NO MORE VISITS: City tells families to stop coming to LTC windows NO MORE VISITS: City tells families to stop coming to LTC windows In a memo this week, director of long-term care for the city, asked families to stop visiting their loved ones at windows “to help ensure that physical distancing remains in place for all our residents.” The news has devastated family members who say the visits are the only remaining connection they have with anxious and isolated loved ones whom they’ve been unable to see in person during the pandemic. Many of them do not respond to electronic communications the same way. Diana Pepin, whose 89-year-old mother lives at Peter D. Clark Long-Term Care in Centrepointe, said that her 92-year-old father visits his wife through the window most evenings before bed. Pepin called the decision cruel and questioned why the city is banning something that has been done at other long-term care homes across the province, including the one where the premier’s mother-in-law lives. Ford, whose mother-in-law has now tested positive for COVID-19, has talked about his wife, Karla, standing outside the window of the long-term care home. “It breaks my heart watching Karla standing outside the window in tears.” In a statement, Lett said the decision to limit visits outside of the homes “is based on prioritizing the safety and health of residents and staff. We have experienced a number of situations where families have visited and have not respected the requirement for physical distancing as directed through public health agencies.” the city-run homes have deployed additional staff and increased access to technology to assist residents to keep in touch with their loved ones through Skype, phone calls, emails and letters. “We know the lack of connection during the pandemic has been so difficult for families and residents,” he said. “Families are encouraged to connect with staff to schedule regular opportunities to connect with their loved ones.” But Pepin and others say online communications are not always possible with their loved ones. For some with dementia or cognitive difficulties, they respond immediately to seeing family members through a window. Pepin’s father, Matthew Surkan, goes almost every evening to see his wife by a large window as she is heading to her room. The window is beside her bedroom, said Pepin. Pepin said she had a hard time understanding the rationale for the decision and thought there might be concern about the possibility of infection through open windows. When she clarified with staff at the long-term care home where her mother lives, she was told the ruling applied to all windows. “We have visited my mother every day for six years. We have not caused any disturbance,” she said. “This is going too far. This poses no risk whatsoever.” Nancy Devonport said her 93-year-old mother, who has Alzheimer’s disease and lives at Peter D. Clark, has been asking to see her. She said the staff have offered FaceTime sessions but both she and her mother find them awkward, so they have brought her close to the window so that she can wave to her mother through a second-floor window. Read the article This sends a loud message 🤬 https://ottawasun.com/news/local-news/city-tells-families-to-stop-visiting-loved-ones-at-long-term-care-windows/wcm/851f1fc2-c534-4a1b-ac87-e0836c28fc25?