carol is an SPLC client, participating in SPLC’s Adult Day Program. Nine years ago, she became extremely ill and had to be hospitalized on life support for three months. When she finally was able to return home, her recovery was slow and left her feeling depressed. “Alex took me to the Adult Day Program, and I have been going there ever since on Fridays. It was a real reversal for me. I enjoy the company of others in the program – we interact with each other and try to help one another, which is a really big thing.”
Before the pandemic started, Carol would join the group in person and the day would start with coffee/tea and toast, and then the group would break off into different activities. She would join a group for an hour-long discussion. “We pick a discussion for the week, sometimes we talk about the seasons and what we need to do to prepare, different foods that keep us healthy, or we watch a video to show different countries and discuss things about the country. I come from England, others are from places like the Caribbean or India, so when we see the countries on the videos, we recognize things and it’s very interesting for us.”
Fridays were often a highlight for Carol, and she had planned to start attending the program twice weekly when she returned from her cruise. But, instead, because of the pandemic, she has been joining the group for Zoom video chats for the last month. The calls are good, and she looks forward to connecting with the others weekly, but she misses seeing everyone in person.
Carol has also been connecting virtually with her children, two grandchildren, and her great-grandchild who is 2.5 years old. She looks forward to being able to see her family in person when it is safe to do so and expects that when that time comes, she and her husband will go to church and then meet their family for lunch somewhere. “We will be able to have a nice meal and be able to touch one another at the table, I hope.”
Meet Jennifer
During the long days of the pandemic, Jennifer, the caregiver of an SPLC client, has found a fun new hobby: creating Brain Games for her mother. The creative word games are helping her mother, Po-Chun, keep her mind sharp and active – and Jennifer is having fun making them.
“Just because we are at a standstill these days (because of the pandemic), I don’t want her brain to be at a standstill as well!” Jennifer said. She got the idea to create Brain Games after receiving some from SPLC Chinese Day Program staff who have created a series of games and posted them on YouTube.
“Since the pandemic, the SPLC day program staff have been very good, and they phone my mom once a week. They also send me emails with videos and exercises so I can show my mom how to do them – and do them with her,” she said. “I really like the videos they send with Brain Games. It’s important for my mom since she is not connected with too many people nowadays. When she sees the videos, she sees the familiar faces, I think that is good for her. I really appreciate their efforts.”
They have been enjoying the Brain Games so much that Jennifer was inspired to start creating her own. The games include a little strategy, math, and memory recall. “Some words my mother may forget, but the games help bring the words back.”
As her mother’s caregiver, Jennifer used to take her mom to SPLC’s Chinese Day Program every week.
“But ever since the pandemic, she’s not able to go which means she is home seven days a week, and I am also home seven days a week, too,” she said. The mother and daughter are both missing SPLC programs. While her mother joined the Chinese Day Program, Jennifer would enjoy free time – and she would also join SPLC activities, such as line-dancing.
It has been challenging being home so often, but Jennifer said she goes for walks to get fresh air, chats with her friends over the phone, and connects with her children and grandchildren every week. “Once a week, my mom gets to see her great-grandson by video chat. He is only seven-months-old.”
Seeing family is one of the things she most looks forward to when the pandemic is over. “I’m also looking forward to going to restaurants to have dim sum with friends and going to malls – I like hitting the mall! And of course, line dancing – it’s a lot of fun. But first of all, I want to see my grandson in person.”
- Check out SPLC Brain Games on YouTube
Meet Annetta
An avid traveller her entire life, Annetta, an SPLC client in Scarborough, has been filling her passion for travel during the pandemic by watching travel movies and shows by popular travel journalist Rick Steves.
“I’ve always loved travelling,” she said. “When my kids were young, I did a lot of travelling in Europe and stopped in different places like Belgium and Paris.” Seeing the destinations Rick Steves visits on his show reminds her of the incredible countries she visited in Europe and brings back beautiful memories.
Annetta and her husband lived in Italy and Nigeria before coming to Canada and settling with their family. Her favourite destination is Italy.
“I’ve always loved Italy. I love the country. The food is great, and the people are warm and friendly. I lived in Rome and I saw Italy through the eyes of my husband who was born there, and not as a tourist,” she said. “I just love Italy. The Italian Riviera, Lake Como – all of these places are so beautiful and different.” Annetta was fortunate to return to Italy just a few years ago on a cruise of the Mediterranean.
Grocery Delivery During the Pandemic
Annetta is a Senior Persons Living Connected (SPLC) client who previously used the transportation program to get to some medical appointments. Recently, she has been using the grocery delivery program, which she says has been especially helpful during the pandemic.
“I think I’m high-risk (of COVID-19) because of health problems, so with this program, I don’t have to go and shop for myself,” said Annetta. “I think it is a very good service. It is helpful, and I find the people at SPLC are very friendly and efficient.”
Every week, Annetta phones the SPLC office and speaks to a team member to tell them the items she wants delivered – usually foods like fresh fruit, milk, and croissants. The next day, the SPLC team does the shopping and if there is something that she wants and it is not in stock, they will phone and ask her if she wants something else.
The Grocery Shopping and Medication Delivery Service has been helpful for Annetta who has health challenges that can make it difficult to pick up her groceries herself. At the beginning of the pandemic, Annetta’s son was helping her, but he lives far away, and it was taking three hours of travel time to deliver her groceries. Being able to order the groceries herself and have them delivered allows her to maintain her independence.
When the pandemic is over, Annetta said she is really looking forward to getting together with friends and says she will try to get out and socialize more. “I’m normally a private person, but I like to go out with friends and have a nice dinner. It will be nice to just be able to go out again.”
Of course, she hopes one day she gets to travel again, too. For now, she says she will keep living vicariously through Rick Steves!
Meet Peter Wong
Peter Wong lives in our Centre building and is an active member of our community.
There is no question that the pandemic, and long periods of isolation have been challenging for all of us, but it is not keeping active seniors like Peter down. Despite not being able to attend group and church events, or meet friends for meals, Peter is staying connected with his community and keeping busy.
“I never thought I would see this in my lifetime,” Peter says about the pandemic. “But I am not that worried. I’m just going to live the best life I can.”
Staying Active During the Pandemic
For Peter, right now that means following his Sunday church service through YouTube, meeting with his church group on Zoom, and connecting with friends via WhatsApp and text message.
“Through SPLC, there is normally a weekly group meeting called the Spiritual Support Group, but now they started using Zoom video conferencing to do it. Most seniors don’t have video, but they call in for those meetings,” he said. “They do not just have prayers. They also have bible talk, and they have small groups you can split into to discuss among those smaller groups and then come back to the big group. There are about 30 people calling in every week.”
Virtual Connections
Peter, who lives in St. Paul's L'Amoreaux Centre on his own with no family in Canada, says that while he misses seeing his church community and friends, the virtual programs have been important in keeping him stay connected. He never thought he would be using so much technology but said that he is comfortable with it. He uses his computer to do research, watch news and YouTube, or check out special entertainment performances, such as Swan Lake by a world-renowned Russian ballet company.
For his exercise, Peter says that he was part of a program that participated in exercises to prevent cardiovascular disease. “Since the pandemic they cancelled the classes, but they also offer classes through YouTube, so I sometimes exercise through their YouTube program.”
Taking everything in stride, Peter says there is one thing he is certainly looking forward to – a haircut! “I’m not getting out that often right now, but the one thing I am really missing is my barber. My hair is getting really long,” he says with a laugh.
