Residents of Abbeyfield House in Prince Albert celebrate Christmas together. (Submitted photo/Judy Anderson)

By Rob Mahon

Pandemic And Seniors Homes

Local senior’s home well adapted through second pandemic winter

Jan 27, 2022 | 2:14 PM

Cases of COVID-19 in Saskatchewan are higher than they’ve ever been. For a local senior’s home, however, this winter has been far less glum than the last.

With provincial restrictions less strict than last winter and with the vaccine providing some extra protection, a colder winter has nonetheless been in many ways an easier one for the residents of Abbeyfield House.

“This winter has been cold but people have been getting out with family members even just to go out for a coffee or something, which is great,” said Evelyn Hagley, house mother at Abbeyfield House in Prince Albert, who has been there for ten years. “Last winter, we were really isolated. It felt like we were in jail. We could not go out, we couldn’t visit family members, they could not come here. The morale was really quite low.”

This year, the 16 residents at the house are able to socialize with one or two family members, though if they want to socialize, they have to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Residents have had their booster shots as well, according to Hagley.

“Basically, it’s better than it has been,” Hagley said. “We’re fortunate that everybody comes out and we have our meals together in the dining room. I know some places, they can go out and do whatever they want but when they come into their building they can’t associate with anybody else in the building. Here, we get together, we play cards, we have movies, we have bingo nights, we have game nights and stuff like that.”

Made in Saskatchewan

Find My Plus One: The Canadian App for Getting Out and Living Your Best Life

Mar 09, 2026

Riderville

Ask Not for Whom the Ed Hervey Tampering Window Opens!

Feb 02, 2026

Seniors Scene

New Year - New Habits

Feb 02, 2026

Another difference from last winter to this one is the difference in temperature, with the highs seeming to be higher and the lows far lower. Hagley recalled driving to Saskatoon for an appointment (that had been put off for a year already) when it was -49 C outside with the windchill. And there are other concerns with the temperature changes as well.

“Last year, when everybody was so isolated, nobody had so much as a sniffle or a cold or anything like that,” Hagley said. “This year, with the temperature fluctuating like that, well, somebody’s bound to get sick with something because it’s way up and it’s way down.”

As the Omicron variant of the virus spreads, residents at Abbeyfield house have been going out less to avoid bringing the virus back home with them.

“They are very concerned about it but they’re sick and tired of talking about it too,” Hagley said. “That’s all that’s on the news now, and all people seem to be talking about. This year we’ve been out a little bit more, so we’ve had something to talk about… whereas last year, well, what’s there to talk about?”

Hagley added that family members of residents have been respectful of the COVID measures they’ve put in place so far.

—

rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP