The commons areas at Creighton Lodge are open again for the first time in over a month – marking a return to more normal living for the lodge’s residents. The dining room, the lounge and other . . .
“Every class had a different learning pathway that revolved around STEM,” said Garrioch. “Attached to that storybook, students asked some sort of problem, or had some sort of challenge. Through that challenge or question that was asked, they had a maker or innovative experience, and they went through the engineering design process.” From there they had a coding or robotics extension. “Every class did that, so there was a variety of different themes. Some were focused on bio-making or bio-mimicry.” Students completed the following projects: Pre-kindergarten: Used code-a-pillars to travel through a city, while learning about structures of the world.
Creighton Lodge had its final round of tests administered on May 11. “We had zero positive cases from the May 11 testing,” said Veroba. Nobody is currently on the close contact watch, either, which would have forced that person to be under quarantine. Creighton Lodge is in the midst of what Veroba called a 14-day clean cycle. If there are no positive cases at the end of those 14 days, then the eating area and other commons areas can reopen. The projected reopening date is May 26, but they’re awaiting confirmation from Public Health. “It is Public Health regulations that you have to have a 14-day COVID cycle, and a 14-day clean cycle. So we are on the clean cycle right now because we have no cases. If we get any more cases, then that would actually restart the whole thing again.”
Cornelius Lucey, mainly known as Father Lucey, celebrated his birthday on May 15 with his caregiver Martha Holzer, who brought gifts from his family. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, no additional family members or friends could visit their loved ones at the facility, but residents and staff did their best to make the big days for Gall and Lucey special. Nicole Messer, who works at the long-term care unit, said that residents are now distanced during the meals, but they can still have coffee and cake together to mark the date. Both Lucey and Gall had long and intriguing lives. Born outside of Canada, they were among the mid-20th century immigrants that dedicated their lives to building this country and making it better.
As for the two residents who had been receiving in-patient care at hospital, they have been released. The restrictions at the lodge that have been in place are still in effect. The eating area and the lounge are closed. Only caregivers are allowed to enter the lodge. Residents who currently aren’t regarded as active cases are allowed to come and go from the building. Most of the lodge’s residents received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine on Feb. 27. Veroba said previously that she believes this outbreak would have been much worse if the residents didn’t have that first dose.