Covid 19: Te Whanau rest home residents in Levin take to social media

Te Whanau resident Val Hedges with activities coordinator Tracey Stevens.

The Covid-19 lockdown has forced some elderly rest home residents in Levin to embrace social media in order to maintain contact with loved ones.

Te Whanau Care Home manager Shani Fifita said since the strict Covid-19 restrictions were enforced a month ago they had brought in laptops and facilitated Skype calls for many of their residents.

It was the only way they could help them to better communicate with the outside world, she said.

"With an average of five video calls per day, our residents have embraced the technology since the lockdown began to give them more contact with family and friends," she said.

"We have been using the extra laptop and mobile devices provided and wiping them down hygienically between calls.

"We have also been receiving emails from families so we print them off and give them to the residents."

But the social media option didn't work for everyone.

Levin woman Lesley Haigh, whose mother 97-year-old Lorraine Angus was a resident at Te Whanau, said a Skype call would likely upset and confuse her mother.

While it was hard not to visit or call during the lockdown, she knew she was in good hands and understood the importance of the isolation rules in keeping residents there safe.

Haigh said before the lockdown she would visit her mother several times each week. But they haven't seen each other face-to-face for more than a month now.

It was comforting to know her mother, who would turn 98 on June 6, was in good care, she said.

"I would be more upset if they didn't have these measures in place. They are doing everything they can to keep her safe and happy," she said.

Haigh had nothing but praise for Te Whanau, from the staff to the meals and the way they cared for her mother, so her mind was at ease.

"I couldn't ask for anywhere better for Mum to be," she said.

"She calls everybody there Lesley, so you like to think that she thinks I am right there.

"She is happy and relaxed and settled and we are getting regular updates from staff. You feel fully informed."

The rest home had been closed to visitors since March 25 and has been following infection prevention and control measures, which includes strict hand hygiene as per the Ministry of Health guidelines.

Since then, the only people coming and going were staff.

Fifita said just one staff member, who was more than 70 years old, had taken leave. Otherwise their staffing numbers had remained unchanged.

Activities coordinator Tracey Stevens had created a boredom board, with lots of games and puzzles for the residents to use.

"It's become quite popular with puzzles that really activate the mind and keep our residents busy," she said.

Te Whanau resident Val Hedges had gone into a 14 day isolation on her return to the rest home after a short visit to hospital.

Hedges said the activities had helped with boredom of being in a bubble within a bubble.

"'I'd been in the standard 14 day isolation because I had a short visit in hospital. Tracey was lovely and made me a boredom pack with word finds and quizzes," she said.

"I love a good quiz so it helped me to pass the time."