Families hold breath, anxiously await holiday gathering guidelines for seniors in long-term care

Jennifer Heywood's mother is 94 and trying to bounceback from a recent bout with COVID-19.

Her adult children are anxious to know if they will be able celebrate Christmas as a family, in person possibly for the last time.

"I would like very much just to see her," Heywood said, fightingback tears. "I'm sorry. I would just like to see her."

The province is expected to announce guidelines this week for holiday gatherings involving seniors living in long-term care homes.

Making matters more complicated, Heywood lives in Toronto. Her bags are packed.Butshe's hoping the spread ofCOVID-19 will have stabilized enough in Quebec and Ontario to allow her to come to Montreal.

Her mother contracted the virus last month attheVigi Reine-lizabethin NDG, and it's taken a physical toll on her,according toHeywood.

Heywood and her siblings weren't even suretheir motherwould make it to Christmas.

Two of her siblings visit theirmother regularly, but never at the same time. Heywood is hoping that will change, and bring much needed joy to the elderly patient.

"Christmas is a big deal to Mum," Heywood said. "She always celebrated it joyously. She always made it beautiful for us. So we've always wanted to make it beautiful for her when she's been in a hospital bed."

Risk of outbreaks 'always hanging over our heads'

Quebecers are being allowed two get-togethers with a maximum of10 people in eachbetween Dec. 24 and Dec. 27.

But there's a quid pro quo.

Premier Franois Legaulthas askedpeopleto self-isolate in the week leading up to thatfour-day window and for a week following it. He calls it a "moral contract."

Dr.lise Boulanger, who works at CHSLD Father Dowd, says there is a need for balance when it comes to letting residents celebrate the holidays with family.

"There is a great proportion [of residents] that are at the end of their life, and this Christmas may be every important for them," said Boulanger.

For the most part, she believes people who visit loved ones in long-term care homesare careful about not bringing the virus intothe facility, but she stresses the importance of ditching large family gatherings prior to visiting a loved one.

"It's always a risk, and it's happening. You still have some outbreaks that are happening in the centres, right now," said Boulanger. "It's always a concern. It feels like it's always hanging over our heads."