Families allowed to visit under controlled conditions as they witness a decline in Covid-19 infections.
While old age homes around the world have been some of the worst affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, it appears that many of those in South Africa are on the mend.
But many have admitted that this might just be on a temporary basis amid fears of a resurgence of the novel coronavirus similar to the second wave which is erupting through many parts of the northern hemisphere.
In the interim however, some local retirement homes are beginning to loosen their reins.
This is as they aim to address mental health issues of their elderly residents who spent months away from their loved ones and have suffered the consequences of isolation and the anxiety and distress brought on by the global health crisis.
Many Gauteng retirement homes added that they are witnessing a decline in the number of positive Covid-19 cases.
“It is so much better now than it was a few months ago, particularly during the winter months,” sister Helea Eilers, the chief operating officer at Friendship Haven Old Age Home in Randfontein said.
“We have not had any new coronavirus cases for at least two months now and the residents and staff are all feeling relieved.”
Eilers explained to The Saturday Star during the height of the pandemic in the country and reiterated again this week that their senior citizens struggled to cope with the time they spent alone in the rooms as they longed to see their families and feared the worst if they contracted the virus which has deadly consequences for the elderly and comorbidities.
But as the nation entered into Spring, they slowly started introducing more social activities while still abiding by their stringent prevention measures .
“We have started to open up a little and are allowing family visits and resuming church services under very controlled conditions.”
“Everyone still has to wash and sanitise their hands, wear a mask and maintain a safe social distance.”
She added that their elderly residents are also permitted more time in the garden and can now exercise more frequently outside.
In Krugersdorp, those at the Emmanuel Old Age Home are also enjoying less pressure and more freedom under level 1 of the country’s lockdown.
The facility’s social worker Wilma Jordaan said they also have not had any of their residents test positive for the coronavirus in the last six weeks or so and while they are also now allowing visitors, they still have many other regulations in place.
“The dining hall and any other indoor activities are still not allowed and they can go for walks outside but not in a group.”
“Even the family visits are very controlled and first have to be approved by the manager,” Jordaan added.
These sentiments were shared by those at The Kensington Gardens retirement home, who like many of their counterparts, have witnessed a decline in coronavirus cases and are allowing visitors to a certain extent.
“No one is still allowed to see those in our frail care unit but the others can see their families through a visitors booth which is being constantly sanitised,” Luisa Maranda, marketing manager at the Flower foundation which owns Kensington Gardens explained.
Those at the Association for the Aged (Tafta) have taken a similar approach as they unveiled a unique visitor pod last week.
The portal allows families to reunite with their older relatives in a new, safe space at old aged homes throughout Durban.
The visitation pod enables up to two people at a time to visit with elders in a separate space from the retirement home.
Shaun Mohanlall, the CEO of Ayoba who designed and co-sponsored the pods, explained that they focused on the sanitary and ventilation requirements of the pod while also providing an intimate space for family reunions.
Tafta CEO Femada Shamam added that the creation of these visitation pods arose out of the desire to address the loneliness and depression experienced by the association's elderly residents who were forced to live in isolation for months.
“To isolate older people from the rest of the world during the pandemic was the most difficult trial we had to face as an organisation that bases its model of care on challenging helplessness, loneliness and boredom in the older population,” Shamam explained.
“It is also not a sustainable or healthy lifestyle and we needed to find a solution to meet the needs of elders and their families, whilst still abiding by the lockdown regulations that still encourage minimal visitation to old aged homes.”
But while these pods and other measures being implemented by old age homes across the country to allow senior citizens increased freedom during the Covid-19 pandemic, those at The Soweto Home for the Aged are still weary of opening up.
The retirement centre is located in Mofolo, in the heart of Soweto which was not too long ago the Covid-19 epicentre in Gauteng and with many at the facility contracting the deadly virus.
The Soweto Home for the Aged social worker Kabelo Thai this week said they are still reluctant to allow visitors in and there is still a ban on outings for their residents.
“The residents are frustrated that they can't go see their loved ones or go to church or to the mall but the virus is still out there and they are still very vulnerable,” said Thai.
While Marian House in Boksburg claim they have been Covid-19 free since the start of the pandemic, they are also weary of reducing the safety measures which they believe kept them safe from the virus in the first place.
“We have not had any cases and while some might have been asymptomatic, we didn't even have anyone get the flu this year,” sister Rebecca Malefetse said.
“None of our staff or residents have had any symptoms and I think we achieved this by constantly sanitising and practising frequent hand washing, not allowing visitors in, not allowing any of our residents out and practising social distancing.”
Malefetse added that staff members without their own transport are also accommodated at the facility for seven days to reduce the amount of time spent using public transport.
“We are not letting our guard down and we will rather be safe than sorry because we have very old people living here,” said Malefetse.
She said they are currently housing a 92 and a 93-year-old and that the residents get some reprieve from their stringent measures by attending the on-site church.
“There is enough space inside the church to accommodate them and this has really made a difference.”
Meanwhile, TAFTA is also hoping to bring some social relief to their elderly residents who were forced to endure months away from their loved ones.
Today (Saturday), they will host a drive-in movie night for the elderly and their loved ones to enjoy at The Harlequins Sports Bar on the Bluff, south of Durban.
The event, which requires all Covid-19 protocols to be abided by, will also coincide with the commemoration of Halloween as Hotel Transylvania is screened.
All those who attend are also encouraged to dress according to a Halloween theme, with the proceeds of the screening to be used for the benefit of the association and its residents.
“The event is open to the general public, and we have encouraged families to bring along older family members with whom they live as an opportunity for these elders to have some level of social interaction in a safe and socially distanced way,” Shamam said.
“We know that for most elders, this has been a time of severe isolation and an event like ours will perhaps allow them the opportunity to leave their homes, while still remaining safe in the privacy of their vehicles at our drive-in event.”