PANDEMIC STORIES: In Conversation With...Jill Blaikie

Jill in her office at East Cumberland Lodge

When Jill Blaikie answers her extension in her office at East Cumberland Lodge, she says hello. And when she’s asked how she’s doing, she says, “We’re fine.”

We are fine. She doesn’t just answer for herself, but on behalf of everyone working at the long-term care facility in Pugwash, along the north shore of Nova Scotia.

As the Director of Recreation Services, Jill is used to overseeing the variety of activities provided to the Lodge’s 74 residents, with the assistance of staff and many volunteers. The programs range from music and art to church services and cooking, and of course, the always-popular Bingo. But since the “facility closure” due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Jill is doing her best to continue providing activities with no volunteers and the ‘no gatherings of more than five people’ rule.

“We’ve had to do this before, when we’ve been closed during outbreaks of the flu,” Jill says of running programs without volunteers. “What’s new is limiting activities to five people.”

Applying that rule to a nursing home is a real challenge. Following the five-person gathering limit means that, with a programmer, only four residents can participate in an activity at one time.

Despite that, they’re carrying on as normally as possible. Jill still reads the newspaper with residents every morning, but now instead of twenty residents gathering in the recreation room, there’s two shifts of four and then Jill goes to the rooms.

“It’s always a great way to start the day,” she says. “They catch up on my life and I catch up on their life, and there’s great commentary on the stories in the newspaper.”

Exercise continues, there is Bible Study, and two sessions of Bingo, and some of the staff are bringing in their guitars in order to provide sing-songs for the residents.

“We have four or five televisions so today, we’re having a movie afternoon,” Jill tells me during our phone conversation last Friday. “There will be different movies in different places in the building.”

Adapting is key. “I make a note on the calendar every month that ‘All programs are subject to change’ and it’s never been more true than now,” Jill says, adding that she busier than ever. “I’m here for eight hours a day, I’m run off my feet, and I leave feeling like I haven’t done enough.”

One new adaptation she’s juggling appointments for the Facetime calls and window visits.

“Those are getting more and more popular,” Jill says about helping the residents see and speak with their family.

All the staff at ECL are wearing masks now, which Jill thought might upset the residents, but she says they are taking everything in stride.

“What they really miss is the hair dresser,” she laughs. Even though the hair salon is inside ECL, it had to shut down when all salons across the province closed.

“On any given day, there’s a staff member with a curling iron or some rollers, and we’re doing the best we can. We’re not allowed to cut hair, but we’re making an effort to get the hair done.”

One unexpected bonus was the arrival of two kittens just before the facility closure began.
“Actually, as we’re talking, I have one sitting on my shoulder,” Jill chuckles, and as soon as she says Lucy’s name, the sound of purring comes through the phone line. “They’ve come at a great time because we can take them into the rooms. They are something fun to watch.”

Still, the cute antics of kittens don’t make up for what the residents are missing above all else: Their family. And Jill has a message for those families: Their people are safe and well-cared for.

“We realize our residents are suffering because they don’t have their family visits,” she says, “but we’re coming to work every day and we’re doing our best.”

The devotion of staff, including Jill and her recreation team, can’t be overstated at a time like this. Everyone is trying to cope with what will be a long-term closure.

“People work in long-term care because we love it,” says Jill. “I always say, ‘These are my people,’ and right now, my people are very lonely.”

~ By Sara Jewell