Long-term care home residents get in the Christmas spirit with Grinch sing-along

COVID-19 restrictions in long-term care homes take a toll on everyone inside and outside the facilities. The residentsare isolated, the employees are overworked, and the families miss their loved ones.

But one home in Prince Edward Island is trying to cushion the blow this holiday season by having a Christmas Grinch sing-alongpartywith its residents.

Christina Linton, activities director at theDr. John Gillis Memorial Lodge, said staff members dressed up in a Santa suitand other holiday costumesa few days before Christmas. Theystartedsinging, mischievously stealing Christmas ornaments and handing out snacks tothe residents.

"We are under a lot of restrictions on long term care and we can't visit our loved ones the way we used to. And we also can't get hugs from them," she said.

"Despite those factors our familiesstill love us and we still love them. And that's really the spirit of Christmas and the magic of the season that we want people to remember."

The residents smiled and sang along, Linton said, and one resident was so movedshe started crying.

"She said it was the best Christmas present she ever had. So that really made the afternoon worth it," Linton said.

Withall the dancing and singing, the employees still kept their masks on and kept their distance.

Linton said this year has been a challenge, as staff and residents adjusted to the new COVID-19 protocols.

"For many months, we had no visitors allowed. And that's hard on people," she said.

Linton saidthey're always trying to remind themselvesand their residents that when it comes to thepandemic, they've been lucky in P.E.I.

"We've also been blessed that we're in a province where we haven't had any cases in long-term care and very few cases overall," she said.

She said they chose the Grinch story not only because it's a Christmas story, but also because the lesson the Grinch learns in that story can be applied to a Christmas during such a tough year.

"Just like the Whos in Who-ville, happiness is in your heart," Linton said.