Staff at a long-term care facility in Summerside, P.E.I., are trying to make the holidays as joyful as possible for residents despite an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness.
Horizon, a 14-bed household within the manor, is dealing with a GI outbreak that previously infected two other households at the same facility. Visitors to Horizon are limited to one visitor at a time, residents can't leave their immediate household, and those experiencing symptoms are isolated in their rooms until the illness passes.
But Gayle Lamont, the administrator for Summerset Manor, said staff are doing their best to make the Christmas holidays special.
"Staff tend to have Christmas music playing, they're singing, they're wearing funny sweaters, they're engaging in all the fun Christmas activities. They make it a very positive day."
Many of the Christmas festivities at Summerset Manor, such as the tree decorating, happened before the outbreak occurred. (CBC)
Staff have also hung dry fruit on trees outside the manor to attract birds and other wildlife so that residents can watch the action from their rooms.
On the less fun side, Lamont said staff will be cleaning extra diligently so that the outbreak can be declared over as soon as possible.
Turkey dinner will be served as usual on Christmas Day, and brought to residents who can't leave their rooms.
Lamont said it was a good thing that many activities, such as the manor's annual tree decorating and church service, happened before the outbreaks occurred.
She said it's important to keep the Christmas tradition alive for the residents, who were thrilled to receive Christmas cards from a local French school.
"The community is exceptionally important... for people living in long-term care," Lamont said.
"The isolation can really be alleviated just by sharing the good cards... They love getting Christmas cards, they love getting things that remind them of how Christmas traditions used to be celebrated."