‘I want to spend time with her’: Woman reacts to prolonged care home restrictions

The wait to see her mother has been agonizing for Annabelle Walter — and now she faces a longer delay.

While some long-term and personal care homes in Saskatchewan are poised to ease visitor restrictions starting Thursday, care homes in Regina, Emerald Park, Lumsden and Cupar will continue to restrict visitors due to community transmission of COVID-19.

Waiting a few more weeks might be tolerable for some people, but for those like Walter whose loved one is dealing with unique health conditions, time spent with them can’t come soon enough.

Walter’s 85-year-old mother, Mary, has been battling dementia for a number of years but it has become progressively worse over the span of the last 12 months.

Walter says unlike many other families, she can’t talk to her mom on a computer screen.

“Some people are fortunate enough to do FaceTime or whatever if their loved one is able, but there are so many that aren’t able to do that,” Walter said. “With dementia, I have to be close to my mom so I can get her attention and then sometimes talk to her after that.

“Being six feet away, or online, just doesn’t work for either one of us.”

Starting Thursday, some care homes in the province will allow visitors, provided 90 per cent of residents have been fully vaccinated and at least three weeks has passed since their second doses were administered.

Even though Mary is fully vaccinated, Walter claims the rare opportunities she has been able to see her mom haven’t given her the chance to actually get close.

“It’s not that my mom knows I’m there, but it’s that I know I’m there for her,” Walter said through tears. “I need to be close to her to get acknowledgement or anything from her.

“I know she doesn’t always know I’m there but I want to spend time with her.”

The Santa Maria long-term care home in Regina, where Walter’s mother stays, is one of many facilities around the province that has dealt with COVID-19 outbreaks since the start of the pandemic.

Santa Maria’s Kelly Chessie wrote in a statement to 980 CJME she looks forward to being able to welcome visitors once again.

“We are being advised by the Saskatchewan Health Authority that the eased restrictions do not yet apply to homes in the Regina area and we are to remain on Level 3 restrictions,” Hall wrote. “This will be reviewed by the medical health officer again on May 10.

“Residents and families were disappointed to learn that the easing does not apply in the Regina area, but I have heard more messages from families who support the SHA decision to not yet open Regina care homes.”

Walter says she is worried about getting her hopes up, saying she wouldn’t be surprised to see restrictions pushed back even longer in the region.

“I’m overwhelmed because of the false hope,” she said. “It’s very frustrating. It’s not healthy. You never know when the last time is that you’re going to be able to see a loved one.

“It’s beyond words how much I would like to spend time with her.”